Amman, Sept. 14 (Petra) -- The Jordanian Government Administration Academy on Monday graduated 76 participants from its "Irtiqa" Future Leaders track and Professional Diploma in Public Policy and Administration, as part of efforts to develop qualified government leaders and strengthen public-sector capabilities.

Academy President Mustafa Hamarneh said the academy is focusing on developing administrative leadership and organizing senior state management programs in cooperation with public-sector institutions and international partners.

He highlighted the academy’s strategic partnership with Italy in developing leadership programs, expressing hope that such programs would be expanded to accommodate more public-sector employees in the coming years.

Academy Secretary-General Siham Khawaldeh stated that the academy launched several government leadership development programs last year, including the Advanced Government Leadership Program, the Women’s Leadership Development Program in the Public Sector, and the Professional Diploma in Public Policy and Administration.

She said 11 participants graduated from the Advanced Government Leadership Program, while 20 women completed the first phase of the women’s leadership program. The first cohort of the professional diploma, which comprised 500 training hours across four stages, graduated 45 participants representing 25 government institutions.

Khawaldeh said the academy will continue working to develop leaders capable of improving institutional performance and the quality of services provided to citizens.

Italian Ambassador to Jordan Pier Luigi Zamporlini praised the strong partnership between Italy and Jordan, particularly in public-sector development and leadership capacity building.

He said joint training initiatives have provided specialized training to more than 700 public employees in areas including digital transformation, project management, change management, and strategic communications, while more than 1,500 government employees have benefited from accompanying training programs and courses.

Zamporlini also highlighted a field visit to Italy by participants in the government leadership program, saying it provided an opportunity to exchange expertise and build partnerships with Italian ministries and institutions, contributing to the transfer of successful practices and improved institutional performance.

He stressed that investing in human resources and developing leadership capabilities is fundamental to economic and administrative growth and to providing efficient, citizen-focused public services.

Mohammad Hamed, Director of the Consultancy and Training Center at the German Jordanian University, said the professional diploma reflects the strategic partnership between the university and the academy, combining academic expertise with practical knowledge in policymaking, public administration, and decision-making.

Lian Katinis, head of the expert team of the Public Administration Reform Support Project in Jordan and representative of the European Public Law Organization, said the programs were designed under a rigorous quality and evaluation system to achieve tangible improvements for participants and their institutions and support the implementation of government plans and the Public Sector Modernization Road Map.

Katinis praised cooperation with the academy and thanked Italy, its embassy, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, and the Italian Foreign Ministry for their support and for facilitating training visits, which, he said, reflected the depth of relations between the two countries’ public administrations.

//Petra// AJ