Rapid Evidence Assessments (REA), sometimes referred to as Rapid Reviews, are increasingly being used to inform evidence-based policy. They use the methodological rigour of systematic reviews but with some elements simplified or streamlined in order to generate faster results.

The research question for this Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) is: “What outcomes are associated with asynchronous online learning for public leadership and collaboration and what are the underpinning success factors”

We initially identified 794 studies of potential relevance to this research question. Following a systematic sifting of these sources using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 54 publications were included in the analysis for this REA. The analysis was conducted using a narrative synthesis approach to analyse the evidence. A narrative synthesis is a means of analysing diverse forms of evidence side-by-side in order to generate new insights. In line with the research question most studies related to leadership and collaboration outcomes, with some additional outcomes also being examined. Overall, outcomes were categorised as leadership skills, effectiveness, networking, and equalities and cost.

Public Administration as a field of teaching and research in Portugal has a short past but a rich variety. Despite having some preliminary advancements in the first three-quarters of the 20th century, it was only after the end of the dictatorship that this domain of studies started to pave its way in Portugal.

Even so, during the 1980s and 1990s this domain was limited to two universities and mostly focused on teaching at the bachelor level. In parallel, the National Institute of Administration (INA) was created in 1979 with the goal to train public servants, in a process much helped by EEC funds after Portugal’s adhesion to this institution in 1986.

It was actually since the late 1990s and early 2000s that new courses started to also emerge in other higher education institutions and in other levels – master and PhD. It was also in this period that research on public administration and public policies started to emerge in Portugal.

Nowadays, the teaching of public administration and public policies (excluding courses with a predominance of Economics) is done in 5 HEIs which have quite different disciplinary backgrounds: Sociology, Political Science, Management and Law). Moreover, INA has been expanding its offer of courses and is betting on establishing consortia with HEI and other public institutions.

This paper aims to systematize the history of the teaching and vocational training of Public Administration and Public Policies in Portugal since its origins, but mostly to analyse the diversity that it encompasses nowadays.

A conversational chatbot, ChatGPT, introduced in November 2022, was one of the first artificial intelligence technologies of its kind to be made public in an easily understandable manner. Its advent and increasing popularity present a complex array of implications for the labour market. On one hand, ChatGPT offers significant potential benefits, such as reducing workload, improving productivity, and creating new job opportunities. On the other hand, they also pose substantial challenges, including the potential reduction in the number of jobs and increased inequality among employees of different age groups. These concerns are particularly relevant as they affect workforce dynamics, job sustainability, and broader societal structures. While existing research offers some preliminary understanding of the potential and challenges of ChatGPT for the labour market, it lacks strong empirical evidence. In this context, an overview of students from different academic disciplines is important, as their distinct perceptions can reveal sector-specific differences in ChatGPT implications for the labour market.

Therefore, this paper aims to fill this gap in existing research by providing evidence on the perceptions of public administration students regarding ChatGPT implications for the labour market compared to students from other academic disciplines. The empirical analysis, conducted between November 2023 and February 2024, is based on descriptive statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) applied to a sample of 23,218 students across 67 countries (with more than 10 responses). The results reveal that public administration students hold a balanced perspective on the impacts of ChatGPT in the labour market, recognizing both significant challenges and potential benefits. They express substantial concern that ChatGPT might reduce the number of jobs and increase inequality between younger and older employees, more so than students from other academic disciplines, particularly the natural and life sciences. These labour market concerns align with their broader worries about the societal impacts of ChatGPT, such as reducing human interaction, replacing formal education, and increasing social isolation, which are crucial as they directly influence workforce dynamics and job sustainability. Moreover, although public administration students acknowledge the necessity for employees to acquire new skills and possess knowledge about artificial intelligence, this necessity is viewed even more critically by students from other academic disciplines, notably the applied sciences and social sciences. The potential for job creation and enhancements in job nature is also recognized, yet students from other academic disciplines, especially the arts and humanities, are more optimistic about these outcomes. Finally, public administration students see the benefits of ChatGPT in reducing workload and improving productivity, but these positive impacts are perceived even more strongly by students from applied sciences. The cautious stance of public administration students in the context of the labour market is further confirmed by their strong support for regulation and ethical guidelines, with this sentiment being particularly strong compared to students from other academic disciplines, especially the arts and humanities. The findings hold significant value for policymakers in responsibly integrating ChatGPT into the labour market and addressing the diverse needs of the future workforce.