On November 11, 2024, the Fudan Institute for Global Public Policy (IGPP) organized the 16th lecture of the Fudan-Arab Lecture Series. Professor Sofiane Sahraoui, Secretary-General of the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) and a member of the Executive Committee of the China-Arab Network for School of Public Policy and Administration (CANSPPA), delivered a lecture on the theme of The Culture of Arab Public Administration. Professor Yijia Jing, Dean of the IGPP, chaired the lecture.

Professor Sahraoui shared his 15 years of teaching experience across five countries and offered unique insights into public administration culture. He categorized the public administration cultures into three types and highlighted how cultural traditions shape governance models, policy implementation, and public management efficiency across countries.

Professor Sahraoui subsequently highlighted that the culture of public administration is often shaped by the design of administrative systems, the tenderncy toward collectivism, and the dynamics of power structures. Drawing on Tunisia as a case study, he argued that its strong collectivist culture, coupled with the significant influence of labor unions, has impeded the advancement of administrative reforms.

Professor Sahraoui stated that addressing these challenges requires reforming public administration systems, particularly by optimizing human resource management. He stressed that talent cultivation is fundamental to enhancing governmental management capabilities.

During the Q&A session, participants from the training camp of Arab League Secretariat shared experiences in public administration and raised questions about existing issues. Professor Sahraoui acknowledged the universality of these challenges, underscoring the importance of learning from countries that have successfully implemented reforms, attracting talent, and refining public administration systems.

After the lecture, Professor Jing presented a commemorative gift to Professor Sahraoui. The event concluded with a group photo of the faculty and students.