Conference Agenda

Problem statement and purpose

A critical issue in Colombia, as in Latin America, are the objections and objections to the quality of service provided by the public administration, both at the central level and in decentralized entities, public enterprises and territorial governments.

The diagnoses in this regard have focused on alternative solutions centered, in the first place, on the professionalization of public servants at the various levels, especially at the top management level. Secondly, in redesigning, readjusting and administrative reforms aimed at adapting best practices and organizational models to achieve greater impact and efficiency in public performance. Third, to work on public leadership programs that include issues such as public ethics, accountability and transparency, in order for these mechanisms to spread and become an innovative organizational culture, in terms of what is referred to in the literature as "good governance".

This paper will focus on the contributions of universities and academic and consulting centers that have been developed in response to the above-mentioned demands.

Methodology

The focus of the document will be on comparative case studies, taking as main references successful experiences of government schools. On the other hand, a case study will focus on a consulting and advisory firm that offers training and professional education; and on a third level, a case study of a training program based on the model of a school of government run by a territorial or national government. The approach will be centered on an analysis based on operational models of cases, taking as references an analysis grid with the main objectives, capacities and training strategies of each action.

Results

The document analyses the main achievements and also the limitations or failures in the implementation of this type of public sector training and improvement policies. Similarly, on the basis of international experience, it sets out recommendations and suggestions for making this type of support much more efficient. These advances are being made by the education sector, consultancy firms and government itself at their various levels, with the aim of achieving better quality not only in terms of training but also in short programmes; continuing education and virtual platforms.. Proposal

It is proposed to extend and strengthen training capacities and competencies through practical learning and other innovative mechanisms that can generate a positive effect. This would allow a substantial leap in the quality and coverage of the administrative and public services that governments are obliged to offer their citizens. The most significant added value expected to be shown has to do with determining the scope of good professional practices in relation to participatory governance and the empowerment of public officials, articulated to the programmatic guidelines derived from electoral mandates.

Background:

Public employees particularly those in front-line and administrative roles, are increasingly exposed to high-stress environments, vicarious trauma, and complex service demands, resulting in significant mental health impacts and burnout (Berger & Quiros, 2014; Raja et al., 2015; Hallett & Crutchfield, 2017; Nicholson et al., 2019). The costs of poor mental well-being—rising absenteeism, reduced productivity, and staff turnover—have prompted growing interest in trauma-informed approaches to organisational training (Miller et al. 2021). This review aims to contribute to the growing discourse on the need to include trauma-informed perspectives, approaches and principles in public sector training.

Methods:

Using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) model, databases, including Web of Science and Google Scholar, were used to identify appropriate full-text articles written in English and published between 2015 and 2025. Specific keywords such as trauma-informed, public administration, employee well-being, training, and psychological safety were used to identify articles. Studies were included if they assessed or proposed trauma-informed training in public sector contexts and discussed impacts on organisational wellbeing, mental health, or workplace safety culture.

Results:

The preliminary results indicate that there is a general scarcity of articles that focus on public organisations and their employees. Studies focus on trauma-informed care provided by frontline employees but rarely focus on how the employees are equipped to deal with and handle the vicarious trauma they experience. Findings reveal a growing international recognition of the value of trauma-informed approaches in the public workforce, especially in health, justice, social services, and local government contexts (). Studies that focused on organisational theory and employee well-being would associate trauma with burnout and absenteeism, with some emphasis placed on ensuring appropriate access to mental or employee well-being programmes.

Discussion:

The review assists in identifying the possible themes to be included in a proposed trauma-informed public administration training programme. The need to ensure safe, inclusive and supportive work environments cannot be denied. Trauma-informed public administration training may be offered as foundational to public organisations' resilience and adaptive leadership capabilities.

Conclusion:

Mental well-being is not a private concern but a systemic imperative in public administration. This review calls for a paradigm shift in training priorities toward holistic, trauma-informed, and wellbeing-centered content that empowers public officials to serve with empathy and responsiveness while promoting transparency and accountability.

As governance systems face mounting pressures from digital transformation, climate change, demographic shifts, and citizen demands for greater transparency and responsiveness, the role of public servants is being redefined. The competencies required in public administration today extend beyond traditional technical expertise to include adaptive leadership, digital fluency, cross-sector collaboration, and systems thinking.

The paper will explore how education and training systems in public administration must evolve to meet these demands and equip the next generation of civil servants for a rapidly changing governance landscape. Drawing on international best practices, innovations in pedagogy, and empirical research, the discussion will examine how institutions can design and deliver competency-based, inclusive, and future-oriented learning pathways.

Modern governance is being reshaped by:

 Digital transformation: requiring civil servants to be fluent in data, AI, and digital tools.

 Climate and demographic shifts: demanding systems thinking and long-term policy foresight.

 Public expectations: pushing for transparency, agility, and ethical responsiveness.

This redefinition of public service roles calls for competency-based education that blends technical, emotional, and strategic capabilities.

So, some Core Competency Areas are:

 Adaptive Leadership which encourages resilience, ambiguity tolerance, and collaborative problem-solving in complex environments.

 Digital Fluency which goes beyond basic literacy to include data ethics, platform agility, and digital mindset.

 Cross-Sector Collaboration which enables public servants to co-create solutions with NGOs, private sector, and citizens.

 Systems Thinking which promotes holistic analysis of interdependent policy challenges and dynamic feedback loops.

 Competency-Based Learning which aligns curricula with real-world performance outcomes, emphasizing flexibility, personalization, and lifelong learning.

Key Research Questions for Discussion:

• What are the core competencies required for next-generation public servants, and how are these evolving?

• How can education and training programs in public administration be restructured to build these competencies?

• What role do digital tools and experiential learning play in transforming public service education?

• What models exist for successful collaboration between academia, government, and training institutions in shaping public service capabilities?