The principal goal of an advanced diploma in public management is to give graduates a thorough understanding of fundamental public administration principles and procedures while simultaneously fostering their personal development.
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- How an advanced diploma in public management boosts your upward mobility
- The skills you need for promotion
- The competence to tackle governance challenges
- The Golden thread in Regenesys’ Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management
- Capacity for good record keeping
- Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management details
- Prepared for promotion – and to weather political storms
With a methodical approach, the curriculum enables working professionals to engage in advanced contemplation (Africa, 2016).
Postgraduate programmes in public administration and management require a high level of theoretical engagement, intellectual independence, and the capacity to relate knowledge across a range of organisational contexts to prepare graduates to engage in professional or highly skilled employment.
How an advanced diploma in public management boosts your upward mobility
While the postgraduate diploma in business administration was developed to serve the business sector, its value was such that a postgraduate diploma in public administration and management soon followed.
This qualification can help a graduate find work not only in the public sector but also at state-owned companies such as Eskom and Transnet, and is a popular qualification for mid-career public servants who want to work their way up to senior management.
The skills you need for promotion
The public service requires prospective middle managers to demonstrate proficiency in:
- Project management;
- Planning and organising;
- Financial management and budgeting;
- Communication and information management;
- People management, including team leadership;
- Managing interpersonal conflict;
- Problem solving; and
- Decision making.
(DPSA, 2003)
These skills are expected to be underpinned by applied strategic and creative thinking, analytical proficiency, and a focus on citizens and responsiveness to them (DPSA, 2003).
To be admitted to senior management ranks you must demonstrate your competence in:
- Strategic capability
- Leadership
- Programme and project management;
- Financial management;
- Change management;
- Knowledge management;
- Service delivery innovation;
- Problem-solving and analysis;
- People management and empowerment;
- Client orientation and customer focus;
- Communication; and
- Your honesty and integrity.
(DPSA, 2006)
The competence to tackle governance challenges
While a postgraduate diploma in public management empowers graduates with the knowledge and skill to deal with the governance challenges that bedevil the public sector – constantly pointed out by the auditor-general – it also helps graduates hone their general management ability, their understanding of legal and financial rules and regulations governing the public service, and equips them to carry out tasks such as streamlining bloated departments and unwieldy bureaucratic processes, adding value to their departments.
While there might be a public perception that many government employees don’t seem to be bothered by deadlines, graduates learn the discipline needed to meet them. They also understand and can properly apply the Batho Pele principles, and are acutely aware of the importance of good service delivery.
The golden thread in Regenesys’ Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management
The Batho Pele principles form a golden thread that runs throughout Regenesys School of Public Management’s Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management.
Diploma holders know that the lived experience of the customer is very important, and how quickly word spreads if that experience is not a good one.
Graduates are equipped to take on major tasks such as departmental restructuring without ruffling feathers, as they understand both the importance of stakeholder consultation, and how best to approach this, having honed their emotional intelligence – a key part of the holistic education delivered by Regenesys.
Capacity for good record keeping
Stakeholder consultation is a key Batho Pele principle, underpinning government’s service delivery strategy. When programmes stall, it is often because important stakeholders complain in the middle of a project that they have not been consulted.
The Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management qualification creates the capacity for good record keeping, which the attorney-general has pointed out time and again is essential to ensure transparency in how public servants use public funds.
Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management details
The Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management’s core modules are:
- Strategic Management in the Public Sector
- Advanced Public Human Resource Management
- Advanced Public Project Management
- Fundamentals of Research
- Monitoring and Evaluation
- Public Finance
Students can also select two of these subjects as elective modules:
- Negotiation and Conflict Management
- Labour Relations
- Quality and Customer Service Management
- Change Management
- Education Curriculum Management
- Mentoring and Coaching
With this curriculum, Regenesys School of Public Management graduates are well prepared to take on the tasks of government administration, no matter which way the political current runs.
References
- Africa, M.O.S. (2016). Postgraduate diploma in business management.
- DPSA. (2003). SMS Handbook Chapter 5 Competency Framework.
- DPSA. (2006). Guide to the Middle Management Competency Framework.
