New Participatory Governance Mechanisms for the Public Sector

Conventional forms of public participation in policymaking and public affairs, such as elections, polling, or referenda, are not always efficient and may exclude many. More public-sector organizations are exploring novel participatory practices designed according to the principles of deliberative governance to address these issues.

Participatory governance mechanisms empower individuals and organizations outside government to engage in public decision-making while enabling public- and private-sector collaboration. They include citizens’ assemblies, participatory budgeting, citizen report cards, deliberative polling, and e-participation platforms. Digital technologies provide enhanced opportunities for participatory governance. These public engagement mechanisms increase transparency and government responsiveness while improving public service delivery and productivity.

This course will provide a comprehensive overview of new participatory governance mechanisms to enhance public-sector responsiveness and the incorporation of collaborative network forms of governance structures.

Course Objectives

The main objectives of this course are:

  •     Learn about the fundamentals and changing nature of the relationship between civil society and government in different contexts.
  •     Understand the principles of participatory, deliberative governance.
  •     Examine emerging methods of engaging the wider public in governance and their practical implementation to enhance inclusivity and improve policy development.
Course Modules

This e-learning course will cover the following modules:

Module 1: Principles of participatory, deliberative governance
Module 2: New methods of citizens’ engagement in participatory governance
Module 3: Digital deliberation and e-participation platforms in governance.
Module 4: Barriers to and challenges in inclusive participation.
Module 5: Impact of participatory mechanisms and practices on governance, well-being, and growth.

Important Notes:

  1. Participants who register to take this course and pass the final examination with a score of 70% or higher will be eligible to receive the APO certificate. Please note that the final examination can be taken only once. Therefore, the most appropriate time to take the examination should be chosen carefully. The self-assessment quizzes are for personal evaluation only and are not related to the final examination results.
  2.  Participants who perform well in this course and receive the APO certificate will be given preference, on a merit basis, for selection to attend follow-up face-to-face multicountry APO projects on similar topics, when nominated by their NPOs and if slots are available.
  3.  Notes 1 and 2 are applicable only to participants from APO member countries. Participants from nonmember countries are welcome to take the course for self-improvement, although they will not have an opportunity to attend the follow-up face-to-face multicountry APO projects.
  4.  Each module is in a prerecorded video format in which the expert delivers presentations by explaining each slide. Participants can access the video by clicking on the link provided under the title of each module.


Course Duration in Hours: 10 hours
Skill Level: Beginner
Upcoming Course: No
New Course: Yes