Introduction to the special issue of teaching public policy in Australia
| DOI | 10.1177/0144739419879481 |
| Date | 01 March 2020 |
| Author | Yvonne Haigh,Siobhan O’Sullivan |
| Published date | 01 March 2020 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
Teaching Public Administration
Introduction to the special
2020, Vol. 38(1) 3–11
ª The Author(s) 2019
issue of teaching public
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DOI: 10.1177/0144739419879481
policy in Australia
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Yvonne Haigh
Murdoch University, Australia
Siobhan O’Sullivan
UNSW Sydney, Australia
Abstract
Teaching public policy, social policy, public management and public administration
is an important vocation. It has the capacity to help equip the next generation of public
and civil servants for the multitude of complex and challenging tasks they must under-
take. Teaching public policy builds capacity within the public service, and can also
be useful in training and preparing those who work alongside government, providing
voluntary or contracted services.
Keywords
public policy education, higher education, teaching public policy, Australia, student
experience
Teaching public policy, social policy, public management and public administration
is an important vocation. It has the capacity to help equip the next generation of public
and civil servants for the multitude of complex and challenging tasks they must
undertake. Teaching public policy builds capacity within the public service, and can also
be useful in training and preparing those who work alongside government, providing
voluntary or contracted services.
This special issue is dedicated to research focused on the ways in which we teach
public policy in Australia.
In the Australian university system, countless scholars work on policy-related
research and respond to policy problems, ranging from climate change and education
Corresponding author:
Siobhan O’Sullivan, UNSW Kensington, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia.
Email: siobhan.osullivan@unsw.edu.au; Telephone: þ61 (0)2 938 50689
4
Teaching Public Administration 38(1)
to animal welfare, tax policy and much more. Many of these scholars make important
contributions to the domestic and international policy scene. While universities
in Australia employ academics in field-specific policy areas, many universities also
employ what is termed ‘public policy scholars’. This term refers to academics who have
a specific subject area of interest, as stated above, but also take on teaching public policy
and public administration in the broader sense for both undergraduates and post-
graduates. At the undergraduate level, such public policy and administration courses
are often part of a larger arts, politics or social science degree; at the post-graduate level,
Master’s degrees in public policy (and administration, or governance) often attract
students from the public services and those working in the third sector. The latter
offering also attracts a diverse range of international students seeking qualifications
in policy-related fields.
Australian policy scholars invariably approach teaching public policy and public
administration in order to instil skills and practices for future public administrators.
While teaching involves abilities such as writing policy briefs and policy memos,
the content also encourages the values associated with public life, such as the good
citizen, collective responsibility and the concept of public good. The primary
aim therefore is to introduce students to the intersection between politics, policy
and the role of public services that shape how people live in contemporary society.
Key to enhancing the learning experience of students new to policy and administration
is to illustrate how it is possible, through administrators and policy makers, to make
a significant contribution to democratic principles and enhance the lives of people
in the community. For many students in the Australian university system, public policy
and administration courses provide ‘real life’ examples of problems and, in many
instances, these courses highlight possible pathways for students once their university
education is complete.
According to Shand and Howell (2015: 212), however, teaching public policy
and administration has been devalued within the competitive environment of public uni-
versities. Australia, similar to other developed nations, embraced the mantel of New Public
Management which emphasises downsizing and privatisation. Rosenbaum (2014) argues
this has thrown into question the relevance of teaching students the values and skills
necessary for public life. Students therefore are unsure as to the ‘worth’ of seeking a career
in the public sector. In Australia, public servants have a colloquial image as ‘grey cardigan
wearers’, or in other words, bland and unimaginative; this view is certainly discounted
in public sector circles (Chapman, cited in Donaldson, 2016). There are also attitudes
unfolding across the world, such as anti-government and populist forces, that challenge
the status of governments, as well as public administrators, and their roles in responding
to social problems (Anheier, 2019).
In this global environment, teaching public policy and administration raises many
questions regarding its overall intention. On the one hand, courses attempt to teach
students generic skills that are transferable in the employment market, that for all intents
and purposes will set students up for flexible employment options. This includes training
generalist bureaucrats and educating specialists for instrumental and technocratic
approaches. On the other hand, however, contemporary teaching environments draw
Haigh and O’Sullivan
5
on a range of didactical strategies that encourage students to engage in deep levels
of learning and understanding that aim...
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