Welcome to our first Alumni e-mag of the new academic year. We’ve had a busy month, welcoming new full-time and part-time students including several new Degree Apprentices from councils who haven’t been involved in the programme previously. Our second in-person alumni event in October went well, with Dr Barry Quirk sharing his reflections about lessons on leading through a crisis, building on his experiences following the Grenfell Tower fire. And we are looking forward to our next seminar, on community asset transfers, which takes place on Thursday 30th November (12.00-2.30pm at our Edgbaston campus).
This e-mag edition focuses on ‘working with others’, a vital topic for everyone in local public services.
We start with some intellectual ear candy – we’ve handpicked three fantastic podcasts where you can have your thoughts provoked by some of our finest academics exploring government relations with the private sector, leadership approaches to achieve lasting change, and whether democracy is in real trouble.
Our ‘Meet Your Peers’ section spotlights some remarkable research by our alumni. Ellen Vernon, Xinrui Liu, and Nick Rice completed dissertations aiming to uncover the keys to effective partnerships, government-third sector relations, and the impact of New Public Management in the education sector. Their key insights are summarised for you here.
In ‘Staff Spotlight’, Alice Moore shares her inspiring journey from a civil servant in the UK Cabinet Office to a PhD candidate breaking down the complexities of government relationships with private and non-profit organizations.
Are you ready to be a part of groundbreaking research? Our team is updating the influential "21st Century Public Servant" project. We want your insights on how public servants have adapted to the challenges of the past decade. So, please take a few minutes to make your voice heard through the survey.
The original research sought to explore the changing roles undertaken by public servants and their associated support and development needs.
Mark your calendars for our Brown Bag sessions. These informal online gatherings are back for another year. If you're working in or around local government, it's the perfect opportunity to connect and brainstorm. Our next sessions are on November 7th and December 14th, so be sure to join the mailing list for updates.
Lastly, as part of our programme of Continuous Professional Development for our alumni, we present important new insights on collaborative governance and public policy from Prof. Helen Sullivan. As always, the INLOGOV blog is buzzing with insightful commentary. Dive into recent articles for a fresh perspective on local government, collaboration, and the digital cities of tomorrow.
So, there you have it – our jam-packed e-mag that's bound to tickle your intellectual taste buds. Enjoy the read, explore the links, and stay curious. We'll be back soon with more exciting updates. Please get in touch or pop in to visit us anytime.
Jason Lowther j.lowther@bham.ac.uk Head of the Department of Public Administration and Policy (DPAP) and Director of INLOGOV