Table of contents

The course is connected to the following study programs

Recommended previous knowledge

ORG100 or eqvivalent.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course students should be able to:

  • Give an account of recent government-led reform efforts and its effects across the public sector
  • Grasp the various ways to conceptualize and theorize change processes across the public sector
  • Explain how the public sector in the Nordics and beyond is affected by global- reform trends and ideas
  • Discuss the extent to which new, emerging forms of governance, management and collaboration affect dynamics across the public sector

Contents

The course examines the ways in which, across the world, ongoing reform or modernization efforts across various branches composing the public sector are resulting in new structural arrangements and performance shifts, in addition to changes in professional roles, behaviours and identities. Major themes include: global reform trends, ideas and practices; the Nordic public sector; the rise of hybrids and hybrid governance; new collaborative modes of governance; theoretical lenses to make sense of developments. Typical questions include, but are not limited to: What are the main drivers driving reforms processes across the public sector? What are the prevalent reform logics and agendas? How and why are local actors responding as they are? What effects or outcomes - short and long run - can be identified and why?

Teaching and learning methods

Normally a series of lectures once a week in the period January-March.

Examinations

A 5-hour individual written school exam. Graded A-F.

Student evaluation

The person responsible for the course decides, in cooperation with student representative, the form of student evaluation and whether the course is to have a midway or end of course evaluation in accordance with the quality system for education, chapter 4.1.

Offered as a free-standing course

Yes. Subject to availability or capacity.

Reduction of Credits

This course’s contents overlap with the following courses. A reduction of credits will occur if one of these courses is taken in addition:

Course Reduction of Credits
ORG940 – Administrasjon og ledelse i offentlig sektor. 10
Last updated from FS (Felles studentsystem) Oct. 15, 2026 3:01:13 PM