Since the end of the 20th century, governments in democratic countries have started shifting from state administration to management. As the people elect the governments, governments do what an individual cannot do alone, especially the services for the public wellbeing such as ensuring an individual’s protection, securing human rights and capital, keeping social order, providing educational and health services equally. These services are now delivered in a recognizable management style.
The terminology for state employees is now changing to public employees and for state services to public services. This shift does encompass not only terminology for state services but also the paradigm. New mentality and new human resources are a good fit for this novel task.
Human Resource Educated in the West
Mongolia initially selected 40 children from secondary schools in 1926 and sent them to Germany and France for Western education. However, under pressure from the Soviet Union, they were repatriated before they could graduate, and everyone who was involved in organizing the endeavor was imprisoned. These young people have twice been persecuted on trumped-up charges of being “Western spies.” Nevertheless, among those children were many famous people, including the great writer D.Natsagdorj, his wife, esteemed public figure D.Pagmadulam, the first filmmaker T.Natsagdorj, the renowned writer D.Namdag, the People’s Artist L.Namkhaitseren, the first Ph.D. of Geology J.Dugersuren, scientist N.Navaan-Yunden and they made invaluable contributions to the development of Mongolia.
Mongolia trained many thousands of young professionals in universities and colleges of the USSR and other countries of the socialist system between 1937 and 1990. After the 1990 democratic revolution, Mongolians enjoyed their freedom and traveled to developed countries, while some even settled abroad, and their children received Western education. Today, many young graduates from Western universities are leading the private and public sectors. There is an increasing number of professionals with Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D. from Western Universities on the decision-making level.
In the recent years we have seen many young professionals who graduated from Ivy League schools and gained experience in their fields in various international companies or organizations, joining the vital socioeconomic sectors at the governmental level. Citizens hope that these young leaders will help overcome many of the problems and challenges facing Mongolia’s public governance, society, and economy for the benefit of the people and make a significant contribution to solving them using a scientific approach.
This same phenomenon was observable in Chile. Between 1970 and 1980, many young professionals (mainly University of Chicago alumni) studying and working in the US were called back home and used their talent and intelligence to help save the failing economy and contributed to the intensive development of the country. Similar trends were seen in Taiwan and Singapore. From then onwards, political scientists started referring to youth making a change in their home countries after having an education abroad as “Chicago boys.”
“Harvard” Team
The 32nd Prime Minister of Mongolia, the 40-year-old Mr. L.Oyun-Erdene, took office on January 27th, 2021. He is a young lawyer and has a Harvard Public Administration Master’s degree. His cabinet of 17 ministers mainly consists of West-educated young people, with an all-time-high number of female ministers (4). Recognizing the hundreds of hard working people, tending to daily tasks, and having the ministers’ backs, we highlight the “Harvard Youth” here. (from left hand side) B.Uyanga, B.Solongo, B.Bulganchimeg, G.Amartuvshin, L.Oyun-Erdene, B.Bolor-Erdene, O.Batnairamdal, T.Aldarsaikhan and B.Dulguun.
- B.Uyanga: Geologist. MUST, Harvard graduate and Ph.D., Tokyo University. Proficient in Mongolian and English. Chief geologist and Deputy Director of the National Geology Service since October 2020.
- B.Solongo: Lawyer. E.Lorand University, Hungary; Dundee University, UK; Harvard Law School. Proficient in Mongolian, English, and Hungarian. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary since August 2020.
- B.Bulganchimeg: International Relations and Development Policy Researcher. American University (Bulgaria). Master of Development Policy, Geneva University of International Relations. Proficient in Mongolian, English, Turkish, French, and Russian. Deputy Director of the National Development Agency since December 2020.
- G.Amartuvshin: Financier, a banker. European University in Brussels, Harvard Business School MBA. Member of the Parliament since 2020. Proficient in Mongolian, English, Russian, French, German, and Dutch.
- L.Oyun-Erdene: Lawyer. NUM, Harvard School of Public Administration. Proficient in Mongolian and English. The Prime Minister of Mongolia.
- B.Bolor-Erdene: Information technology specialist. University of Humanities, Handong Global University (S.Korea), Oxford University (England). Proficient in Mongolian, English, and Russian. Chairwoman of the Communications and Information Technology Authority since April 2020.
- O.Batnairamdal. Business administration major. Macalester College, Harvard MBA. Proficient in Mongolian and English. Deputy Minister of Mining and Heavy Industry since July 2020.
- T.Aldarsaikhan: Architect. MIT, Graduate of Harvard School of Design. Proficient in Mongolian, English, Russian, and German.
- B.Dulguun: Economist. Master of International Development Economics. Pearson College, Canada; Connecticut College, USA; Graduate of Harvard University. Proficient in Mongolian, English, Chinese, and Turkish. Deputy Director of the National Development Agency since December 2020.
- E.Bolormaa: Economist. The University of Oregon, Master of Public Administration, Columbia University. Proficient in Mongolian, English, Korean, and Russian. Advisor to the Prime Minister on Economic and Development Policy since February 2021. (not shown in the picture)
Just as the Mongolian statemen envisioned after the independence from Manchu Qing dynasty, a tremendous young generation of professionals went to live in western developed countries, studied at the world’s top universities, and obtained tremendous work experience on an international level, is now working in the government. Their leadership in a 21st century democratic Mongolia is especially notable as the transition from state administration to public management is taking place.
To achieve specific results in government work, the time has come to start measuring governance by output, benefits, and impact rather than input. In other words, assessments should take into account the products and results instead of investment input. To achieve this, there’s a need for highly specialized managers and leaders.
Citizens expect that young leaders will lead the effort to exercise good public governance and eradicate corruption, which the Mongolian public sector suffers greatly from and struggles to eliminate. The country’s development and the quality of people’s lives will depend on how and when we manage to transition from state administration to public management. Moreover, young people are tasked with effectively and efficiently introducing remarkable developments in science and technology, such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, electric batteries, and other new technologies in all spheres of economic, social, and political life.
I congratulate the many generations of Mongolians who came home with an education from far-away lands. Good luck.
2021.03.08
Trans. by Riya.T and Munkh-Erdene.D