The relationship between pharmacy licensing policies on clinical training (CT) and success rates for international pharmacists (IPs) within Canada, United Kingdom, and the United States: A comparative policy analysis

Introduction: In October 2018, the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada released a report showing that only 41.1% of international pharmacists pass the Pharmacy Qualifying Examination, compared to 91% of Canadian graduates. When compared to the United Kingdom and United States, Canada has the lowest success rates for the integration of international pharmacists. Aim: This study aims to address two questions: What are the professional pharmacy policies governing the clinical training resources for international pharmacists within their host country? What can Canada learn from other Western countries to facilitate the integration of international pharmacists? Method: A comparative policy analysis was used to draw comparisons between Canada’s regulatory policies governing the pharmacy license to other similar models in the United Kingdom and United States. Results: Upon examining current integration systems in these countries, differences in training period requirements and competencies became apparent. Therefore, the findings suggest that Canadian stakeholders can learn from other models’ legislation, structure, and clinical outcome prospects.

A Cross-National Comparative Policy Analysis of the Blockchain Technology between the USA and China

Blockchain technology can achieve decentralization, multi-party verification, anti-tampering, anonymity, traceability of transactions and distributed ledger applications. Countries around the world continue to seek blockchain business models, technologies and applications and have different visions and policies for the development of blockchain. This study provides a comparative policy framework for the theoretical analysis of blockchain technology between the USA and China. Using the innovative policy tools proposed by Rothwell and Zegveld, these two countries are analyzed from the viewpoint of twelve policy tools. The results show that the USA and China both prefer to use “Environmental-side” policies. The USA has focused more on “Legal and regulatory”, “Public services” and “Procurement”. China has the highest proportion of policies in “Political tools”, followed by “Legal and regulatory”, while “Scientific and technical”, “Education” and “Overseas agent” come in third. Blockchain technology has developed vigorously among industries and its applications have gradually diversified. The results can provide a reference for policy planning for various stakeholders.

Hong Kong as public administration metropolis in the internationalization of public administration education: one Hong Kong university experience

PurposeThis article explores the roles and the expertise of Hong Kong in the internationalization of public administration education.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology is based on the data of 5 internationalization initiatives of one Hong Kong university with its internationalization partners in Macau, Korea, Australia, Russia and Finland. The data obtained lasted for a period of 18 months, from September 2019 to March 2021.FindingsThe finding of this study revealed that (1) there are 5 “pubtropolis roles” (roles of a public administration metropolis) of Hong Kong in the internationalization of public administration education in China, Asia, Asia-Pacific, Belt-and-Road and Europe. The findings also revealed that (2) Hong Kong served as a pubtropolis with its “5C” expertise in curriculum innovation, customized training, competence framework, competence assessment and comparative policy.Research limitations/implicationsAs the methodology of this article is based on the data of 5 internationalization initiatives of one Hong Kong university by one academia only, further studies can be conducted at department, faculty or university level for multiple academia.Practical implicationsThere are two practical implications: (1) The more the roles of a city, the broader the view in its internationalization of public administration initiatives; (2) Hong Kong could further tap on its expertise in “5C” in public administration: curriculum innovation, customized training, competence framework, competence assessment and comparative policy to exert its “geo-management” power.Social implicationsThis article argues that public services can be improved by the setting up of “Sabbatical Leave Scheme for Internationalization of Public Administration” by respective governments to sustain the impacts observed.Originality/valueIt is from the author's original work.