The Libya Institute for Advanced Studies (LIAS) today announced that it will establish a new school of government to increase public sector effectiveness in the country. The Libya School of Government will begin offering courses to public sector employees in January 2014.
Training of public sector leaders is critical to post-Revolution reforms. As the largest employer in Libya, the public sector determines the rapidity, efficiency, and ultimate success of the reforms shaping Libya’s future. Therefore, the quality of the public sector in terms of its accountability, effectiveness, and efficiency in administration, service delivery, and management is of utmost importance.
The Libya School of Government will leverage LIAS’ relationships with elite global public policy schools such as Georgetown University and National University Singapore to launch a new approach to educating Libyan public policy leaders. In the near term, the School will offer public sector leaders the opportunity to pursue training globally and be exposed to global practitioners and best practice through training programs abroad.
By the end of 2014, the School plans to offer degree programs in public policy and public administration on its campus in Libya with a unique balance of the humanities, social sciences, law, science, technology, health, finance, energy, and security policy. The Libya School of Government will also undertake research that aims to deepen government, community, and academic understanding of public administration, policy, and management.
“There has never been a more urgent need for public sector training in Libya. The issues facing Libyan leaders are complex, interrelated, and require strong leadership skills,” says LIAS Chairman of the Board Dr. Aref Nayed. “The Libya School of Government will become the premiere academic institution for public policy in Libya.”
The new school will build a world-class faculty as it grows. It will also draw on the teaching skills of a much wider range of world leaders in education, business, and government itself. Through applied research the School will deepen its commitment to civil dialogue and strengthen its position as a leader in civil and civic discourse and engagement. An international search for the inaugural Dean is currently underway and planning has begun to design a building to house the new School.
“The School of Government is critical to Libya’s development. Research points to a strong link between good governance practices and development outcomes such as economic development, public health, and education and well trained civil servants. Since the public sector plays such an expansive role in determining development outcomes, effective civil servants can encourage more efficient use of resources, strengthen accountability for the stewardship of resources, improve management and service delivery, and contribute to improving peoples’ lives,” says Nayed.
About the Libya School of Government
The Libya School of Government prepares students for careers in public leadership. Students will be trained on a wide range of issues, spanning governance, law and security, economic governance, science and the environment, demographics, public health, and social policy. The School’s network of international partners includes institutions such as Georgetown University and The National University of Singapore. Global partnerships provide students the opportunity to pursue international training globally and be exposed to global practitioners and best practice. The School will offer full-time masters degree programs for graduates in Libya with an outstanding academic record who want to embrace an integrated approach to public policy, covering economics and finance, politics and law, science and medicine, and history.
About the Libya Institute for Advanced Studies
The Libya Institute for Advanced Studies (LIAS), based in Tripoli, Libya, is a leading private training institution dedicated to educating Libya’s next generation of leaders. Founded in 2012, LIAS is the first private education institution established after the Revolution. LIAS is committed to excellence in teaching, impactful learning that allows graduates to contribute to their communities and country, research aligned with solving critical socio-economic challenges and preserving heritage, and rehabilitative services for Libya’s survivor population. LIAS has 6 specialized faculties in addition to a rehabilitation center for survivors of the Revolution and an affiliated business incubator. It offers courses ranging from professional education to degree programs for professional and personal development.