There is a growing trend around the world that civil service colleges are transforming themselves from a mere knowledge transfer institution to knowledge creation institutions with established research and academic activities. NASC clienteles have expressed their expectations to appreciate this institution in a new height of research and academic performance. Considering this as an opportunity for institutional growth, NASC conducted a feasibility study on graduate programme in public policy and administration. We have used multi-methods to arrive at the some concrete results and recommendations. Desktop review of global practices, field survey with prospective students, interview with experts, interaction programme and analysis of NASC internal capacity were the methods used in this study.
The results have confirmed a common conclusion on the demand of a quality graduate programme on public policy and governance. Preferences are for research-based two years master degree with a standard size of students from different backgrounds. However, there are some important prerequisites that NASC has to ascertain before running the programme. The programme should have an objective to produce a qualified policy analysts and managers in public sectors who can be instrumental to contribute in policy management process. NASC should consider sustainability- institutional, financial and market- of the programme with continuous improvement in the quality. NASC has to review and amend existing human resource policy to ascertain academic culture. It has to invest in its human resources and extend national and international networks.
Among various alternatives, the best alternative recommended is to run graduate programme in affiliation with degree granting university at the beginning. For that NASC has to establish autonomous Graduate Programme and Research Department with a mandate to run graduate programme and research in an integrated way.