The role of higher education in public sector education and training : the case of the School of Government, University of the Western Cape

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The provision of Public Administration education and training has been under the spotlight by Higher EducationInstitutions (HEIs) since the early 1990's and has received further prominence by the South African government in recentyears. The 1994 democratic elections has brought about challenges and opportunities for educational and traininginstitutions, among others, to reflect on their programme content, methodology and clientele and to gear themselvestowards the needs of a 'developmental state. In response to these challenges and opportunities, South African HEIs ofvarious types and sizes have attempted to introduce or reform Public Administration education and training programmesto both fit into the new political dispensation and help transform its public service. However, the emergence of thesenew education and training programmes have not been without difficulties.Notable efforts have been the emergence of schools of governments or public management at various tertiaryinstitutions all of which purport to educate and train public officials for a democratic service. The euphoria thataccompanied the institutional reforms might suggest that all is well, but the reality records that not all programmes havelived to their ideals. In the light of the above context, this study focuses on the School of Government (SOG), Universityof the Western Cape (UWC). The school has been selected due to its formal commitment to the provision of publicservice education and training for the post-apartheid civil service. The study focuses on the role of the school, itsleadership, structure, content and processes of education and training programmes for the public service in the country.The study explores the broad global and national role of HEIs in general, and their particular role in the provision ofPublic Administration education and training. The study traces the global and national debates with respect to how publicservants ought to be educated and trained, and illustrates the Public Administration education and training challengesfaced in South Africa. The study also explores the legislative and policy framework governing HEIs and public sectoreducation and training in South Africa.The evaluation of the UWC School of Government is based on the adaptation of the IASIA/UNDESA Standards ofExcellence model to measure the role and performance of the case. The case study is measured through the applicationof institutional and programmatic criteria. In addition to the institutional criteria, the programme criteria focuses on theSOG's programme development and review processes, its programme content, programme management andadministration, and the performance of its programmes. The analysis of the case study is preceded by a historiographyand background of the SOG and its education and training programmes. A critical analysis of the case study isundertaken in relation to the institutional and programmatic criteria mentioned above. Based on the findings of the study,the thesis concludes with recommendations relevant to the case study and provides more general recommendationsapplicable to institutions involved in the provision of Public Administration education and training.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University