Higher education boost
for Scotland’s public
service sector
Q
MU HAS LAUNCHED a new Master of Public
Administration (MPA) in an effort to meet a growing
industry demand.
In Scotland, around 21% of the workforce is employed in the
public sector. This does not include the many private and third
sector organisations that help deliver vital public services.
At a time of increasing pressure on public finances it is
increasingly important that all those who support the delivery
of our public services continue to develop their professional skills
and knowledge. QMU’s public services programmes support
those seeking to develop these skills.
The MPA is an internationally recognised professional
postgraduate degree, which is a public sector equivalent to
the Master of Business Administration (MBA).
The programme is targeted primarily at public service
professionals working in a range of organisational contexts.
The aim of the programme is to enable learners to build on their
professional experience by studying key developments in public
administration in order to more effectively deliver public service
outcomes in a rapidly changing environment.
The programme addresses some of the key challenges facing
our public services such as financial accountability, partnership
working, governance, effective leadership and responding to
change.
The MPA has an innovative leadership exchange element,
working with the Association of Chief Officers of Scottish
Voluntary Organisations (ACOSVO), to enable all students to
partake in an appropriate exchange within another organisation.
QMU is also an institutional member of the Joint University
Council’s Public Administration Committee.
The programme offers options for both full-time study and part-
time study, which will fit with busy working lives.
“We’re delighted to support the new
programmes at QMU as including family
businesses in education in Scotland is a major
development and something that should assist in
the further growth of these businesses.
“Family Business United Scotland (FBUS) is at
the heart of the Scottish family business sector as
the leading organisation championing the sector
and providing a voice to celebrate the contribution
made by family firms across Scotland. As well as
providing a voice for the sector, FBUS is growing
as a community and helping to disseminate best
practice, news, insights and more besides. We
look forward to seeing the courses develop and
become an integral part of the learning for the next
generation of family business owners in Scotland.”
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For more information on MBA and MSc programmes
visit: www.qmu.ac.uk/be/default.htm
This is a multidisciplinary course, with the purpose of preparing
students for professional academic level roles in the public sector
in democratic and legal states. As such, the delivery draws
on academic expertise from a range of backgrounds such as
administrative justice, public management and social policy. The
input of research active academics will be complemented with
expert guest speakers and visits to key public administration
sites such as the Scottish Parliament.
Dr Ian Elliott, Senior Lecturer in Business and Public Services
at QMU, said: “Our new MPA has been specifically designed
to support managers who are currently charged with delivering
public services, from within the public sector or from private
and third sector organisations. QMU’s public services courses
have always delivered excellence in the facilitation of academic
qualifications and knowledge in a practice-focused setting.
“The new MPA is designed for middle level managers who
have an interest in the way public services management has
developed from traditional public administration to the new
public governance. The course focuses on key themes and
issues including public finance and leading change. As such it
equips managers with skills and knowledge to step ahead in
their career and implement real improvements in within their
workplace.”
For more information on public service and business
programmes at QMU, visit: www.qmu.ac.uk/prospective_
students/postgraduate/postgraduate.htm ❒
QMYOU / Sustainable Business
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