Take the next step in your career with the Master of Local Government

Descriptive transcript

[Associate Professor Roberta Ryan speaks to camera. UTS branding visible.] Associate Professor Roberta Ryan: One of the really great things about our graduate programs, apart from the fact they're designed strongly in consultation with the local government sector, is that they're delivered by senior local government professionals—people who've been there, know that—and we're very strongly underpinned by the latest thinking in all of these areas.

[Todd Hopwood, Master of Local Government student, speaking.] Todd Hopwood: I found the Masters a great course. It doesn't feel like an undergraduate degree. I’ve done undergraduate degrees before. I feel like I’m part of the conversation with the teachers, talking about problems and solutions with our fellow students, rather than just sitting there and being lectured to, taking down notes, and passing an exam.

[Bligh Grant, Senior Lecturer, appears.] Bligh Grant: We are able to provide a sectoral overview of where local government fits in as a part of Australia’s economy, and that's a very, very important thing. So we tool up people to think of local government from a broader perspective, and we give them the technical skills to implement processes by which they can improve local government.

[Associate Professor Roberta Ryan returns.] Associate Professor Roberta Ryan: One of the things that's very distinctive about the offer here at the Centre is that it is a tailored programme for local government professionals, and we really understand the particular challenges that local government professionals face.

[Todd Hopwood speaking in a classroom setting.] Todd Hopwood: The key advantages I’ve brought back to work from doing the course are different ways of looking at issues that we all face in local government. Through the course, we often have sessions where we work together in small groups of ten or twelve people, and we all work in local government. So we talk about different ways of solving the same problems we have, and I take those attitudes and those approaches back to work, which has been really beneficial.

[Bligh Grant in an office environment.] Bligh Grant: We are the only place in Australia that provides that specific focus, that specific lens, through which to examine the polity of Australia, the economy of Australia, the gender of Australia. Everything is through local government; that’s our focus.

[Associate Professor Roberta Ryan concludes. UTS logo appears at end.] Associate Professor Roberta Ryan: There's a major national debate on about what share of tax revenues all levels of government should get, and local government really has to position itself into that debate. This is a time where there are huge opportunities for local government to step up and be really well prepared to speak for themselves, and to really have clear views about the kinds of role that local government can play in our federation, and in the leadership of our country.

[UTS logo and web address on screen. No dialogue. Music fades out.]