On behalf of the Council of Administration of IIAS, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to the 2013 Joint Congress of IIAS and IASIA in Manama, Bahrain from June 1 to 6, 2013. The International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) is honoured to welcome you to the 2013 Joint Congress organized by IIAS, IASIA, and the Bahrain Institute of Public Administration (BIPA).

As a global organisation based in Brussels and established in 1930, IIAS aims to be the leading global association of public administration in the world. Over the years, the Institute has been a platform worldwide for promoting the improvement of scientific knowledge of administrative sciences and the practice of mutual learning within its network, providing support to public administrations around the world. IIAS welcomes not only researchers and academics, but also practitioners from all levels of government and the public sector around the world.

The 2013 Joint Congress in Manama could provide an ideal platform for researchers and practitioners from all continents and regions to gather and share their ideas on various topics addressed during the conference. The main theme of the 2013 Joint Congress is “the Future of Public Administration: Professionalism and Leadership,” which is both timely and compelling in an era of global economic stagnation. On this basis, the congress will further discuss the following three sub-themes: (1) future risks and strategies; (2) leadership for the future; and (3) innovative service delivery for the future.

On behalf of the IIAS, I welcome your presentation and participation and wish you a very fruitful congress. I hope you find many opportunities to exchange new ideas and establish personal and institutional contacts for collaborative networking. I am sure you will enjoy the congress and the dynamic city of Manama and its neighbouring cities. Once again, I would like to thank you for your past, present and future support and sustainable collaboration.

All the best!

Prof. Dr. Pan Suk Kim

President, International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS)

The topic of this congress, Administrative Futures: Leadership and Professionalism, is a very important one, especially but not solely for the Middle East region. The Middle East region witnessed dramatic changes in the last couple of years. Protests, civil war, revolutions, known under the label of ‘Arab spring’ have had a severe impact on the quality of life of citizens. Time has come in some countries to rebuild the nation-state, to strive for good governance, and there is no doubt that one of the crucial actors in this process is the public administration. Whether these processes will be successful depends to a large extent on its professionalism. The public administrators have to prepare and implement new policies; they have to ensure that schools are open, that garbage is collected, and that the health service is properly functioning.

Within the discipline of Public Administration, politico-administrative relations belong to the core themes. Many famous and classic scholars in Public Administration have addressed this topic. The crucial questions are whether the classic distinction between politicians and public administrators are still visible; whether politicians as well as public administrators are up to their tasks; whether they need one another, whether the relations between them have changed; and what happens in different countries and parts of the world if leadership suddenly disappears.

At the same time this conference is also important for our association. The joint IIAS/IASIA Congress, which is held every three years points to the close and stable ties between IIAS and IASIA. At the start of its 60th decade of existence, IASIA is in the process of rethinking its strategy for the years to come. IASIA is in a process to become an international organization that better understands the needs of its members and to assist its members in improving their schools and institutes by intensifying the exchange of experiences. This involves issues like how to invest in human capital and how to promote adequate training, schooling and education for future leaders in the public sector. The Standards of Excellence developed by the Joint UN/IASIA Task Force in 2008 is a major achievement towards this end. I am convinced that the newly-created Commission on the International Accreditation of Public Administration Programs (CIAPA), under the inspiring leadership of Allan Rosenbaum, will constitute a solid support for the schools and institutes worldwide.

This will no doubt become a most interesting conference, because of the venue in a part of the world which is in turmoil, because of the politicians, scholars, practitioners coming from all over the world, because of the contributions that will be presented on a core theme of Public Administration and because of the fruitful discussions this conference will enable on the theme of leadership and professionalism. Together, let us build the future of public administration!

We warmly thank the Bahrain Institute of Public Administration for hosting the event and we look forward to welcoming many of you in Manama

Michiel S de Vries president of IASIA

Professor and chair of the department of Public Administration

Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands

The honour to host the conference is a responsibility we welcome and we stand committed to delivering a great event on counts of both program and hospitality to our participants and guests.

Bahrain, the beating heart of the Arabian Gulf and the capital of Arab culture – this small island has achieved significant development in the field of public administration and public policies. It has led the way in the establishment of an effective and efficient public sector premised on professionalism and accountability.

In seeking to organize the IIAS/IASIA 2013 Joint Congress, BIPA is endeavoring to position the Kingdom in the middle of progressive public administrative agendas. This congress will be beneficial to all parties on many counts: For BIPA, it will help establish a localized public administrative agenda and bring the thought of world-class thinkers to bear on the problems of the region. For IIAS/IASIA, it will put it in contact with a new reality of public administration that both organizations have only tangentially engaged so far.

The Kingdom of Bahrain, also called the pearl of the Arabian Gulf and the land of immortality, is an archipelago of low lying islands located at the heart of the Arabian Gulf, off the eastern coast of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Bahrain has a history of civilizations that date back more than 5,000 years. Bahrain was the ancient site of the immortal land of Dilmun, and a religious centre for ancient Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians at different times, Bahrain’s strategic location has ensured that it maintain a heritage of pluralism and diversity.

With centuries upon centuries of human habitation packed into one compact archipelago, many legends have enveloped the land of Bahrain. One such example is the historic reference to Bahrain as the Island of Eternity – a result of the multitude of ancient burial grounds found throughout the island, before modern archaeological findings explained them to be a legacy of the Dilmun era.

The writings of the ancient Sumerians refer to Dilmun as a pure and sacred place in which sickness and death do not exist – a land like paradise full of sweet water springs. Bahrain does in fact have freshwater artesian and under seabed springs, rich in minerals and especially fluoride, known locally as sweet water.

These have sustained life here since the Ubraid civilization of Neolithic times 6000 years ago. The sweet water springs may be the basis for the legend of Gilgamesh, a Sumerian epic about a quest for immortality from the flower of life (the pearl) which leads to Dilmun, the “land of two seas”.

From the mists of times to a vibrant present, Bahrain thrives under a stable and prosperous government, which has evolved throughout the 20th Century into a constitutional monarchy in the 21st Century.

Today, known by its modern Arabic name, “Bahrain,” in reference to the “two seas” or the phenomenon of two waters – sweet water springs and salty sea, its landscape is a tapestry of marvellous old sites and colourful traditional markets dotted between skyscrapers and contemporary urban living. While relatively small in population, land area and resources, Bahrain has achieved a high level of social and economic development over a short period of time.

The Kingdom of Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 came to draw a road map for us to start our career in the Institute – Institute of Public Administration (BIPA) was established by Decree No. (65) for the year 2006 issued by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, in June 28, 2006.

The Institute aims to develop the public administration and training in the ministries and governmental organizations, and contribute to the preparation and training of personnel, in accordance with the training needs and development programs, research and consultancy work approved by the board of directors of the Institute, so as to ensure the upgrading of public administration and to support economic and social development plans.

The Institute was able, during the last period, to translate the ambition to the reality on the ground, the reality in which we live in today with you at the 2013 Joint Congress IIAS-IASIA.

Finally, we welcome you here with us where civilization embraces evolution in the land where all peoples of various nationalities and stripes meet and live in warmth and homogeneously and enjoy security and stability with Bahrainis known of their hospitality, generosity and kindness that characterize Arab originality for this country, which is open to the world in its various languages.

The Presidents of IIAS and IASIA have the pleasure to inform you that the 2013 IIAS-IASIA Joint Congress shall be held in Manama, Bahrain from 1st June to 6th June. The Congress is organised in collaboration with the  Institute of Public Administration of Bahrain (BIPA).

More information will come soon.