From São Paulo to Seoul, how do governments deliver on what they promise? The University College London’s Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP) has introduced a new tool to help answer that question: the Public Sector Capabilities Index. This resource enables policymakers, researchers, and communities to better understand the underlying capacities that drive or hinder effective governance around the world.
Unveiled in 2024 and supported by the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the index moves beyond traditional governance measurements such as GDP or institutional capacity. Instead, it focuses on capability: a government’s dynamic ability to solve problems and adapt to new challenges through mission-driven policies.
Redefining how public performance is measured
For decades, global development discourse has relied on narrow indicators to judge state performance; fiscal balance sheets, corruption indices, and legal frameworks have long been the standard. However, these indicators do not always provide a complete picture of a local government’s reality.
The Public Sector Capabilities Index breaks from this conventional approach. Developed by a team of researchers at IIPP, the index incorporates both qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate how governments build, maintain, and utilize organizational capabilities. It reflects the understanding that effective public service depends not only on policy goals but also on whether governments are equipped to deliver them.
Drawing on country-specific datasets and global inputs, the index assesses 46 countries across four core capabilities: policymaking, coordination, learning, and legitimacy. The results highlight not just which countries perform well, but why they do, and how others might improve.
A collaborative approach to data and design
Building the index involved deep engagement with global experts, local policymakers, and public servants. Researchers collaborated with national statistical offices and ministries, analyzing internal processes and institutional behaviors that are often overlooked by traditional indices.
This collaborative methodology places value on the lived experience of local governments, in addition to structural metrics. It also ensures that countries in the Global South are assessed with greater contextual sensitivity.
The result is a richer picture of governance. High income does not always translate into high capability; several lower-income countries outperformed expectations thanks to strong institutional learning and legitimacy-building practices.
Global insights for local application
The data is publicly available and designed for real-world application. Policymakers can explore comparative visualizations and country profiles on the index platform, using the tool to benchmark reforms or identify areas for capability investment. Through workshops, academic partnerships, and technical guidance, the Index is being integrated into local public agendas worldwide.
The index is already informing policy discussions within international institutions and national strategies. The IIPP team emphasizes that building capability is not a one-time task; it is a long-term process that requires political commitment, social trust, and institutional memory.
Toward mission-oriented governance
The vision behind the Public Sector Capabilities Index reflects IIPP’s broader goal: to reshape how the public sector is understood in economic development. Rather than treating governments solely as market regulators, the Institute promotes them as active problem-solvers capable of shaping economic and social outcomes.
To explore the Index and its findings, visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/research-projects/2024/feb/public-sector-capabilities-index