The first Public Administration conference convened by the Ministry of Higher Education began on August 1st with a speech by the Minister, H.E. Dr. Farida Momand, who urged Afghan government institutions to use of technology to speed up government services to the people. The conference has brought together top representatives of government agencies with administrators, lecturers and researchers from five Afghan universities that offer a Bachelor’s degree program in Public Administration. Public Administration experts from University of Potsdam in Germany and the Indian Institute of Public Administration are also participating in the conference.
H.E. Mr. Ahmad Zia Masood, Special Representative of the President’s Office in Administrative Reform and Good Governance expanded on the theme of getting services to the people by noting that good government itself supports economic development and provides solutions to the problems of society.
Dr. Ahmad Mushahid, Director General of the Independent Afghanistan Reform Civil Service Commission (IARCSC) stressed the importance of service delivery and recruiting capable staff for the upcoming challenges for civil service in Afghanistan. He was impressed to see the large audience of deans, young lecturers and motivated students of Public Administration in the audience from Kabul, Herat, Balkh, Nangarhar and Kandahar Universities.
Mr. Robert Kressirer, Country Director of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in Afghanistan, reminded government officials that the Bachelor’s in Public Administration program includes an internship requirement in their final year of study. He asked their help in placing over 300 students enrolled in Kabul, Herat and Balkh universities into internships next month.
The scientific committee of the Ministry of Higher Education selected 14 papers from the many they received to be presented at the two day conference. The presenters include both experienced professors from Afghan and international universities and Afghan Public Administration lecturers who are presenting their research for the first time.
Following the two day conference, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Strengthening Public Administration Project, on behalf of the German Federal Foreign Office, is hosting a four-day learning academy to allow the lecturers and professors to explore in greater depth specific challenges, issues and best practices in offering a strong Public Administration (PA) program to the over 2,500 students (21% of whom are women) who are now enrolled in the program.
The development of the Public Administration Bachelor’s degree Program began in 2012. Simultaneously, this GIZ Project has supported the development of an updated, comprehensive curriculum for the training of Afghan Civil Servants under the auspices of the Afghanistan Civil Service Institute. These two curricula lay the necessary groundwork for standardized training of public sector professionals in Afghanistan.
