Australian Government Services Expert Discusses Evolving Roles of Public Sector at Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government

Dubai-UAE: 25 February 2014 – “We have witnessed drastic changes in citizens' lifestyles and habits, particularly with regard to communication, and this has had a profound impact in the area of public service delivery, opening new avenues for governments to communicate with their audiences,” said Peter Allen, Deputy Dean at the Australia & New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG).

“Social media is a powerful tool, and allows the public sector to connect with citizens more closely than ever before,” he added. “The Australian government has innovatively used modern technology to adopt a culture of openness, transparency and engagement, which has enabled them to collaborate with citizens in policy and service delivery design.”

Allen's comments came at an information-sharing seminar titled ‘Rethinking Public Service Delivery', which was hosted by Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government on 24 February as part of its ongoing Distinguished Speaker Series. His presentation outlined the importance of an evolving approach to public service delivery, and illustrated the efficient use of social media technologies in Australia on a national and state level.

Dr. Ali Sebaa Al Marri, Executive President, Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government, said, “Issues and challenges pertaining to the public sector communication are of great interest to us. We were honored to welcome Mr. Allen to present his thorough research on the subject in Australia, and look forward to further cooperation with a global school such as ANZSOG to share knowledge about the present and emerging issues in public administration.”

The Distinguished Speaker Series at Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government has hosted prominent academics and public figures, including Lee Kuan Yew, Klaus Schwab and Joseph Nye.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government is committed to promoting good governance through enhancing the region's capacity for effective public policy. The school uses a four-pronged approach, which includes applied research in public policy and management, academic programs in public policy and administration, executive educations programs and knowledge forums for scholars and policy makers.