Public Policy Training Course for Iraq

In Iraq, the vision is to develop the skills and knowledge of public policy officers to become competent, creative, sensitive, and thoughtful problem-solvers. The course objectives are to develop the skills and knowledge of entry and mid-level bureaucrats to work as public policy officers with an appreciation of the principles of good governance and the role of public policy. The course assumes that participants have a tertiary education, some knowledge of the machinery of government, working experience in government, and little or no knowledge of public policy. The course delivery includes one intensive week of introductory workshops, workshops of 3 to 6 hours delivered weekly or at regular intervals, and 'policy practicum' days applying workshop lessons. The strategy involves workshop discussions, presentations, and group and individual exercises. The course map outlines the key topics to be covered, including an introduction to public policy, initiating public policy, working with stakeholders, policy analysis, course review and examination, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, and review. The course is divided into three parts: introduction to public policy, initiating public policy, and working with stakeholders. The topics covered in each part include the definition of a policy issue, developing vision, goals, objectives, and scope, introduction to stakeholder engagement, mapping stakeholders, designing a stakeholder engagement strategy, and ethical practices in stakeholder engagement. The course aims to equip participants with the necessary skills and knowledge to work as public policy officers, including an appreciation of the principles of good governance and the role of public policy, knowledge of the processes and frameworks for public policy, technical competencies for identifying and proposing policy solutions through evidence-based decision-making, the ability to engage extensively, effectively, and ethically with stakeholders in an inclusive manner, and written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work in teams. The course delivery is designed to provide participants with practical 'how-to' training on developing and implementing public policy, as well as opportunities to apply workshop lessons through 'policy practicum' days. The course is tailored to meet the needs of entry and mid-level bureaucrats in Iraq, providing them with the necessary skills and knowledge to become effective public policy officers.