Public Sector Financial Management | ZHAW Institute of Public Management IVM

We research, lecture and provide consulting services in the field of public financial management and, in doing so, are committed to the active transfer of knowledge into practice. Our mission is to seek innovative and academically profound solutions to current challenges in the financial management of government, administrative, and not-for-profit organizations with the aim of increasing efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency in dealing with public finances and donations.

Latest Studies

Research and Expertise

In our research, we examine ways to increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency of the financial management of governments, administrations, and not-for-profit organizations. The focus is on their practical needs and how to meet them by means of academically based approaches and concepts. Research areas include, in particular:

Modernization of public accounting through HRM2 and IPSAS;
Alternative financing models in the public sector such as public-private partnerships;
Effects of digitalization on public financial management;
Sustainable financial management through the development of a fiscal stress test;
Evaluation of financing decisions by NPOs;
Financial governance and planning systems such as budgeting and medium-term planning;
Capacity building in the field of Public Financial Management (PFM);
Sustainability in public procurement
Data storytelling in the public sector

References

We have helped over 100 government, administrative, and not-for-profit organizations in more than 30 countries increase their efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency in managing public finances and donations. Thanks to our broad national and international network combined with independent research into innovative concepts and approaches, we ensure that our project partners receive practical and scientifically based solutions that reflect current understanding.

Here you will find an overview of selected projects for various clients in Switzerland and internationally:

Swiss Projects

Canton of St. Gallen. Expert opinion on linking strategic priority planning and task planning.
Swiss Federal Finance Administration. Expert opinion on the revenue reporting of investments in developing banks.
State Secretariat for International Finance. Regulatory cost analysis relating to the Financial Services Act (FIDLEG).
Canton of Zurich. Development of a new funding model concerning victim protection and the fight against human trafficking.
University of Applied Sciences Rapperswil. Introduction of an internal control system (ICS).
Caritas Switzerland. Development and implementation of a new impact measurement system.
UBS Optimus Foundation. Design and development of a new impact measurement system.

International Projects

State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). Technical assistance in areas of public accounting and financial control with a view to SECO priority countries.
World Bank. Support in developing transparent accounting standards (IPSAS) in countries such as Kazakhstan, Peru, Kyrgyzstan, Ecuador, Serbia, and Albania.
International Monetary Fund (IMF). Support in implementing public financial management reforms in countries such as Poland, Peru, Iran, Belarus, and Croatia.

Partners

We have a broad national and international network of reliable and experienced partners in the field of financial management of public organisations and NPOs. In particular, we have strategic project partnerships with:

International

Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), UK
Center for Excellence in Finance (CEF), Ljubljana, Slowenien
Worldbank, Washington D.C., USA
International Monetary Fund, Washington D.C., USA

Switzerland

Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft (SECO), Schweiz
UBS Optimus Foundation, Schweiz
Public Finance AG, Solothurn, Schweiz;
Verband Zürcher Finanzfachleute (VZF), Schweiz
BDO Schweiz AG;
Idea 2, Zürich, Schweiz
Aivie, Zürich, Schweiz
Wüest und Partner, Zürich, Schweiz

Our current publications

Ramsden, Alma; Grafl, Antonia, 2021. The interplay of climate change and public financial management : greening public procurement. The Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA). You can find this publication here.

Fuchs, Sandro; Grafl, Antonia, 2021. Zur grossen Bedeutung der Finanzkommunikation für Staat und Öffentlichkeit. Ökonomenstimme. You can find this publication here.

Ramsden, A., Schuler, C., Zehnder, J., & Ponta, O. (2021). Devisenreserven der SNB zur Finanzierung der AHV? Jahrbuch der Schweizerischen Verwaltungswissenschaften, 12(1), 31–44. You can find this publication here.

Fuchs, S., Mertes, A., Ramsden, A., Rey, A. (2020). Öffentliche Planungs- und Steuerungssysteme für das 21. Jahrhundert. Swiss Yearbook of Administrative Sciences, 11(1), pp. 171–183. You can find this publication here.

Grafl, A., Schuler, C., Fuchs, S., Bergmann, A., Horni, P., Warzecha, I., Boyce, D. (2020). Stocktaking of public sector accounting and reporting environment in PULSAR beneficiary countries. World Bank Group. You can find this publication here(PDF 3,6 MB).

Bergmann, A., Wermuth, M., Fuchs, S. (2020). Umsetzung und Überprüfung der IPSAS-Ertragsstandards: Neuerungen im Bereich IFRS werden berücksichtigt, vor allem IFRS 15. Expert Focus, 2020(1-2), S. 17-19. You can find this publication here.

Team

Our team, from left to right

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