Advanced Programme in Policy Making and Analysis for Africa's Development (77113)

Short Learning Programmes

Duration: Six Months

Language medium: English

Target group:

(a) Professionals in different fields; (b) members of different political parties and formations; (c) civil servants, civil society activists and community leaders; (d) women and gender activists; (e) students and youth; and
(f) spiritual/religious leaders and activists.

Admission requirements:

Students with relevant NQF level 5 qualifications will be eligible to be admitted to this unit standard. Those without this level will be admitted if they have relevant experience. They must have basic academic writing skills like essay writing and basic research skills. For example, the ability to find materials at the library and on the internet. They should be competent in making and arguing their positions in a group setting.

Registration periods:

Semester Registration Periods

Course leader details:

Prof David Mello
DAdmin in Public Administration
Thabo Mbeki African School of Public and international Affairs
Public Affairs and Ethics
Emellodm@unisa.ac.za
0123524030

Programme administrator:

Mr Mohau Manthata
Administrator
Thabo Mbeki African School of Public and International Affairs
Office no. 03 - 006
Robert Sobukwe Building
012 337 6171
manthh@unisa.ac.za

Purpose statement:

To build critical understanding of the Policy Process and Public Policy.
To get participants to understand why certain policies might have worked in their areas of work or residences and why others have not.
To get students to also critique the role they as citizens can start to play in Policy Process.
To enable participants (working in government or NGOs) to question whether African Policy making, or implementation is any different to the rest of the world.
To also get students to critically look at the role formal and informal institutions play in the Policy process.
To introduce students to Monitoring and Evaluation
To apply quantitative and qualitative methods in policy analysis
To enable students to engage in critical comparative public policy and regime thinking

Modules:

CPPA04N - Comparative public policy and regimes thinking

Content:

Introduction to comparative public policy
Role and practice of public policy thinking
Successes and failures in public policy 
Role of different regimes in public policy

CPPA05O - Impact and Scenario Simulation for Public and International Affairs

Content:

Introduction: Future studies and Scenario planning within Public Policy context.
Role of Public Policy in constructing socioeconomic development: early African Developmental states.
Methodologies related to building future scenarios for a new Africa.
Exploring modern-day variables for Africa's development
Limitations of predicting and planning for the future.
Building stakeholder strength for policy planning and development purposes.  

CPPA06P - Cost Benefit Analysis

Content:

Introduction and background: What is Cost Benefit Analyses (CBA) method; why, how and where is it useful?
Externalities: economic tools for estimating non-market/indirect costs and benefits 
The Cost Benefit Analysis
The selected economic valuation methods of mixed & public goods and services
Use Value (indirect use value)  
Non-use value (Bequest Value)