Institute of Public Administration - Professional Development courses

The Institute of Public Administration (IPA) is the Irish public sector management development agency. Founded in 1957 by a group of public servants, its aim is to promote the study, and improve the standard, of public administration; to develop a sense of vocation in public servants and to foster understanding between the public and public servants.

Since its inception, the IPA has been at the forefront of research, debate, evaluation, consultancy, training and education to support the ongoing development of the Irish public sector. In each of these areas the IPA has an extensive track record of delivering services to a wide variety of organisations in the Irish Public Service.

IPA programmes are not only of interest to those working in the wider public service, however; its comprehensive range of programmes attracts students from both the public and the private sector. IPA programmes are also open to individuals looking to update their knowledge and develop their skills. The IPA has Ireland’s only dedicated public management research and publishing resource. The Institute publishes books and periodicals, including the journal Administration, in the areas of public management and governance. In addition, the IPA provides a variety of consultancy and advisory services, for which there is a strong demand both nationally and internationally.

Training and Education Programmes at the IPA
The provision of high-quality, part-time training and education programmes is at the heart of the IPA’s mission. Attracting students from across the wider public sector, from the private sector, and from the voluntary sector, the IPA’s certificates, diplomas and degrees are designed to fit into the busy lifestyles of adult learners and to meet their professional needs. As they can be taken in a way that suits a student’s particular circumstances, they are an ideal choice for those who want to return to education while keeping their various personal and professional commitments.

The IPA is a recognised college of University College Dublin (UCD) and offers a number of programmes accredited by professional bodies such as CIPD, CIPFA and the Mediators’ Institute of Ireland. The IPA offers training and education programmes in the following areas:

• Business Studies
• Civil Service and State Agency Studies
• Corporate Governance and Risk Management
• Criminal Justice
• Financial Management
• Human Resource Management
• Human Rights and Equality
• Information Technology
• Internal Audit
• Interview Preparation for Boards and Candidates
• Law
• Leadership
• Local Government Studies
• Management Development
• Mediation
• Health Economics and Health Policy
• Healthcare Management
• Housing Studies
• Personal Development
• Project and Change Management
• Public Procurement
• Public Management