Dive Brief:
- Johns Hopkins University announced that its Center for Government Excellence (GovEx) has launched a training center for government employees from across the world.
- The center will offer online and in-person courses in data management, analytics, community engagement, open data and more, with a view to improve public programs and services affecting the lives of residents.
- "The new GovEx training center formalizes GovEx’s work to develop expert trainings in 'all things data' and help government employees build the skills they need to improve the lives of residents in the 21st century," Eric Reese, GovEx’s associate director of training, said in a statement.
Dive Insight:
Already, online courses are available on community engagement and the use of data analytics, two more modern factors in city government that have taken on increasing importance in recent years. As cities become increasingly reliant on data to make decisions, it is important for their employees to be well-versed, while it could also benefit residents as they learn how those decisions are made and what is being collected.
This center is significant, as its classes are open to everyone but primarily aimed at government employees. Before, training would be provided to employees of cities that are a part of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ What Works Cities, but this new center means interested residents can also be a part of the education process. That could be significant to help more ordinary citizens learn about government, a beneficial attributewhen it comes to dealing with cyberattacks or other unexpected events.
Such courses will open employees’ eyes to new ways to do things and new innovations, something that is important as cities seek new ways of solving old problems and look to engage more residents in the process. These courses could inspire more people at the grassroots to get more involved in city government, something New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a speech can help "achieve things we thought weren't impossible, but guess what, in this day and age, they are."