Knowledge management (KM) is becoming increasingly important in public service. Civil servants responsible for delivering results and encouraging knowledge sharing across teams understand the need for quick access to information and expertise. Retaining institutional knowledge and onboarding new colleagues with systematic learning processes are essential to achieving organisational goals.

In the age of digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI), KM practices are undergoing significant changes. The integration of digital tools and AI technologies not only improves information access, but also transforms how knowledge is created, stored, and shared. Civil servants must adapt their KM and talent management (TM) strategies to this evolving environment, leveraging these advancements to remain effective.

Our course will provide a clear introduction to knowledge and TM concepts, focusing on their role in the context of digitalisation and AI. Participants will explore proven KM tools, techniques, and strategies to apply these practices within their teams and organisations. The programme also highlights how AI influences KM practices, offering insights into integrating digital innovations into knowledge workflows.

Our course will be based on the Knowledge Management Toolkit elaborated by our external expert Prof Dr Klaus North. Furthermore, the experience of the UK Civil Service in linking KM and TM will be presented by our expert John Murphy.

Practical approaches to structured knowledge transfer, knowledge organisation and flow will be explored through a hands-on workshop led by Benno Ackermann, featuring real-life cases from Switzerland and the use of digital tools and AI-enabled solutions.

What you will learn

This course will help you develop the skills and knowledge needed to address the challenges of managing knowledge and talent in an era of rapid technological change, ensuring sustainable organisational success.

By taking this course, you will:

• Be able to discuss the stages for development of a conceptual KM framework, building up strategies, and plans for implementing it.
• Learn how to apply knowledge and TM strategies in the context of digitalisation and AI.
• Gain insights into the impact of AI and digitalisation on KM practices, with real-world examples from public organisations.
• Explore structured knowledge transfer and knowledge flow approaches, supported by practical exercises and digital mapping tools.
• Learn best practices from real examples and design training and intervention programmes for efficient knowledge transfer between generations. Each session will have a theoretical component, followed by interactive activities. Throughout the course, there is an emphasis on real-life examples and supported group work.
• Benefit from developing a tailored action plan for your organisation, supported by structured exercises, expert coaching and peer feedback, and grounded in a modular approach that takes into account different levels of KM maturity and the ‘plan-do-check-act’ (PDCA) cycle.

Course methodology

After an introduction to KM and TM, participants will perform a self-assessment and discuss typical challenges. Based on this, they will learn what are effective tools and practices through exercises in an interactive workshop setting. We will present the European Commission’s Practitioners Toolkit, with contributions from the authors of the guide, and explain and support its use in a very practical and interactive manner. The package is divided into different sets that reflect the key steps in implementing KM within a cycle of continuous improvement and learning. The programme integrates sessions on digitalisation and AI not only from a conceptual perspective, but also through concrete tools, use cases and applied workshops, demonstrating how these technologies can actively support KM and TM practices.

The second day is devoted to learning from good practices and implementing them within the participants’ respective organisations. By combining the different modules in the programme, your organisation will develop its organisational capabilities to apply the most effective KM and TM tools.