the Dubai School of Government established this year to teach public policy.
Reema Saffarini writesDubai is always striving to be the first, biggest, largest and the best at everything. This time it is determined to house “the leading” knowledge institute for government studies in the region.
Envisioned by General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence, the Dubai School of Government (DSG) was established this year. Its mission is to “enhance public governance and contribute to intellectual advancement of the study of government by working with international talent and cultivating regional expertise.”
A school designed for the elite, DSG admits only senior government officials to its courses.
“There isn’t enough access to world-class education in government and public policy in the region. It’s still an untapped area. The Dubai School of Government is for public officials and government figures who are too busy to pursue their personal and professional development. It is for those on the run,” said Dr Yasar Jarrar, DSG executive dean.
DSG not only offers an educational chance, but also an opportunity for officials to network and meet with their counterparts and peers from other countries and government departments.
“We get lots of responses from officials from Gulf countries. Many figures are interested in our courses or in participating in our conferences and forums,” Jarrar said.
Programmes and forums
DSG has a list of courses and modules to offer. The Executive Education Programme is one. It offers short courses that target public, private and non-government sector leaders who are interested in public policy and management.
In partnership with Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, DSG offers advanced training sessions in public policy, public administration and state and national government.
Topics covered include: innovations in governance, which depends on analysis, presentations, case studies and discussions guided by a delegation from Harvard University. Another is e-Government/Leadership in a Networked World designed for heads of state, ministers, deputy ministers, general directors, senior advisers and government officials in the areas of science and technology, development planning and others.
“We do not discuss issues the old-fashioned, traditional way. We go through case studies, learn more from international experiences and create forums and discussions. We draw from international examples from countries such as Australia, America and Mexico. We talk about taxes, investments, etc,” said Jarrar.
The school also requires research fellows and visiting scholars to conduct topic-specific research addressing policy issues to create a knowledge base to enhance public governance in the region.
Officials rejected
DSG also facilitates policy forums where it invites leaders and senior government officials from the region to discuss current issues.
“We sometimes invite officials and in many situations they apply to participate. Usually we choose candidates from the same level,” said Jarrar.
He added: “We usually receive between 40 and 45 applications. Many get rejected for many reasons such as lack of qualifications or room capacity.
“When we organise these programmes, we want those from a certain level and who have a better understanding of the kind of issues those in their position deal with to come together. You don’t want to bring someone who is not really in the picture.”
The discussions are closed door sessions, during which officials and government figures can discuss and debate freely.
ObjectivesThe Dubai School of Government aims at:
- Providing executive education programmes for regional decision-makers
- Advancing public management through comprehensive research and analysis
- Facilitating knowledge exchange on current policy issues through forums and conferences
- Sharing the expertise of world leaders at policy forums
- Offering a masters programme in public administration and public policy in 2008
posted by Unknown @ 10:36 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home