Advanced Public Policy and Government Relations Training Course – Milan, 15–26 Mar 2027

Public Policy and Government Relations is a 2-week advanced training course for public affairs managers, policy advisers and government relations leads who represent their organisation in policy debates, and each participant builds a policy engagement strategy. Regulation now changes faster across energy, finance, health and technology, and organisations that engage early help shape rules they can work with. Jupiter Prime Training offers this course for professionals who carry that voice into the policy process.

Why Public Policy and Government Relations Matters Now

Three forces shape this work today. Governments are reforming economies quickly, issuing new strategies, regulations and incentive schemes that change the terms of business. Policymakers increasingly consult formally before deciding, so evidence-based submissions carry more weight than informal lobbying. Public and media scrutiny of influence has grown, raising expectations of transparency in every contact with officials. Organisations that engage with sound evidence gain workable rules and credibility as partners; those that react late face costly surprises and reputational damage. The course draws on established policy analysis practice, including the policy cycle model and regulatory impact analysis, described in general terms rather than through any one national scheme.

Who Gains Most from Public Policy and Government Relations

• Managers who lead an organisation's public affairs and policy positions on regulation
• Advisers who analyse proposed rules and draft position papers and consultation responses
• Government relations leads who maintain dialogue with ministries, regulators and legislators
• Industry association staff who coordinate members' positions on policy files
• Communications leads who run public campaigns that support policy objectives

A corporate affairs or regulatory directorate gains most when its policy advisers, government relations leads and communications staff attend together, since one engagement strategy then aligns analysis, dialogue and public messaging.

Public Policy and Government Relations Capabilities

Participants learn to enter the policy process with evidence, timing and coalitions, turning their organisation's interests into proposals that policymakers can use.

• Assess where a policy issue sits in the policy cycle and when to engage — executive committees
• Apply regulatory impact analysis to proposed rules — policymakers weighing options
• Build stakeholder and power maps for a policy file — government relations leads
• Design position papers and consultation responses grounded in evidence — ministries and regulators
• Specify public affairs campaigns that support policy goals — communications and leadership
• Weigh transparency and ethics standards in advocacy — boards and integrity officers

Key Public Policy and Government Relations Terms

• Policy cycle — the stages of agenda setting, formulation, decision, implementation and evaluation through which public policy moves.
• Regulatory impact analysis — a structured assessment of the costs, benefits and risks of a proposed regulation and its alternatives.
• Position paper — a short document setting out an organisation's view on a policy issue, with evidence and recommendations.
• Public consultation — a formal invitation by authorities for comments on a draft policy or regulation before it is decided.
• Advocacy — organised efforts to influence policy decisions through evidence, dialogue and public support.
• Issue management — early identification and handling of emerging policy issues before they become crises.

Public Policy and Government Relations Day by Day

Day 1: The Policy Environment

• Policy Cycle Model — Entry Points for Organisations at Each Stage
• Actors in Policymaking — Ministries, Regulators, Legislators and Advisory Bodies
• Economic Reform Agendas and Sector Strategies — Reading Government Priorities
• Public Affairs Versus Lobbying — Legitimate Engagement Boundaries
• Case Studies From Energy and Financial Services — Early Versus Late Engagement

Day 2: Policy Analysis Methods

• Problem Definition and Policy Options — Framing the Issue Correctly
• Regulatory Impact Analysis Steps — Costs, Benefits and Alternatives
• Evidence Gathering and Data Sources — Credible Inputs for Policymakers
• Cost of Compliance Estimates — Quantifying Effects on Business
• Distributional and Social Impact Checks — Who Gains and Who Pays

Day 3: Stakeholder and Power Mapping

• Stakeholder Mapping by Interest and Influence — Prioritising Contacts
• Power Mapping of Decision Paths — Who Signs, Who Shapes
• Coalition Opportunities With Industry Associations — Shared Positions
• Civil Society and Academic Voices — Independent Validators
• Opposition Analysis — Anticipating Counter-Arguments and Rival Proposals

Day 4: Writing for Policymakers

• Position Paper Structure — Issue, Evidence, Recommendation
• Policy Briefs and One-Page Summaries — Writing for Busy Officials
• Consultation Response Drafting — Answering the Questions Asked
• Data Visualisation for Policy Arguments — Clear Charts and Tables
• Plain Language and Tone — Constructive Rather Than Adversarial Framing

Day 5: Engaging Government Institutions

• Government Relations Meeting Planning — Objectives, Asks and Follow-Up
• Working With Regulators on Draft Rules — Technical Dialogue
• Legislative Committees and Hearings — Preparing Testimony
• Advisory Councils and Public-Private Dialogues — Seats at the Table
• Relationship Logs and Contact Registers — Transparency of Engagement

Day 6: Public Affairs Campaigns

• Campaign Objectives Linked to Policy Outcomes — Defining Success
• Message Framing for Public Audiences — Values and Benefits
• Media Relations for Policy Issues — Op-Eds and Briefings
• Digital Advocacy Tools — Petitions, Content and Online Communities
• Third-Party Endorsement — Experts, Customers and Community Leaders

Day 7: Issue Management and Policy Risk

• Policy Horizon Scanning — Early Warning on Emerging Rules
• Issue Prioritisation Matrix — Likelihood and Business Impact
• Scenario Planning for Regulatory Change — Preparing Responses
• Crisis Communication on Policy Controversies — Rapid Positions
• Policy Risk Reporting to Executives — Concise Dashboards

Day 8: Ethics, Transparency and Integrity

• Ethical Standards for Advocacy — Honesty, Accuracy and Disclosure
• Conflicts of Interest and Revolving Door Concerns — Managing Perceptions
• Hospitality and Gifts to Officials — Clear Internal Rules
• Transparency Registers and Disclosure Practices — Building Public Trust
• Board Oversight of Political Engagement — Policies and Reporting

Day 9: Measuring Policy Engagement

• Engagement Objectives and Key Results — Tracking Policy Progress
• Influence Attribution — Separating Contribution From Coincidence
• Resource Allocation Across Policy Files — Prioritising Effort
• Internal Alignment With Business Units — Single Organisational Voice
• Annual Policy Agenda Setting — Choosing Files for the Coming Cycle

Day 10: Practising the Policy Engagement Strategy

• Applying Regulatory Impact Analysis to a Case Rule — Evidence Base
• Building the Stakeholder and Power Map — Case Policy File
• Drafting the Position Paper and Consultation Response — Core Arguments
• Peer Challenge on Campaign and Ethics Choices — Testing Credibility
• Completing the Policy Engagement Strategy — Objectives, Channels and Measures

Applying Public Policy and Government Relations After the Course

• Run a horizon scan of upcoming regulations affecting your organisation and rank them with the issue prioritisation matrix for the executive committee
• Prepare a consultation response or position paper on one live policy file using the regulatory impact analysis steps practised on the course

Public Policy and Government Relations Questions (FAQ)

What is public policy and government relations and why does it matter now?

Public policy and government relations is the practice of analysing policy issues and engaging government institutions to represent an organisation's interests. It matters now because regulation is changing quickly and formal consultations reward organisations that bring timely evidence.

Which roles gain most from public policy and government relations training?

Public affairs managers, policy advisers and government relations leads gain most. Industry association staff and communications leads also benefit when they coordinate positions, draft submissions or run campaigns on policy issues.

How does public policy and government relations training differ from a government liaison skills course?

It focuses on policy strategy and analysis rather than day-to-day liaison tasks. You work with the policy cycle, impact analysis, position papers and campaigns, while a liaison course covers permits, meeting logistics and routine follow-up with officials.

What do you bring back from public policy and government relations training?

You bring back an engagement strategy for one policy file. It sets objectives, maps stakeholders and power, outlines evidence and position papers, plans campaigns and defines measures your leadership can follow.

Public Policy and Government Relations: The Way Forward

The policy engagement strategy first informs which policy files an organisation prioritises and when it engages each decision maker. Government relations leads own it, policy advisers and communications teams deliver it, and executives review its progress. After the first consultation cycle, the stakeholder and power map deserves a fresh look, since decision paths often shift as proposals move forward.