In the 2010-11 federal Budget, the Australian Government announced funding of up to $112.9 million over the four years (2010-11 to 2013-14) to establish the Australian National Institute for Public Policy at the Australian National University (ANU) as part of the Commonwealth-ANU strategic relationship.
The institute will promote under one banner the expertise of several of the ANU’s centres and schools, which work in public policy, and the Australian and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG). It will enhance the links between the Australian Public Service (APS), academia and the broader community with the aim of ensuring that the APS is well equipped to tackle future policy challenges through improved strategic leadership and enhanced, evidence-based public policy.
The institute will encompass the following elements:
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an enhanced Crawford School of Economics and Government;
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HC Coombs Policy Forum;
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enhanced Canberra presence for ANZSOG;
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Australian Centre on China in the World; and
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National Security College.
The institute is a key initiative in response to recommendation 3.2 of Ahead of the Game: Blueprint for Reform of Australian Government Administration to build policy capability across the APS through “Building partnerships with academia, research institutions and the community and private sector”.
Australian Government funding for the institute is detailed in Budget Paper No.2, Budget Measures 2010-11.
The institute and its elements
Enhanced Crawford School of Economics and Government
The Crawford School is a recognised leader in public policy education, thinking and innovation across a range of policy areas. New activities in the enhanced Crawford School include the development of new programs to bridge the gap between academia and public policy implementation, and conducting research relevant to the public policy priorities of government. The Crawford School will also continue to deliver higher degree award courses (Masters and PhD) in areas of public policy. It will also continue to offer targeted programs such as capacity-building for officials of regional governments.
HC Coombs Policy Forum
The forum will provide the APS with the opportunity to consider key policy issues with input from academics and other subject experts in order to develop relevant, innovative and workable public policy solutions. The forum will conduct conferences, workshops, panel discussions, seminars and public lectures. It will also fund small inter-disciplinary studies addressing key policy challenges in a timely manner. The forum will conduct longer-term, strategic horizon-scanning as well as addressing immediate priorities for the current term of government.
Enhanced Canberra presence for ANZSOG
The ANZSOG partnership with the ANU will enable an agile and responsive engagement with departments and agencies to deliver expanded world-class professional development programs to senior APS employees. The ANZSOG programs will build executive leadership in the public service through the delivery of award and non-award courses with a vocational professional focus on public administration and public sector management, and also through its public sector research program led by the Sir John Bunting Chair in Public Administration at the ANU.
Australian Centre on China in the World
The China centre will build on existing capabilities at the ANU to create an integrated, world-leading institution for Chinese studies and the understanding of China on a global scale. This will be achieved through increased capacity to provide research, outreach, postgraduate and other training activities in a centre dedicated to a consideration of China’s role in the world.
National Security College
The college will provide world-class education and training on national security policy issues to the APS and broader national security community. The college will build enhanced strategic understanding and critical thinking on national security issues in ways that promote focused, collaborative leadership on these issues within government, building greater awareness and co-operation in the wider community through high-quality interactive teaching, research, skills development and outreach.
Sir Roland Wilson Foundation
The Commonwealth has provided funding to the Sir Roland Wilson Foundation to support a limited number of PhD scholarships each year for high-performing APS employees to undertake research in priority public policy interest areas.
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