Citizens today expect government services to be as fast, transparent and reliable as anything they get from the private sector — and that expectation keeps rising as digital transformation reshapes public administration everywhere. Meeting it is no longer optional for government entities; it requires leaders who genuinely understand both governance and institutional excellence, and know how to put them into practice.

This programme by the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy prepares leadership and administrative talent within government entities to do exactly that: apply sound governance practices, adopt recognised institutional excellence methodologies, and build the kind of systematic, accountable environment that produces sustainable results. Participants explore global best practices alongside practical tools for closing performance gaps and embedding a culture of continuous improvement.

Who Should Attend?

• Executive leaders and department managers in government entities.
• Quality and institutional excellence officers.
• Professionals working in internal audit and control departments.
• Specialists in policy development and corporate governance.

Programme Objectives

By the end of the training programme, participants will be able to:

• Build an advanced understanding of governance concepts and how they apply in the government sector.
• Design and implement effective corporate governance frameworks.
• Apply global standards and models of institutional excellence.
• Conduct gap analysis and use it to improve operational performance.
• Support the creation of an institutional environment built on transparency, accountability and continuous improvement.

Module 1: The Case for Governance and Institutional Excellence

• How governance affects government performance and public trust.
• The relationship between quality and institutional excellence — and where they differ.
• Why excellence strengthens the competitiveness of government entities.

Module 2: Principles and Legal Foundations of Governance

• Core principles of good governance.
• Regulations and laws that support governance practices.
• Legal challenges tied to applying governance inside public institutions.

Module 3: Structuring an Effective Governance System

• Organisational structures and their role in strengthening governance.
• Policies and procedures as supportive regulatory tools.
• Institutional assessment methods for measuring governance maturity.

Module 4: Risk Governance and Internal Control

• Integrating risk management within the governance system.
• Internal control tools that ensure compliance.
• Oversight performance indicators and how to measure their effectiveness.

Module 5: International Excellence Models and Local Application

• The European EFQM Excellence Model.
• King Abdulaziz Quality Award criteria.
• Aligning international excellence models with local context.

Module 6: Strategy, KPIs and Operational Integration

• Analysing the internal and external environment using strategic planning tools.
• Setting strategic objectives and linking them to key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Integrating operational plans effectively with excellence requirements.

Module 7: Leading Change and Embedding a Culture of Excellence

• Principles of change management within a government context.
• Leadership's role in promoting a culture of excellence and innovation.
• Strategies for addressing resistance to change inside the organisation.

Module 8: Sustaining Transformation through Governance and Performance Measurement

• Governance as a tool for achieving institutional sustainability.
• Institutional assessment tools and key performance indicators.
• Analysing performance results and implementing improvement plans and feedback loops.