Local government operates in a complex environment where decisions must balance service delivery, budget constraints, compliance requirements, and community needs. Traditional training often focuses on theory, but Action Learning ensures that leaders apply new knowledge directly to real challenges in their own municipality.
What is Action Learning?
Action Learning is a hands-on, problem-solving approach where participants learn by tackling real issues from their own work environment. At Business School Netherlands (BSN), this means that every assignment, discussion, and project is linked to a participant’s actual organisational challenges. This ensures that learning is practical, relevant, and immediately applicable.
How BSN’s Action Learning benefits local government:
- Solving real issues while studying – Participants work on actual municipal challenges during the programme, ensuring immediate value and practical outcomes for their communities.
- Context-specific solutions – Projects are tailored to the realities of local government, leading to strategies and improvements that are directly applicable.
- Stronger decision-making – By integrating learning with live problem-solving, leaders develop critical thinking skills that help them make better-informed, timely decisions.
- Collaboration across departments – Action Learning encourages cross-functional teamwork, breaking down silos and improving service delivery.
- Capacity building that lasts – Knowledge and skills gained are retained because they are practised in a real-world context, not just learned in theory.
- Measurable impact – Solutions developed can be implemented and measured, creating tangible improvements in governance and operations.
About BSN
BSN is a Dutch University of Applied Sciences with over 30 years of experience in developing leaders who can create real change in their organisations. Our programmes are globally accredited and designed around our Action Learning methodology, enabling professionals to solve real challenges while they study. BSN has had a presence in South Africa since 1996, with our International Support Office based in Cape Town, serving students across the continent. We have worked with leaders across sectors – including national and local government – to strengthen problem-solving skills, improve decision-making, and deliver measurable results.
We pride ourselves in developing great leaders who are responsible, initiate change, make informed decisions and are results-driven.
For municipalities like Weskus, this approach ensures that leadership development is not an abstract exercise, but a driver for visible, lasting change in local government performance.
Juanita Bouwer
Director: International
Business School Netherlands.
