Working in and on Governance
What does the work of a policy officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs entail? How can a country become more democratic? What role does a parliament have in a democracy and how can it be strengthened? How can you best prepare for a career in an international organization like the EU or the UN? In the course of 7 weeks, the thematic module Working in and on Governance will provide you with insights and answers to such questions by introducing you to a wide range of practitioners that work in the field of governance, ranging from the local to the international level. Furthermore, it will learn you how to work on democratization by designing a project on good governance.
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The Career Minor aims to improve the employability of Faculty of Arts students by offering a broad orientation to possible career perspectives. As the title of the theme suggests this module focusses on working in and on governance. In its most straightforward form governance entails the structures and decision-making processes that allow a state, organization or group of people to conduct affairs. The most obvious among these is the government running your country, as well as the administrations and groups that ensure its safety and efficiency. Governance can be used in several contexts such as international governance, national governance and local governance.
Next to that, there is the “art of governance”, meaning the principles the act of governing is subject to. Often referred to as good or democratic governance, it is a key concept in international relations and international development. Good governance has 8 major characteristics. It is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. International assistance to countries in transition towards a democracy often focusses on developing good governance. It is perceived to be a necessary requirement for further development of the state and society alike.
The thematic module “Working in and on Governance” aims to introduce students to both a theoretical background to governance, as well as providing an overview of the opportunities of working in and on governance. The working in governance component will look into the functioning of governance from an international, national and local perspective. Furthermore, students will be introduced to practitioners, working in governance in various roles, with the aim to get acquainted with career options in the field of governance. Writing a policy advice will allow the students to develop a valuable skill that is associated with working in governance.
The working on governance part explores the notion of good or democratic governance and how this is put into practice to assist transition countries in their democratization process. After a theoretical foundation, students will be introduced to various ways and means how to work on issues of good governance in a more international setting. Practitioners working on good governance from different perspectives will provide for a deep insight in the options how and on what level to engage in good governance assistance. Subsequently, students also get a good overview about career options in working on governance. In terms of practical skills, students will be learned how, and required to, write a project proposal for a good governance assistance project.
Working in and on Governance is an English-taught module within the Career Minor and is open to international students.