［February 2014］
Local Autonomy College

In Japan, there has been an increasing trend towards a decentralised society, and the trend seems to continue into the future. Under such circumstances, the Local Autonomy College, established in 1955 as Japan’s central training institution for local government executives, plays the important role of fostering local government staff’s policy making capabilities and administrative management skills.

At the College, trainees sent from local governments throughout the country can obtain a wide range of knowledge and views through participation in camp training under a full residential system and active exchange with other trainees. It has been producing excellent local government staff for over half a century since its launch, and many of its graduates have been working actively in the front lines as executives.

At the end of January, Ms Roberta Ryan, Director of the UTS Centre for Local Government had a chance to visit the College and exchanged views about challenges they face as the core training centre for local government (future) executives.

I hope cooperation and information exchange between the two countries’ local government staff training centres will further grow.