Trust in government
promoting ethics, integrity and professional standards in public services

Two-week study programme 3 to 14 November 2008 Public Administration International in association with Eunoia

About the programme

Governments throughout the world operate in different political, administrative and cultural contexts. However, they often face similar challenges in establishing, promoting and monitoring integrity, ethical conduct and professional behaviour in the public service. Transparent and accountable public services make a vital contribution to economic and social development and the fight against corruption.

In many countries, public sector reform programmes are acting as catalysts for improving standards of public sector performance, decentralisation of power and budgets, and greater flexibility in managing resources. New ways of working are developing rapidly, sometimes based on private sector practices, including the delivery of public services by the private/non-government sector. This can lead to the fragmentation of traditional public service values such as integrity, objectivity, honesty and accountability. A sound framework, clearly setting out expected standards of conduct and the implications of failure to comply with those standards, is therefore essential to managing modern public services in the best interests of the citizen.

The main aims of the programme are:

• to assist participants in developing practical strategies for establishing, promoting and sustaining ethics and professional standards in their own public service
• to make a positive contribution to fighting corruption in the public service.

Who is the programme for?

This two-week study programme is designed for senior policy makers and managers in the public sector, presidential or special advisers, parliamentarians, representatives from civil society organisations and all those with responsibility for or a special interest in public service ethics, anti-corruption and good governance. It will be relevant for those working at national, regional, local or organisational level.

How participants will benefit

The study programme will enable participants to:

• reflect on the standards of behaviour in the public service in their own country
• enhance their understanding of ways of establishing and communicating core values and written codes of conduct for public servants
• explore alternative methods of promoting and maintaining ethical and professional behaviour
• identify areas of risk and develop techniques for reducing opportunities for misconduct
• analyse systems of monitoring and enforcement of ethical codes and integrity systems
• identify aspects of UK experience which can be applied internationally and aspects of overseas experience from which the UK system can benefit
• develop practical strategies for initiating relevant and sustainable change to improve standards of integrity in the public service on return to their own country.

What the programme will cover

The programme will cover the following main components:

• identifying core values and the methods by which they are communicated
• developing structures, systems and administrative procedures to prevent wrongdoing and change culture and behaviour
• exploring the role of leadership and management to ensure effective strategy development and implementation
• compliance monitoring of ethical standards and administrative procedures
• enforcing the codes of conduct and managing investigations when things go wrong.

The programme will include seminar sessions, discussions, case studies, action planning and a range of visits, for example to central and local government, parliament, organisations responsible for auditing and professional bodies. The programme has been designed to be flexible so that it can be adjusted wherever practicable to meet the specific requirements of participants and their organisations.

Participants will be invited to give informal presentations on issues relating to ethics, integrity and professional standards from their own country

Programme outline

We reserve the right to change the programme as necessary.

Location and arrival arrangements

The study programme will be based mainly in central London and is likely to include one night’s stay outside London.  On request, PAI can assist with finding suitable hotel accommodation and can arrange travel to and from the airport.

Language

The programme will be conducted in English.  Participants will be expected to have a good working knowledge of the language.

Fees and other costs

The fee for the two-week study programme will be £3,000.  This includes tuition, travel to and from the airport, travel on official visits, return travel for the official visit outside London and one night’s accommodation while outside London[1]. The fee also includes all documentation.  UK Value Added Tax (VAT) will not be charged if applicants can provide written confirmation from their Government or its accredited representative that they are employed by the Government in furtherance of its sovereign activities.  In all other cases, VAT (currently 17.5%) will be charged in addition to the fee.  Payment in full must be received by PAI no later than 3 November 2008.  Cheques should be made payable to Public Administration International.  Alternatively, PAI is able to invoice individuals or government agencies.  Payment by bank transfer is also acceptable.

Airfares, accommodation costs (apart from the one night on the visit outside London), daily travel (other than on visits scheduled in the programme), meals and living expenses are not included. We suggest that approximately £120 per person per day should be allowed for a modest standard of accommodation, local travel in the UK, meals and other incidental expenses. Participants requiring a higher standard of accommodation (for example 4 star accommodation) will need to allow approximately £175 per person per day.

Insurance

Participants are advised to arrange travel and health insurance cover before leaving their home country.

Public Administration International (PAI) and our contributors to the study programme

PAI specialises in management consultancy and development services for organisations in and associated with the public sector worldwide.  We provide advice and support for governments undergoing political, economic, structural and legislative change.  Our extensive network of associates includes practitioners, academics and independent consultants.

The Directors of Studies for this programme will be Rob Packham and Neil McCallum.

Rob is a consultant specialising in the development and implementation of professional standards and anti-corruption work. He previously worked for thirty-two years in the UK police service where he was the first Deputy Director General of the National Crime Squad and, prior to that, Assistant Chief Constable (Crime) for the West Midlands Police Service. He has worked with Eunoia on ethics and professional standards issues in Ethiopia and Nigeria, and with the United Nations on drugs control organisational issues in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

Neil is the Managing Partner of Eunoia and has more than thirty years’ experience of public sector performance and review work. He currently manages a portfolio of international projects, working with a range of public sector institutions, international donors, other consultancy firms, academic institutions and non-government organisations on issues of accountability, transparency and good governance. He has worked on these issues in Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, The Gambia, Nigeria, Tanzania and the UK.

Eunoia

Eunoia is a partnership of practitioners with a wide range of experience in ethics and professional standards, governance and public sector change. Eunoia’s partners have delivered highly successful organisational development projects in Africa, Asia, Central Europe, the Caribbean and the UK.

Funding/sponsorship

Several international funding bodies may consider applications for support. Limited sponsorship is also available for Commonwealth nationals from the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation (CFTC).

For consideration for CFTC support, applicants need to be nominated through GIDD Points of Contact (POC) in their own country and must complete the GID/1 nomination form, available from the POC. Applications from suitably-qualified women are particularly welcome. Completed nomination forms should be sent to:

Director
Governance and Institutional Development Division
Commonwealth Secretariat
Marlborough House
Pall Mall
London SW1Y 5HX
T + 44 (0)20 7747 6349
F + 44 (0)20 7747 6335

The study programme is open to non-Commonwealth representatives.

How to apply

Clare Walters
Public Administration International
10 Bayley Street
London, WC1B 3HB
UK

T + 44 (0)20 7580 3590
F + 44 (0)20 7580 4746
pai@public-admin.co.uk

Applications should be made as soon as possible as the number of available places is limited.

How to contact us

For further information about this programme or our consultancy and development services, please contact:

Claire Cameron or Donald McGregor
Executive Directors
Public Administration International
10 Bayley Street
London, WC1B 3HB
UK

T + 44 (0)20 7580 3590
F + 44 (0)20 7580 4746
pai@public-admin.co.uk
www.public-admin.co.uk

We also have extensive experience of designing tailor-made programmes which can be run in-country or in the UK to meet the specific needs of groups or individuals.  Please contact us if you would like further information.