Mission & Vision
The Centre for Administrative Service (CAS) prepares senior executives for the complex realities of 21st century public administration: system-level strategy, cross-jurisdictional coordination, rapid crisis response, digitally-enabled policymaking, and ethical stewardship of public trust. CAS combines intensive coursework, practical residencies inside government agencies and private sector partners, peer-learning, and a capstone strategic residency.
- Target cohort: senior public servants, senior executives from public agencies, and select private-sector partners working closely with government.
- Program length (initial pilot): 14 weeks of concentrated modules + 4-week strategic residency.
- Start date for first cohort: Fall 2026 (orientation September 2026; modules October–December 2026; residency January 2027).
Executive intake
Cohort size: 24–36 participants
Profile: Directors-General, Deputy Ministers, CEOs of arms-length agencies, senior military or police at HQ level, senior policy leads.
Hybrid delivery with 6 weeks on campus, plus immersive placements and online learning.
Initial Curriculum — High level
Pilot: Fall 2026Modules are intensive, practice-oriented, and taught by senior practitioners, academics and private-sector specialists.
Foundations of Constitutional & Administrative Law
Public law fundamentals, separation of powers, administrative discretion, judicial review and statutory interpretation applied to executive decision-making.
Public Policy, Economics & Evidence
Policy design, cost-benefit framing, evidence synthesis, evaluation techniques and commissioning independent analysis.
Strategic Leadership & Crisis Management
Decision-making under uncertainty, crisis playbooks, command-and-control vs collaborative structures, aftermath recovery planning.
Ethics, Integrity & Public Trust
Integrity systems, conflicts of interest, transparency, freedom of information, accountability frameworks and ethical leadership exercises.
Public Finance & Procurement
Budget cycles, fiscal rules, public procurement strategy and risk-based contract governance for large programs.
Digital Government & Data Strategy
Data governance, digital transformation, cyber risk, AI in government, open data and interoperability standards.
Interagency Coordination & International Affairs
Coalition building across ministries, international negotiation, diplomacy for administrators and multilateral coordination.
Operational Delivery & Logistics
Large program delivery, logistical surge, performance metrics, and supply chain resilience for public projects.
Human Capital & Talent Systems
Senior hiring, succession planning, leadership pipelines, diversity and inclusion strategies in senior ranks.
Capstone: Strategic Residency
Each participant completes a 4-week residency embedded in an agency or partnered organization, delivering a strategic product (operational plan, transformation roadmap, crisis response plan) that is assessed by faculty and a mixed public-private jury.
Recruiting: Interim Advisory Board
To launch CAS we are assembling an Interim Advisory Board to set academic standards, approve curriculum, secure strategic partners and guide public-sector placements. Members will serve a single 12-month term during the pilot phase.
Desired composition
- Senior former public servants (Deputy Minister / Permanent Secretary level).
- Leaders from international executive schools or public administration faculties.
- Private sector leaders with large public contracts or transformation experience.
- Senior members of auditing/Ombudsman institutions, and integrity bodies.
- Representatives from Indigenous governance and other equity-deserving communities.
Roles & expectations
- Approve the pilot curriculum and faculty slate (Q2 2026).
- Support recruitment and nomination of first cohort.
- Help broker placements for capstone residencies.
- Advise on fundraising and strategic partnerships; assist with validation to sponsoring ministries.
- Meet ~quarterly in person or by secure video; ad-hoc working groups for accreditation and assessment.
Nominate / Apply
Send a short CV (2 pages max) and a 200–400 word statement of interest to interimboard@cas.example. Deadline for initial nominations: March 31, 2026. Appointments announced: June 2026.
Board membership is pro bono; reasonable travel and accommodation covered for in-person meetings.
First Cohort — Fall 2026
This inaugural class establishes CAS culture and assessment standards. It will prioritise operational impact, diversity of sector experience and cross-jurisdictional leadership experience.
Admissions & selection
- Nomination-based and open-application hybrid. Nominating authorities include Deputy Ministers, Agency Boards or Ministers; senior leaders may nominate one candidate per organization.
- Selection criteria: seniority of current role, record of operational delivery, cross-cutting experience, demonstrated ethical judgement and a high-impact project proposal for residency.
- Final selection by a mixed panel from the Interim Advisory Board and CAS faculty (June 2026).
Class profile (target)
- Cohort size: 24–36
- Sector mix: 60% core public service, 20% arms-length agencies/municipalities, 20% private/nonprofit partners
- Geographic & demographic diversity prioritized; at least 25% from under-represented groups including Indigenous representation.
Key dates
Applications open: March 1, 2026 Applications close: May 31, 2026 Panel selection: June 2026 Orientation: September 2026 Program: Oct–Dec 2026 (modules) + Jan 2027 (residency).
Get involved
If you are a potential applicant, nominator, funder or faculty candidate, contact our launch team:
Email: info@cas.example Telephone: +1 (555) 123-4567
For Interim Advisory Board nominations, use interimboard@cas.example. Attach CV and short statement of interest.