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Background
The Department of Public Administration & Development Management started its operation in 2009 by admitting 90 students in regular program. Since 2010 the department launched Continuing Education Program at Jijiga center. Following modularization Decree of curriculums by the ministry of education, the department reviewed and shaped its curriculum to modular form in 2012 academic year. Hence, the first year students of 2012 batch were admitted by the modularized curriculum.
The Department offers an interdisciplinary training program that combines theories and practices in the organization and management of the public sector as well as management of development programs and projects. The program intends to impart knowledge and skills in the areas of public and development management by offering various theoretical and practical courses on the concepts, principles, approaches of public policy formulation, implementation and evaluation; public finance management; human resource management, public service delivery; development management; new public management; research methodology; project planning and management; leadership and conflict management; and other related subfields in public administration discipline. The BA program in Public Administration and Development Management is intended primarily for those who are planning a career in the administration and management of public sector organizations and development processes.
Rationale
The program is geared towards the preparation of trained human resource with the required competency in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes for the formulation, implementation and evaluation of public policies, development programs and projects.
Toward this end, the success of the reform programs in Ethiopia heavily depends on building capacity of the civil servants who deal with the government and public at large. In order to revamp the whole system, the civil servants have to be molded. The country needs a well trained and development oriented bureaucratic machinery that can efficiently and effectively deliver government service fairly and transparently to the public. Therefore, an education and training program in the field of Public Administration and Development Management has become inevitable.
Objective
The general objective of the Department of Public Administration and Development Management is to achieve academic excellence (conceptual knowledge, analytical skills and practical experience) in the preparation of students for administrative positions as well as in research and consultancy activities in government and non-government agencies, and academic institutions and, to some extent, in business organizations.
Specific objectives
The Specific Objectives of the program among others are to:
- develop the analytical skills of students to make them understand how public administration functions;
- equip students with the required skills, knowledge and attitudinal/behavioral competencies to enable them act ethically, effectively and efficiently in the administration of public sector organizations;
- develop the critical and analytical skills which enable students to understand policy and program formulation, implementation, budgeting, resource allocation and evaluation;
- prepare students for mid-level professional career that involves managing and administering human, material, financial and information resources of organizations at the various levels of governmental and non-governmental organizations, and other agencies;
- build the foundation for students who are interested in pursuing graduate study in public administration and other related programmers;
- train mid-level professionals who must fill the professional gaps in all tiers of Ethiopian public sectors.
- provide knowledge and skills on how to run public institutions effectively and efficiently in the context of Ethiopia, where the state is one of the important factors that plays major roles in socio-economic and political development.