By Frank Zerunyan.

The USC Price Executive Education Forum for Policy and Administration (EXED), at the Bedrosian Center on Governance and the Public Enterprise, offers a broad base of specialized, non-degree certificates for local and global leaders. The program educates and trains public leaders to manage organizations and devise policies that foster thriving communities the world over.

“This program is a new and unique opportunity for local leaders to engage and learn in an academic setting,” said Eric Vail, City Attorney and Owner Burke, Williams, & Sorensen Law Firm. “It’s a master’s class on how to be a local elected official.”

As part of the dynamic EXED curriculum, the Local Leaders program is specifically designed for local elected and appointed officials including County Supervisors, Mayors, Council Members, School Board Members, Water, Special Districts, Air Quality Board Members, City Managers, and Executives. The course content focuses on public ethics, governance, leadership and various arenas of public policy (transportation, housing, etc.). The goal of the program is to promote and enhance commitment to public value and to reach across sectors building much needed capacity for public leaders.

Typically taught as a series of modules over two days, the program presents information in a local context with the goal of helping officials to make more educated decisions. Specifically, EXED is a suite of intensive programs encouraging public leaders to deepen their understanding of substantive policy issues, leverage existing capacity, and foster leadership to improve public administration.

“What interested my colleagues and I about the program is the blending of the academic experience and the high level practical experience in teaching and delivering the curriculum,” said Jim Goodhart, Council Member and Mayor, City of Palos Verdes Estates. “That is unique and extremely valuable for local leaders.”

The quality of the program is a direct result of the world-renowned faculty that supports it. USC Price is one of the best public policy schools in the country offering access to experienced professionals in a dynamic setting that promotes cooperation and growth.

The EXED Local Leaders program completed its seventh session in mid November of 2014. More than 120 mayors, council members, board members and local executives have gone through the program with the highest level of satisfaction and the school is looking forward to delivering its eighth session early this spring.

Interested parties are encouraged to apply online at www.Bedrosian.usc.edu/exed/application or contact the offices of the Price School of Public Policy EXED at acoelho@price.usc.edu or 213-831-8177 for more information.

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Frank Zerunyan is a Professor of the Practice of Governance and the Director of Executive Education at USC Price.