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UFS hosts IASIA 2024 Conference on Public Administration

24 July 2024 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Born2shoot

The University of the Free State (UFS) recently hosted the esteemed International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (IASIA) 2024 Conference. This notable event was organised by the UFS Department of Public Administration and Management, bringing together 280 academics, researchers, students, and practitioners to delve into the theme, Alternative Service Delivery and Sustainable Societal Responsiveness.

The relevance of this theme aligns with the Global and Africa Agendas 2030 and 2063, emphasising the need for a transformative dynamic to ensure that no one is left behind. The conference addressed the roles and challenges faced by public institutions, governments at all levels, public servants, and citizens worldwide. It highlighted the importance of managing uncertainties, challenges, and expectations in an era of complex reforms.

The conference featured a diverse and distinguished line-up of speakers, including Dr Najat Zarrouk, President of IASIA; Dr Sofiane Sahraoui, Director General of IASIA; Dr Ra’ed Benshams, President of the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS); Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Vice-Chancellor and Principal; and Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, former Minister of Public Service and Administration of South Africa.

Advancing excellence

IASIA is dedicated to strengthening administrative capacity worldwide, advancing excellence in public administration education and training, and fostering the dissemination of innovative scholarly research and practices in governance and administration. The key objectives of the conference are to promote the exchange of knowledge on the evolution of public administration theory and practice and to facilitate comparative studies and the development of public administration theory. In addition, it aims to encourage innovation in ideas, methods, and techniques in public administration; strengthen the dialogue between academics and practitioners; as well as to develop and consolidate a community of public administration experts open to contributions from young researchers and public officials.

Sustainable solutions

“Hosting the IASIA Conference was pivotal for addressing sustainable solutions to service delivery challenges in the public sector, both globally and within the South African context. It provided a valuable platform for international exposure and networking for the UFS Department of Public Administration and Management, the broader UFS community, the Free State Provincial Government, and the South African as well as the global public administration and management fraternity,” said Prof Liezel Lues, UFS Professor of Public Administration and Management and rapporteur of the IASIA conference.

“It also included practitioners from South African universities and various public sector stakeholders, aligning with Vision 130's goal of making a significant social impact by fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and innovative solutions to local and global challenges,” she added.

Exploring the future of public service

A significant focus of the conference was exploring alternative service delivery models aimed at enhancing efficiency, responsiveness, inclusiveness, collaboration, co-production, and accountability. Public institutions and governments worldwide are grappling with numerous complex challenges, including the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, rapid urbanisation, climate change, inequality, youth disorientation, migration, and the digital revolution. These challenges have led to a critical lack of trust in public institutions and growing dissatisfaction with government performance.

Embracing alternative service delivery

Traditional government models have often struggled to meet citizens' needs and address these multifaceted issues. The conference highlighted the emergence of alternative service delivery models, emphasising the need to open public services to other actors and stakeholders, including the private sector, civil society organisations, and community groups. This approach seeks to enhance public service delivery through collaboration and innovation, ultimately striving to build a more responsive and sustainable society.

Click to view document Please click here to scan the QR code with the IASIA app for more information about the conference.

Watch the conference highlights video

News Archive

UFS celebrates Africa Month

2017-05-24

Most of the international students at the UFS come from
the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
and other countries in Africa.
Photo: iStock

“Africa Month provides an opportunity
to every student and staff member to
commemorate African unity and celebrate
our rich cultural heritage, diversity,
energy and social dynamism.”

The University of the Free State (UFS) celebrates Africa Month to commemorate African unity and praise cultural heritage, as well as to take ownership of the future of the continent. According to Prof Heidi Hudson, Director of the Centre for Africa Studies, these are reasons to take part in the festivities.

Formation of Organisation of African Unity

Africa Day is the day on which Africa observes the creation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) on 25 May 1963. A total of 32 independent African states attended the formation.

The OAU’s aims were to promote unity and solidarity of the African states and act as a collective voice for the continent, in order to secure Africa’s long-term economic and political future and to rid it of remaining forms of colonialism. The OAU later gave birth to the African Union, which formally replaced the OAU in July 2002.

Prof Hudson says celebrating Africa Month forms part of her centre’s institutional mandate to promote an African focus in research, teaching, as well as public debate.

“Africa Month provides an opportunity to every student and staff member to commemorate African unity and celebrate our rich cultural heritage, diversity, energy and social dynamism. Secondly, by participating we all begin to take ownership of our future on this continent.”

She adds that Africa month provides a platform for reflecting on past experiences and achievements, as well as to critically assess the failures, challenges and the lessons learnt for the sake of a better future for the continent’s people.

Working relations across the continent

The UFS has working relations with universities, embassies and consulates in African countries such as Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Zambia, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, and Tunisia.

Five cooperation agreements exist – they are with the Botho University (Botswana), Greater Zimbabwe University, Universidad Eduardo Mondlane (Mozambique), Trinity Theological Seminary Ghana, and Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary.

According to Kanego Mokgosi, Senior Officer at Internationalisation, there are also working relations between the university and The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa, Swedish International Development Agency and The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. All of these focus on research development in Africa.

Most of the international students at the UFS come from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the continent. It hosts 1393 students from SADC countries.

“The UFS employs SADC protocol guidelines which, among others, enjoin SADC universities to admit at least 5% of their student population from the SADC region,” says Mokgosi.

Memorial Lecture by Dr Zeleza

On 24 May 2017 the Centre for Africa Studies hosted an Africa Day Memorial Lecture by Dr Paul Tiyambe Zeleza, the Vice Chancellor (President) of the United States International University Africa, Nairobi, Kenya.

The UFS library, in collaboration with the Department of English and the Office of International Affairs, also celebrated Africa Day on 25 May 2017. They hosted a conversation on the Land Debate in South Africa, together with the launch of a book titled White Narratives: The depiction of Post-2000 Land Invasions in Zimbabwe by Prof Irikidzayi Manase. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of English.

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