CenSE Makes an Impact in Japan and Saudi Arabia

Japan

In Japan he received an Honorary Fellowship from CIPFA Japan (the professional body for financial managers in Japan), in recognition of his contribution to public management reform in Japan.

He also continued his work with Professor Toshihito Ishihara in organising a Japan Foundation conference on ‘comparative lessons in public management reform from the UK and Japan’. The conference is due to be held in Osaka, Japan in November 2017. The conference will feature some of the leading public management researchers from both countries and explore key issues for policy and practice with an invited audience of some of the most influential public service managers in Japan.

During his visit, Professor Osborne also met with city managers in several of Japan’s major cities to discuss their issues and how to resolve them.

Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, Professor Osborne was the guest of the General Accounting Bureau of the country where he met with Ministers and Senior Advisors to discuss the modernisation programme for Saudi Arabia, as presented in the ‘Vision 2030’ document.

The centrepiece of the visit was a national workshop for auditors and civil servants to discuss the way forward with the ‘Vision’. He emphasised the need to promote diversity in public service delivery, rather than to focus on the public or private sector as the sole provider.

He also spoke of the role of citizens and public service users as central to the process of value co-creation in public service delivery. Professor Osborne expects this to be the first of many such visits to Saudi Arabia that will contribute to the evolution of this complex and fascinating society.