Required competencies in public administration study programs

Janez Stare,Maja Klun

doi:10.24193/tras.55e.6

Abstract

In the evaluation of undergraduate and graduate study programs, there is an important issue about which competencies must be acquired by graduates. This study tested the importance of competencies in public administration study programs in the light of expectations of employers in Slovenian public administration. The aim of the research was to find out how various competencies acquired in higher education (undergraduate and graduate study in public administration) are evaluated by employers in public administration. On the basis of analysis of findings of similar research projects, the competencies contained in programs by renowned universities and competencies defined for the work positions, a set of discipline-specific competencies (61) were designed. Research was conducted in 2015 and involved 343 respondents. A qualitative research method (survey) was used to collect the data which were then analyzed with the SPSS statistical program and Microsoft Excel. The results show that the competencies related to ethics and ethical behavior were evaluated as the most important; generic competencies are better assessed than specific ones and on average the competencies received a higher assessment for graduates (compare to undergraduates) positions

Highlights

The concept of quality in higher education has been drawing attention of all interested parties in the education sector over the last few decades (Tasopoulou and Tsiotras, 2017)
The set comprised over 1,600 competencies, of which about 290 were acquired from theoretical contributions (TUNING (Tuning, 2016; Evenson, 2012; European Commission, 2002)), European Association for Public Administration Accreditation (EAPAA) (van der Krogt and Reichard, 2013; Reichard and van der Krogt, 2014; NASPAA (NASPAA, 2009), IASIA (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2008), approximately 940 from different study programs and approximately 380 of them were highlighted in actual work practice (Uredba, 2003)
In order to avoid an excessive set of specific competencies, reducing the possibility of accurately completed surveys, specific competencies were included in the survey by giving the respondents the option to evaluate the importance of knowledge in the areas taught in the public administration programs

Summary

Introduction

The concept of quality in higher education has been drawing attention of all interested parties in the education sector over the last few decades (Tasopoulou and Tsiotras, 2017) Both universities and employers, with the renewal of higher education programs (as a consequence of the Bologna process), gave special emphasis to competencies. A competence based approach could be considered as an attempt to make higher education institutions more standardized, comparable, accountable and cost-effective (Želvys and Akzholov, 2016). This raises the question of what competencies are, and which, from the perspective of employers, provide the expected ‘standardized’ qualifications. Despite the large variety of definitions of the concept of competency, all competency involves knowledge, procedure and attitudes combined towards one goal, head knowledge (understanding), know-how (skills, abilities, aptitudes and capabilities), knowing how to be (attitudes), knowing what to be like (beliefs and values), and being able to do (means and resources) (Martínez, Moreno and Brage, 2014)

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Discussion

Conclusion