Semarang, May 25, 2026 — The Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Diponegoro University, held an Undip Global Classroom activity under the theme “The Importance of Ethical Leadership, Public Leadership, and Crisis Management for Strengthening Public Service Quality.” This event featured Prof. Young-Hoon Ahn, Ph.D., an expert in public policy, local government administration, risk assessment, and public sector leadership from South Korea.
This Global Classroom activity was organized as part of the Department of Public Administration FISIP Undip’s efforts to broaden students’ academic insights into leadership in the public sector, particularly in addressing increasingly complex governance challenges. Through this lecture, students were invited to understand that public leadership today is no longer sufficient if it solely relies on formal authority and hierarchical structures; it also requires coordination, collaboration, negotiation, facilitation, and cross-sectoral and inter-institutional problem-solving skills.
In his presentation, Prof. Young-Hoon Ahn explained that public service is not merely an administrative activity but also a social, legal, and ethical responsibility of the state towards its citizens. Therefore, the quality of public services is greatly influenced by the ability of public leaders to uphold public values, build accountability, strengthen public trust, and ensure that every government policy and action is oriented towards citizens’ needs.
Prof. Ahn also emphasized the importance of ethical leadership in governance. Ethical leadership plays a strategic role in preventing corruption, strengthening organizational integrity, and fostering a bureaucratic culture that is transparent, fair, and accountable. In the context of public service, ethical leaders are not only required to comply with regulations but also to serve as role models in decision-making that prioritizes the public interest.
Furthermore, the lecture addressed the importance of crisis management leadership in dealing with crisis situations and uncertainty. Prof. Ahn explained that modern societies face various forms of risk, ranging from natural disasters, health crises, digital disruption, to complex social issues. Under these conditions, public leaders need to have the ability to formulate risk-based policies, coordinate rapid responses, communicate information clearly to the public, and restore public trust after a crisis.
The issue of leadership in the digital era was also a key part of the discussion. Prof. Ahn highlighted that the development of information technology, digital platforms, and artificial intelligence has changed the way governments deliver services and interact with the public. Digital governance can accelerate services, reduce transaction costs, increase transparency, and expand citizen participation. However, digital transformation also demands adaptive, ethical public leaders capable of managing collaboration within networked governance systems.
Through this Undip Global Classroom activity, students gained international perspectives on the relationship between leadership, ethics, crisis management, and the quality of public services. This event also provided a space for academic reflection for students to understand that quality public service is determined not only by systems and procedures but also by the character, capacity, and integrity of public leaders.
The Department of Public Administration, FISIP, Diponegoro University, hopes that this activity will enrich students’ learning experiences, strengthen academic capacity in understanding global governance issues, and support Undip’s commitment to internationalizing higher education. Through the Global Classroom, students are expected to become future public leaders who are honest, responsive, adaptive, and oriented towards serving the public.
About the Speaker:
Prof. Young-Hoon Ahn, Ph.D., is an academic and public policy expert from South Korea. He has extensive experience in local government administration, public policy development, national risk assessment, digital transformation, and public sector capacity-building programs in various countries. His recent works include studies on municipal police reform, state audit institutions, digital transformation, inclusive governance relationships, and national risk assessment.