National systems of public adminstration are increasingly influenced by international circumstances. Membership of international organisations, such as the WTO, imposes obligation and constraints on domestic policy. Globalisation is making international boundaries more open to trade and migration, legal and illegal. The resolution of domestic problems, such as environmental pollution, often requires concerted regional and international action. Organisations like the OECD encourage comparision and benchmarking between countries, and new policy ideas are borrowed and transferred. International Financial institutions, like the IMG and the World Bank may require policy changes as a condition for loans.

Officials in domestic agencies may find themselves involved in international negotiations, or working in international or regional organisations.

The course aims to help students understand and work effectively in the newly internationalised environment of public administration. it focusses particularly on the domestic policy and administrative implications of multilateral and regional trading arrangements (the WTO, APEC, ASEAN), but similar issues arise in other sectors, such as the envrionment.

Students will study the core provisions of the multilateral, rules-based trading system, operating through the World Trade organisation (WTO), and the main institutional vehicles for regional trade integration (eg. APEC; ASEAN; and Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Co-operations). Participants will gain a robust understanding of these international institutions and the implications of their rules for national governments, and the opportunities and challenges they present for governance and policy administration.