Depok, 3 February 2026 — The Faculty of Administrative Sciences, Universitas Indonesia (FIA UI), held a public lecture titled “Toward Human(e) Government: Pathways, Paradigms, and Personas in Public Sector Reform”, featuring Prof. Jeanine O’Flynn as the keynote speaker. The event served as an academic forum to deepen understanding of the direction of global public sector reform with a strong human-centered orientation. The lecture took place at the EDISI 2020 Auditorium, Building M, 4th Floor.

The event was opened by the moderator, Zuliansyah, who in his opening remarks explained the background of the public lecture and its relevance to public sector reform issues and the strengthening of human-centered governance. Welcoming remarks were then delivered by a representative of FIA UI, Prof. Eko Prasojo, who expressed appreciation for Prof. Jeanine O’Flynn’s presence and hoped that the event would enrich the perspectives of the FIA UI academic community in understanding the dynamics and challenges of public sector reform at the global level.

In her lecture, Prof. Jeanine O’Flynn emphasized that the public sector reform agenda can no longer rely solely on efficiency, performance, and procedural compliance. Contemporary public policy challenges—such as social inequality, declining public trust, and the growing complexity of public service delivery—demand a more human(e) approach to government, one that is capable of understanding citizens’ lived experiences, emotional needs, and the social contexts in which policies are implemented.

Prof. Jeanine elaborated on the concept of pathways as the various routes through which reform can be pursued to realize more human-centered government, ranging from policy design and the organization of public institutions to patterns of interaction between the state and citizens. Reform, she argued, does not always require large-scale structural change, but can also begin with everyday practices that are more responsive to the real conditions of society.

Through the concept of paradigms, Prof. Jeanine further described a shift in public administration from hierarchical and control-based approaches toward collaborative paradigms that prioritize empathy, trust, and shared learning. Human(e) government is thus viewed as a partner to citizens in addressing complex and interrelated public problems.

Meanwhile, under the concept of personas, Prof. Jeanine highlighted the crucial role of individuals and actors within the public bureaucracy. Public sector reform is strongly shaped by the values, attitudes, and leadership of public officials as policy decision-makers and implementers. Civil servants are encouraged to understand their roles not only as administrators, but also as public servants who bear a moral responsibility to deliver policies and services that are fair, inclusive, and meaningful.

The discussion session was highly interactive, featuring questions and responses from participants that addressed the challenges of implementing the human(e) government concept in developing countries, the role of public leadership, and its relevance to Indonesia’s bureaucracy and public policy. The event concluded with closing remarks from Prof. Eko Prasojo, who summarized the key points of the discussion and reaffirmed the importance of a more human-centered approach to governance in the future public sector reform agenda.