30 March 2017

Strengthening IPSAR’s strong ties with Sweden, Director Irvine Lapsley visited Lund University School of Economics & Management to present to academics and practitioners a very well-received seminar – 'BREXIT: All the Answers'. This invoked some lively and thought-provoking discussion on the UK’s imminent departure from the EU.

Along with the seminar, the visit was combined with the official launch of the book Modernizing the Public Sector: Scandinavian Perspectives (Routledge). The book, which is co-edited by Irvine Lapsley and Hans Knutsson, looks at the challenges faced by governments in advanced economies in reforming and renewing public services. It puts forward the argument that instead of focussing on Anglo Saxon countries as reference points in devising modernisation agendas, governments, policy analysts and commentators would be well advised to reflect on the experiences and practices of Scandinavian countries, as neglecting these practices ignores a wealth of innovation in public service delivery.

Finally, the visit was also a good opportunity for Irvine to share his wealth of experience and knowledge with doctoral students in Lund SEM on “Getting Published”. Staff at Lund also took the opportunity to discuss their current research activities and proposals, which may well lead to more collaboration in the future.