THE University of the West Indies (UWI) has been pursuing a programme of curricula and pedagogical reform, which has been growing in intensity across its campuses, as the institution seeks to modernise and internationalise its content.

Over the past few years, the university has been reforming examination regulations that, historically, had privileged the final examination as an assessment approach, by facilitating greater use of formative assessment and more active learning approaches within disciplines.

Following that course of development, the Public Sector Management Unit (PSMU) of the UWI’s Department of Government at Mona has been undertaking its own process of curriculum reform, in concert with its cross-campuses counterparts, with the primary aim of assuring efficacy of its products and relevance to regional needs.

These changes are identified with the proposed changes geared toward establishing new identities for the university’s undergraduate and graduate programmes, commencing in academic year 2014. They are also in synchrony with international trends in the discipline, practice and pedagogy, an important aspect of which is a move towards internationalisation.

In pursuit of these objectives, the Department of Government held a consultation on the Mona Campus with public sector managers, on Thursday, November 21, in the University Council Room on the Administrative Building at the Mona Campus.

According to recently appointed head of the UWI’s Department of Government, Dr Lloyd Waller, the PSMU in particular — under the guidance of the unit co-ordinator Dr Eris Schoburgh — has been very proactive in the department’s modernisation process.

He said that the Department’s initiatives are in line with the University’s 2012-2017 Strategic plan and that “other units in the department, international relations and political science, are in the process of undertaking several similar engagements with their stakeholders

The reform process includes a review and revision of the curriculum, teaching methodologies and a rebranding of their current product.

The unit is also exploring the possibility of a name change, as well. For example, replacing the name of the current bachelor of science in public sector management with bachelor of science in public policy and management as well as replacing the current master of science in government (public sector management concentration) with master

of Science — international public policy and development management.

“The new identities are in synchrony with a process of curriculum reform that is being undertaken against the background of certain social forces,” said Dr Schoburgh, senior lecturer and associate dean and unit co-ordinator.

“These include revolutionary changes to public services provision, and delivery methods and governance structures that have occurred since the 1970s, the promotion of managerial values and the implosion of the global financial system in 2008,” she explained.

She also noted that the core concern surrounds the most appropriate institutional arrangements and the leadership competencies and skills required for effective governmental and state functioning.

Academics attending the consultation at Mona said that they support the rebranding of the programmes, to convey a modern and relevant content and methodology that responds to global management revolution, and to equip public sector managers with relevant competencies, values, ethics, effective problem-solving skills, and management of policy reform and public services renewal initiatives.