The National School of Government has named Dean Howard Thomas, and Professors John Benington, Jean Hartley and Colin Crouch of Warwick Business School among the first Fellows to its Sunningdale Institute - a group of internationally rated academics and industry figures offering development to government and public service organisations on operational and delivery issues.

WBS has the biggest involvement of the participating organisations. Dr Mark Moore from the Kennedy School at Harvard in the USA, who is a visiting professor with the School's Institute of Governance & Public Management, is also included.

The new 'virtual academy' has been established within the National School to help officials formulating and implementing public service policy and strategy. Chaired by Professor Cary Cooper of the Lancaster University Management School and directed by the National School's Deputy Principal, Margaret Saner, the Institute offers knowledge exchange, consultancy, and learning and development activities for senior public servants. Fellows are available as speakers and to lead research projects, give advice to organisations and teams, and produce advisory documents.

Fellows were selected against criteria developed by a working group of senior academics from leading UK business schools and experienced practitioners. Led by Margaret Saner, they matched expertise against issues identified through discussion with the National School. Fellows are initially contracted for two years, although it is expected that they will be reengaged and the group enlarged.

For more information on Fellows of the Sunningdale Institute click on the link below.

Further information is available from http://www.nationalschool.gov.uk/programmes/index.asp