Public administration

Public Administration has two meanings. First it refers to the implementation (or "putting into action") of government policy. Second, it is an academic discipline that studies this implementation and prepares civil servants for working in the public service (the non-political part of the government).

Public administration aims to help improve management of the government and improve policies so that government can function better. Public administrators manage public programs, translate politics into the programs and services that citizens use every day. In universities, professors of public administration study government decision making, analyze policies, and think about how to improve policies and programs.

A group of public servants at a meeting

Other websites

Canada

• The Institute of Public Administration of Canada

People's Republic of China

• Hong Kong Public Administration Association

Europe

• National Institute of Public Administration - Europe/Portugal
• EAPAA European Association for Public Administration Accreditation
• EGPA European Group of Public Administration
• NISPAcee Network of Institutes and Schools of Public Administration in Central and Eastern Europe
• EUPAN European Public Administration Network
• EPSA European Public Service Award

Holland

• Dutch Association for Public Administration (In Dutch)
• Public Administration starting page (In Dutch)

India

• Indian Institute of Public Administration

Philippines

• University of the Philippines - National College of Public Administration and Governance

Poland

• National School of Public Administration, Warsaw, Poland

Turkey

• Faculty of Political Science - Public Administration (Turkey)

United Kingdom

• How to be a civil servant under the British or Westminster system

United States

• Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
• American Society for Public Administration
• National Academy of Public Administration
• National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration

Suggested reading

• Smith, Kevin B. and Licari, Michael J. Public Administration - Power and Politics in the Fourth Branch of Government, ISBN 1-933220-04-X