Public Administration Education in the Czech Republic: Facing Marginalization

Abstract

This article maps and discusses the state of public administration education in the Czech Republic. The main method is the multiple case study, covering three topics. The first case enhances information about the scope and scale of public administration in the country. The data suggest that, especially at public schools, the number of students is continuously falling, and public administration did not develop as a specific discipline. The second case focuses on scientific output and internationalization of public administration education, and the last one on the impact of public administration programs on the public sector and national policies. We can observe a gradual convergence toward Western PA standards, which, however, lags behind economic and social developments. The main causes of this lock-in in the past are the legacy of economic transformation, a demand-driven approach, inappropriate funding of science, the accreditation system, and the influence of professional organizations.