English for civil servants and public administration students
Public Administration Vocabulary: 100 Key English Terms
Public administration has its own working vocabulary: ministries and agencies, budgets and appropriations, tenders, regulations, permits, audits and accountability. This glossary explains the essential English terms of government structure, local government, the civil service, public finance, public services, regulation, bureaucratic procedures and audit, with natural Turkish equivalents and realistic examples. It is written for civil servants who work with international partners and for students of public administration who read English sources.
100 terms
10 topics
53 core terms
200 example sentences
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No account needed. Read the meaning, see where the term is used, then study the examples. Click any word in the lesson for help. You can also select a word and press Alt + Enter.
Government Structure
public administration
noun
Meaning
The work of putting government policies into practice and running public institutions; also the academic subject that studies how the state is organized and managed.
Where you use it
Used both for the practice and for the university subject. People study, teach or work in public administration, and a graduate degree may be called an MPA (Master of Public Administration). As a subject it takes no article: She studies public administration.
Examples
After ten years in public administration, she moved to a policy role at the ministry.
Our public administration course this term focuses on local government reform.
Common phrases
study public administration · career in public administration · degree in public administration · comparative public administration
The part of the economy owned, funded or run by the state, including ministries, agencies, local authorities, state schools and hospitals, and state-owned companies.
Where you use it
Usually contrasted with the private sector and the voluntary or non-profit sector. Common in news and reports: public sector jobs, public sector pay, public sector reform. Before a noun it is often hyphenated: public-sector workers.
Examples
Nearly a fifth of the city's workforce is employed in the public sector.
Many graduates prefer the public sector because of job security.
Common phrases
public sector employee · public sector reform · public sector pay · work in the public sector
The national level of government, including the ministries and agencies based in the capital, as opposed to regional and local authorities.
Where you use it
Used to contrast the national level with local government: funding from central government, the relationship between central and local government. In federal countries such as the US or Germany, people usually say the federal government instead.
Examples
Most of the city's budget comes from central government transfers.
Responsibility for schools was moved from central government to the regions.
Common phrases
central government budget · central government funding · central and local government · central government departments
The transfer of powers, responsibilities and resources from central government to regional or local bodies, so that decisions are made closer to the people affected.
Where you use it
Common in reform programmes and academic texts. Scholars distinguish administrative, fiscal and political decentralization. Governments pursue, promote or reverse decentralization; the opposite process is centralization.
Examples
Supporters of decentralization argue that local bodies understand local needs better.
Fiscal decentralization gave municipalities more control over their own revenue.
Usage note
British English often spells it decentralisation. Both spellings are correct; just keep one style throughout a document.
The general good of society as a whole, as opposed to the private interests of individuals or groups; public bodies are expected to act in the public interest.
Where you use it
Used in law, ethics and journalism: act in the public interest, a matter of public interest. In freedom of information cases, a public interest test decides whether information should be released even though an exemption applies.
Examples
The land was taken for a new hospital on the grounds of public interest.
Officials must put the public interest before their personal views.
Usage note
Don't confuse the public interest (what benefits society) with public interest in something (how curious people are about it): There is great public interest in the case.
Common phrases
in the public interest · act in the public interest · public interest test · matter of public interest
The whole system of rules, institutions and relationships through which decisions are made and power is exercised, including how government works with citizens, business and civil society.
Where you use it
Broader than government: it includes non-state actors and the quality of decision-making. Good governance is a fixed phrase in World Bank, UN and EU texts, usually linked to transparency, accountability, participation and the rule of law.
Examples
The programme aims to strengthen local governance through better planning and citizen participation.
Good governance requires clear rules that apply equally to everyone.
Common phrases
good governance · local governance · corporate governance · governance structure · multi-level governance
The part of the state that carries out laws and runs the government day to day, led by the president or prime minister together with the ministers and the administration under them.
Where you use it
Mainly used when explaining the three branches of government: the legislative, executive and judicial branches. Public administration largely sits within the executive branch. In everyday speech people often just say the executive.
Examples
Ministries and agencies are part of the executive branch, not the legislature.
The course compares how much power the executive branch has in different countries.
Common phrases
head of the executive branch · executive branch agencies · legislative and executive branches · power of the executive branch
The principle that state power is divided between separate legislative, executive and judicial branches so that no single body holds all authority.
Where you use it
Associated with the French thinker Montesquieu and found in many constitutions. Often paired with checks and balances, the ways each branch can limit the others. Used in constitutional law, political science and civics teaching.
Examples
Under the separation of powers, courts can review decisions made by the administration.
The first lecture explains the separation of powers and the idea of checks and balances.
Common phrases
principle of separation of powers · checks and balances · strict separation of powers
The branch of law that governs how public bodies are organized, how they make decisions and how citizens can challenge those decisions in court.
Where you use it
A core subject for public administration students. Key ideas include legality, proportionality, procedural fairness and judicial review. In Turkey, administrative disputes go to administrative courts, with the Council of State (Danıştay) at the top.
Examples
Under administrative law, a decision that affects a citizen's rights should state the reasons behind it.
She took a course in administrative law to understand how official decisions can be challenged.
Common phrases
principles of administrative law · administrative court · judicial review · administrative act
The official power to make decisions or enforce rules in a particular area, subject or territory; also the area within which that power applies.
Where you use it
Bodies have, exercise or lack jurisdiction over something, and a matter falls within or outside their jurisdiction. Used for courts, agencies and local authorities. In the plural, jurisdictions can mean countries or regions with their own legal systems.
Examples
Street lighting on the motorway is outside the municipality's jurisdiction.
The court ruled that it had no jurisdiction to hear the case.
Common phrases
have jurisdiction over · within the jurisdiction of · outside its jurisdiction · lack of jurisdiction
A reform approach, widespread from the 1980s, that brought private-sector ideas into government, such as performance targets, competition, outsourcing and treating citizens as customers.
Where you use it
A key concept in public administration courses, often abbreviated NPM and linked to reforms in the UK, New Zealand and Australia. Supporters stress efficiency and results; critics argue it can weaken accountability and equal treatment. Later approaches include New Public Governance.
Examples
Performance-related pay for civil servants was one of the ideas of New Public Management.
The essay compares New Public Management with the traditional Weberian model.
Common phrases
New Public Management reforms · critique of New Public Management · post-New Public Management
A central government body led by a minister and responsible for one area of policy, such as health, education, finance or transport.
Where you use it
Used in most countries, including Turkey, for the main government bodies: the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Interior. The UK and the US usually say department instead. A ministry issues guidelines, drafts regulations and oversees the agencies in its field.
Examples
The ministry has asked all provincial offices to send their figures by Friday.
I worked at the Ministry of Education for six years before joining the agency.
Usage note
Line ministry means a ministry directly responsible for a sector such as agriculture or health, as opposed to central bodies like the finance ministry. Turkish texts usually say ilgili bakanlık or sektör bakanlığı.
Common phrases
Ministry of Health · line ministry · ministry officials · relevant ministry · ministry spokesperson
The member of the government who leads a ministry and is responsible for its policies and decisions; ministers usually sit in the cabinet.
Where you use it
Ministers are appointed, sworn in, moved in a reshuffle and sometimes resign. Civil servants brief the minister, prepare speeches and draft decisions for the minister's signature. Deputy minister is the usual title of the person directly below the minister.
Examples
We need to brief the minister on the audit findings before the press conference.
The decision was signed by the minister on 3 March.
Usage note
In the United States the heads of federal departments are called secretaries, for example the Secretary of Education. Minister can also mean a Protestant priest, so check the context.
Common phrases
brief the minister · deputy minister · minister's office · appoint a minister · health minister
A public organization set up to carry out a specific task, such as collecting taxes, issuing licences or managing roads, often with some independence from the ministry above it.
Where you use it
Agency is a broad word: it can mean an executive agency in the UK, a federal agency in the US or a specialised body attached to a ministry. People often just say the agency. Agencies are set up, funded, merged and abolished.
Examples
Several government agencies share responsibility for food safety.
She applied for a data analyst post at a government agency in the capital.
Common phrases
federal agency · executive agency · regulatory agency · set up an agency · lead agency
A unit of an organization responsible for one area of work, such as human resources or legal affairs; in the UK and the US, also the name for a whole ministry.
Where you use it
Used at two levels. Inside a ministry or municipality it is a unit: the IT department, head of department. In the UK and the US it often names the ministry itself: the Department for Transport, the Department of Labor. Check which level a text means.
Examples
Please send the signed form to the human resources department.
She was promoted to head of department after the restructuring.
Usage note
US names use Department of (Department of State), while British ministries often use Department for (Department for Education). Always copy the official name exactly.
Common phrases
head of department · government department · legal department · across departments
An administrative unit led by a director, usually part of a ministry or agency, such as a directorate-general at national level or a provincial directorate.
Where you use it
Common in European and Turkish official English. The European Commission is divided into Directorates-General (DGs). Turkish institution names are usually translated with it: General Directorate of Highways, Provincial Directorate of Health.
Examples
The request was forwarded to the provincial directorate for a decision.
He leads a team of analysts in the directorate responsible for EU funds.
The official authority and set of tasks given to an institution or person, usually by law, which define what it may and must do.
Where you use it
Agencies act within their mandate, and tasks outside it are beyond their mandate. Mandates are given, set out in law, extended or expanded. In politics, a mandate also means the authority voters give a winning party.
Examples
Consumer complaints about banks fall outside our mandate, so we forwarded the letter to the regulator.
The new law expanded the agency's mandate to include cybersecurity.
Common phrases
within its mandate · legal mandate · expand the mandate · beyond its mandate · clear mandate
A company owned or controlled by the state that carries out commercial activities, such as running railways, ports, mines or energy networks.
Where you use it
Often shortened to SOE in reports by the OECD, IMF and World Bank. SOEs may be privatised, restructured or corporatised, and governments set rules for how they are governed. In Turkey the closest term is KİT (kamu iktisadi teşebbüsü).
Examples
The state-owned enterprise reported a profit for the first time in five years.
State-owned enterprises must publish audited accounts every year.
Usage note
Also called a state-owned company, public enterprise or, in British English, nationalised industry. Don't confuse it with a government agency, which provides public services and usually does not aim to make a profit.
Common phrases
state-owned enterprise reform · privatise a state-owned enterprise · governance of state-owned enterprises · large state-owned enterprise
The system of elected councils and their administrations that run services for a city, town or region, such as waste collection, local roads and parks.
Where you use it
Used for the level of government below the national one, and for the bodies themselves. In British English a single body is a local authority or simply the council. Common phrases: local government finance, local government reform, local government elections.
Examples
Most of the services people use every day are delivered by local government.
She spent fifteen years in local government before moving to the ministry.
Common phrases
local government reform · local government finance · work in local government · tier of local government
A city or town that has its own local government, or that local government body itself, with duties such as water supply, waste, local roads and building permits.
Where you use it
Common in international reports and in many countries' official English. British people usually say the council or the local authority, and Americans say the city. The adjective is municipal: municipal services, municipal budget, municipal elections.
Examples
The municipality is responsible for collecting household waste twice a week.
Smaller municipalities often lack the staff to prepare large project applications.
Usage note
The main stress falls on the fourth syllable: mu-ni-ci-PAL-i-ty. Many learners stress the second syllable, as in municipal.
Common phrases
district municipality · metropolitan municipality · municipal services · municipality staff
The person who leads a city or town's local government; depending on the country, a mayor may be directly elected, chosen by the council or hold a mainly ceremonial role.
Where you use it
Mayors are elected, take office, chair council meetings and represent the city. The mayor's assistant is a deputy mayor. In Turkey mayors are elected directly, and people distinguish the metropolitan mayor from district mayors.
Examples
The mayor opened the new library and thanked the staff who ran the project.
The proposal needs the mayor's approval before it goes to the council.
Usage note
In many English councils the mayor or Lord Mayor is a ceremonial title, and real power lies with the council leader. In British English mayor is pronounced as one syllable, like mare.
Common phrases
deputy mayor · elected mayor · mayor's office · district mayor
A group of elected or appointed people who make decisions for an area or organization, especially the elected body that governs a city, town or district.
Where you use it
Councils hold meetings, pass decisions and approve budgets, and their members are councillors (US: council members). In British English the council often means the whole local authority, including its staff: I called the council about my bins.
Examples
The council approved the new parking rules by a large majority.
Residents can attend council meetings and ask questions at the end.
Usage note
Turkish kent konseyi is not the same as city council: a city council is the elected decision-making body (belediye meclisi), while a kent konseyi is a participation platform. Also don't confuse council with counsel, meaning legal advice or a lawyer.
Common phrases
city council · council meeting · local council · council decision · provincial council
One of the main administrative areas into which some countries are divided, each with its own administration; Turkey, for example, has 81 provinces.
Where you use it
Used for Turkey, Canada, Spain, the Netherlands and many other countries; the UK speaks of counties and the US of states. The adjective provincial is common in official names: provincial governor, provincial directorate, provincial council.
Examples
The scheme will be tested in three provinces before it is rolled out nationwide.
Each province has a disaster coordination centre run by the governor's office.
Usage note
In everyday British English the provinces can mean all parts of a country outside the capital, sometimes with a slightly negative tone. Turkish taşra is close to this meaning.
Common phrases
provincial governor · provincial directorate · across all provinces · provincial capital
The official who heads a province, state or region; in some countries, such as Turkey, governors are appointed by central government, while in others, such as the US, they are elected.
Where you use it
In Turkey the governor (vali) represents the state and the government in the province and coordinates the provincial offices of ministries; the office is the governorship or governor's office. Governor is also used for central bank heads and school boards.
Examples
The governor chaired a meeting with all provincial directors to plan the winter response.
The permit must be approved by the governor's office.
Usage note
A US state governor is an elected politician with wide powers, while a Turkish vali is an appointed senior administrator, so the two roles are quite different despite the same English word.
An area of a country, region or city that has its own administration or is used for official purposes; in Turkey, the administrative unit below the province.
Where you use it
The meaning depends on the country. Turkish ilçe is translated as district, with a district governor (kaymakam) and a district municipality. The US has school districts and congressional districts, and England has district councils. In everyday speech it can also just mean part of a city.
Examples
The new health centre will serve three villages in the district.
The district governor chaired the meeting on school transport.
Common phrases
district governor · district municipality · district council · school district
A large city government that covers a whole urban area and coordinates the smaller district municipalities within it, especially in the Turkish local government system.
Where you use it
The standard English name for Turkish büyükşehir belediyesi, used in official names such as Ankara Metropolitan Municipality. It deals with city-wide services like public transport, water and main roads, while district municipalities handle more local services.
Examples
The metropolitan municipality runs the metro and bus network across the whole city.
Water and sewerage are handled by the metropolitan municipality, not the district.
Common phrases
metropolitan municipality council · metropolitan mayor · metropolitan municipality budget
A rule made by a local authority or another body under powers given by law, which applies only in its own area or to its own members.
Where you use it
In local government, bylaws cover matters such as street trading, noise, parks and dogs; councils make, adopt and enforce them, and breaking one may lead to a fine. In the US, bylaws often means the internal rules of a company or association.
Examples
A new bylaw bans barbecues in the city's parks during the summer months.
Council officers can issue fines for breaking local bylaws.
Usage note
Also spelled by-law or bye-law in British English. Bylaws are secondary rules: they must stay within the powers that national law gives the authority.
Common phrases
local bylaw · council bylaw · enforce a bylaw · breach of a bylaw
The system of dividing land in a town or city into areas where only certain uses, such as housing, industry or green space, are allowed, with rules on building height and density.
Where you use it
Mainly American; British English usually says planning or land-use planning. Common phrases: zoning plan, zoning laws, zoning change, zoning permit. Changing the permitted use of a plot is called rezoning, which is often controversial.
Examples
The site is marked as green space in the zoning plan, so no housing can be built there.
Residents objected to the zoning change at the council meeting.
Usage note
Turkish imar is broader than zoning: imar planı is a zoning or development plan, and yapı ruhsatı is a building permit. In British documents look for planning permission instead.
The involvement of citizens and community groups in public decisions, for example through meetings, surveys, hearings or advisory bodies.
Where you use it
Common in local government, planning and environmental law. Authorities encourage, enable or ensure public participation, and some laws require it, for example before a major project is approved. Also called citizen participation or public engagement.
Examples
Public participation in the budget process has grown since the city started holding neighbourhood meetings.
The law requires public participation before any large energy project is approved.
Common phrases
encourage public participation · public participation meeting · citizen participation · participatory budgeting
A permanent employee of a government ministry or public agency who carries out official work and is not chosen through elections or political appointment.
Where you use it
A neutral, standard term in news, job adverts and HR documents. Civil servants are recruited, appointed, promoted and sometimes transferred between departments. Senior civil servants advise ministers, while junior staff handle daily casework.
Examples
As a civil servant, I can't comment on political decisions, but I can explain how the procedure works.
The new rules apply to all civil servants who handle personal data.
Usage note
Civil here means non-military and non-political; it has nothing to do with Turkish sivil toplum. In British usage, teachers and police officers are usually called public servants or public sector workers rather than civil servants.
Common phrases
senior civil servant · career civil servant · become a civil servant · civil servants' union
All the permanent, non-political staff who work in government ministries and agencies, seen as one body; also the system of rules for hiring and managing them.
Where you use it
Often written with capitals for a national body, as in the UK Civil Service. People join, enter or leave the civil service, and governments reform it. Common phrases include civil service exam, civil service reform and civil service rules.
Examples
He joined the civil service straight after university and now works in the finance ministry.
The report calls for a smaller but better-trained civil service.
Usage note
Civil service is the staff of the state; public service is the service given to citizens, or working for the public in general. Don't translate kamu hizmeti as civil service.
Common phrases
join the civil service · civil service reform · civil service exam · professional civil service
Any person who holds a position in a public body and acts with its authority, including civil servants, appointed heads of institutions and elected office holders.
Where you use it
A broad, slightly formal term common in law, ethics codes and news. Rules on bribery and conflicts of interest usually apply to all public officials. In news, officials on its own often means people speaking for a government body: officials said...
Examples
Public officials must declare any gifts worth more than the set limit.
Senior public officials met with residents to explain the new transport plan.
Common phrases
senior public official · elected public official · conduct of public officials · bribery of public officials
The act of officially choosing someone for a job or position, especially in the public sector; also the position itself.
Where you use it
Appointments are made, announced, approved and published. Senior posts may be political appointments, while most civil service jobs are filled through open competition. The verb is appoint: She was appointed director last year.
Examples
His appointment as deputy governor was announced on Monday.
All senior appointments must follow the published selection procedure.
Usage note
Appointment also means an arranged meeting (randevu). Make an appointment with a doctor and make an appointment to a post use the same noun, so let the context decide.
Common phrases
political appointment · letter of appointment · temporary appointment · appointment process
The process of finding, selecting and hiring new staff, from advertising a post to making a job offer.
Where you use it
Public bodies run recruitment campaigns, open recruitment rounds and follow recruitment rules. In many civil services recruitment starts with a central exam, followed by interviews. The verb is recruit, and new staff are recruits.
Examples
The ministry has frozen recruitment until the new budget is approved.
We changed our recruitment process to attract more engineers.
Common phrases
recruitment process · recruitment freeze · open recruitment · recruitment exam · graduate recruitment
A move to a higher position, grade or rank within an organization, usually with more responsibility and higher pay.
Where you use it
Staff get, earn, are considered for or are denied a promotion. Civil services often base promotion on seniority, exams, performance or a combination of these. Common phrases: promotion exam, promotion board, eligible for promotion.
Examples
She passed the internal exam and is now waiting for her promotion to section head.
Promotion in the inspectorate depends partly on years of service.
Usage note
In marketing, promotion means advertising a product or event. In the civil service it nearly always means moving up a grade or to a higher post.
Common phrases
get a promotion · promotion exam · eligible for promotion · promotion board · internal promotion
A regular, formal review in which a manager assesses an employee's work against agreed objectives and discusses training needs and future goals.
Where you use it
Usually annual. Managers carry out or conduct appraisals, and employees have one. The results may affect promotion, pay or training. Also called a performance review or performance evaluation; British offices often just say appraisal.
Examples
My performance appraisal is next week, so I'm preparing a list of what I achieved this year.
The new performance appraisal system links individual targets to the strategic plan.
Common phrases
annual performance appraisal · conduct a performance appraisal · appraisal interview · appraisal form
A written set of rules and principles describing how the members of an organization are expected to behave, for example on gifts, neutrality and the use of information.
Where you use it
Staff sign, follow or breach a code of conduct, and may be disciplined under it. Civil service codes usually stress honesty, objectivity, impartiality and integrity. Code of ethics is a close synonym, often more about values than specific rules.
Examples
Accepting gifts from applicants is a breach of the code of conduct.
All new staff must read and sign the code of conduct in their first week.
Common phrases
civil service code of conduct · breach the code of conduct · sign the code of conduct · code of ethics
A way of hiring and promoting public employees based on ability, qualifications and performance, often tested through exams, rather than on political connections or personal favours.
Where you use it
A core idea in civil service reform. The merit system is contrasted with the spoils system, in which jobs are given to political supporters. Related phrases: merit principle, merit-based recruitment, appointment on merit.
Examples
The merit system was introduced to stop ministers from giving jobs to their supporters.
Supporters of the merit system say that open exams make recruitment fairer.
Common phrases
merit principle · merit-based recruitment · appointment on merit · spoils system
A plan showing how much money a government or public body expects to receive and how it will spend that money over a set period, usually one year.
Where you use it
Budgets are drafted, submitted, debated, approved and executed. Parliament approves the national budget, and each ministry and municipality has its own. Common phrases: within budget, over budget, budget cuts, budget proposal, budget line.
Examples
We need to submit next year's budget proposal to the finance department by the end of the month.
The project was completed on time and within budget.
Common phrases
budget proposal · approve the budget · within budget · budget cuts · annual budget
A person or company that pays tax; in public debate, the citizens whose taxes fund public services.
Where you use it
Used in tax offices for registered payers, and very often in news and audit reports in the phrase taxpayers' money, meaning public funds. Officials are expected to spend taxpayers' money carefully and to give value to the taxpayer.
Examples
The audit showed that the delay cost taxpayers several million euros.
We have a duty to make sure taxpayers' money is spent wisely.
Common phrases
taxpayers' money · at the taxpayer's expense · registered taxpayer · burden on taxpayers
Money spent by the government and other public bodies on services, salaries, investment and benefits; formal texts often call it public expenditure.
Where you use it
A common phrase in news and budget documents. Public spending rises, falls, is cut, controlled or reviewed. Formal reports prefer public expenditure; economists also distinguish current spending from capital spending (investment).
Examples
Health and education make up almost half of public spending.
The review will look at whether public spending on roads is delivering results.
Common phrases
cut public spending · public spending review · level of public spending · control public spending
Money that a government or public body receives, mainly from taxes but also from fees, charges, fines and the sale of assets.
Where you use it
Often plural in budgets: tax revenues, local revenues. Revenue is collected, raised, generated or lost. Tax authorities are often named after it; Turkey's Gelir İdaresi Başkanlığı, for example, is called the Revenue Administration in English.
Examples
Tax revenue was lower than forecast because of the economic slowdown.
The municipality is looking for new sources of revenue, such as parking fees.
Common phrases
tax revenue · raise revenue · source of revenue · revenue collection · loss of revenue
The twelve-month period that a government or organization uses for its budget and accounts, which may or may not match the calendar year.
Where you use it
Written as FY in tables: FY2025. The fiscal year matches the calendar year in Turkey, but the UK government uses April to March and the US federal government October to September. British texts also say financial year.
Examples
Grant funds that are not spent by the end of the fiscal year must be returned.
The project will start in the next fiscal year, subject to budget approval.
Common phrases
current fiscal year · end of the fiscal year · fiscal year 2025 · previous fiscal year
To officially decide that an amount of money, staff, time or other resources will be used for a particular purpose or given to a particular group.
Where you use it
Used in budgeting and planning: funds, resources and staff are allocated to projects, regions or departments. Usually passive in reports: 20 million was allocated to school repairs. The noun is allocation: budget allocation.
Examples
The ministry allocated extra funds to provinces affected by the floods.
How we allocate staff between offices depends on the number of applications.
An amount of public money that a parliament or council officially approves for a specific purpose, giving a public body the legal right to spend it.
Where you use it
Common in budget law, especially in the US, where Congress passes appropriations bills. Public bodies may not spend more than their appropriation without approval. Turkish ödenek is the standard equivalent.
Examples
The agency asked for a supplementary appropriation to cover the cost of the floods.
Spending beyond the approved appropriation needs the finance ministry's permission.
Usage note
In everyday English appropriation can also mean taking something for yourself without permission, as in cultural appropriation. In budgets it is a neutral technical word.
Common phrases
budget appropriation · supplementary appropriation · appropriations bill · exceed the appropriation
The amount by which a government's spending is greater than its revenue in a given year; the opposite is a budget surplus.
Where you use it
Usually expressed as a share of GDP: a deficit of 3 percent of GDP. Governments run, reduce, cut or finance a deficit, often by borrowing. Fiscal rules in the EU and elsewhere set limits on deficits.
Examples
The budget deficit narrowed last year as tax revenue grew faster than expected.
To reduce the budget deficit, the government delayed several large projects.
Usage note
A deficit is the gap in one year; debt is the total amount owed after many years of deficits. Even news reports sometimes mix them up.
Common phrases
reduce the budget deficit · run a budget deficit · budget surplus · deficit target
An amount of money given by a government or other body for a specific purpose, such as a project, research or local services, which normally does not have to be paid back.
Where you use it
Organizations apply for, receive, award or administer grants. Central governments give grants to local authorities, and the EU funds many grant schemes. Grant agreements set conditions, and unused or misused funds may have to be returned.
Examples
The village received a grant to repair its water supply.
Applications for this year's research grants close at the end of March.
Common phrases
apply for a grant · award a grant · grant scheme · grant agreement · EU grant
Money or other support paid by the government to keep the price of a product or service low, or to help a sector such as farming, energy or public transport.
Where you use it
Governments introduce, pay, cut or phase out subsidies. Common types: farm subsidies, fuel subsidies, housing subsidies. The verb is subsidise (US: subsidize), and economists often debate whether subsidies are well targeted.
Examples
Public transport tickets are cheap because the city pays a large subsidy to the operator.
The report recommends replacing general energy subsidies with targeted help for low-income households.
Usage note
A grant usually funds a specific project, while a subsidy usually lowers the ongoing cost of something. In everyday English the two words are sometimes used loosely.
Common phrases
farm subsidies · energy subsidies · phase out subsidies · targeted subsidy · state subsidy
The process by which governments and public bodies buy goods, services and construction work from private companies, usually through open competition.
Where you use it
A key term in EU, World Bank and national rules. People talk about procurement rules, procurement procedures and procurement officers. In Turkey it is governed mainly by the Public Procurement Law and overseen by the Public Procurement Authority.
Examples
All public procurement above this threshold must be advertised online.
She trained as a lawyer and now specialises in public procurement disputes.
Usage note
Procurement is a formal word; in ordinary speech people say purchasing or buying. Stress the second syllable: pro-CURE-ment.
Common phrases
public procurement rules · procurement procedure · e-procurement · procurement officer · green public procurement
A formal invitation for companies to offer to supply goods, services or works at a stated price, or the written offer a company submits in reply.
Where you use it
Mainly British and international usage; Americans more often say bid or solicitation. A public body issues or launches a tender, companies submit tenders, and the contract is awarded to the winning tender. The verb is to tender for something.
Examples
The municipality has launched a tender for the new bus fleet.
Five companies submitted tenders, but two were rejected for missing documents.
Usage note
In English, tender can mean both the competition (ihale) and one company's offer (teklif), while Turkish ihale always refers to the whole process, so translate carefully. Also, legal tender means official currency.
Common phrases
launch a tender · submit a tender · win a tender · call for tenders · open tender
An offer by a company to supply goods, services or works for a stated price, made in response to a public tender; also used as a verb.
Where you use it
Companies submit, place, win or lose a bid, and authorities evaluate bids. The verb pattern is bid for a contract, and the companies taking part are bidders. American English often uses bid where British English says tender. In news, bid can also mean an attempt: a bid to cut costs.
Examples
We received seven bids, and the lowest was well below our estimate.
Local firms are encouraged to bid for small maintenance contracts.
Usage note
Turkish procurement law calls bidders istekli. The Turkish phrase ekonomik açıdan en avantajlı teklif appears in English texts as the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT).
Common phrases
submit a bid · winning bid · lowest bid · bid for a contract · bid evaluation
A company or person that has signed a contract to provide goods, services or construction work, especially for a public body.
Where you use it
Contractors are selected, hired, paid and monitored. In construction, a main contractor may use subcontractors. Contract managers check that the contractor delivers on time, to the agreed standard and within the agreed price.
Examples
The contractor has been fined for missing the completion date.
We meet the contractors every two weeks to review progress on site.
Common phrases
main contractor · private contractor · hire a contractor · contractor performance
A long-term contract in which a private company finances, builds or runs public infrastructure or services, such as roads, hospitals or water plants, and shares the risks with the state.
Where you use it
Usually shortened to PPP. Models include build-operate-transfer (BOT), in which the company runs the facility for years before handing it to the state. PPPs are debated in terms of value for money, risk sharing and long-term costs to the public budget.
Examples
The motorway was built as a public-private partnership and will be handed over to the state after 25 years.
Auditors examined whether the public-private partnership offered better value than traditional procurement.
Paying a private company or another organization to carry out work that a public body used to do itself, such as cleaning, IT support or meal services.
Where you use it
Public bodies outsource services and choose between outsourcing and in-house delivery. Debates focus on cost, quality and working conditions. Bringing a service back inside is called insourcing, and contracting out is a common synonym.
Examples
Outsourcing hospital cleaning reduced costs, but the quality checks had to be stricter.
The council is reviewing its outsourcing contracts before they expire next year.
Getting the best possible result from public money, considering not only the price but also quality, efficiency and how well the spending achieves its aims.
Where you use it
A central idea in British and international audit and procurement. Auditors assess whether a project offers or delivers value for money, often using the three Es: economy, efficiency and effectiveness. Abbreviated VfM in reports.
Examples
The cheapest bid does not always offer the best value for money.
The audit office will publish a value for money report on the new IT system.
Common phrases
value for money audit · deliver value for money · good value for money · value for money assessment
A service provided by the state, or on its behalf, for everyone in society, such as health care, education, transport or rubbish collection; also the work of people employed by the state.
Where you use it
In the plural, public services usually means the services themselves: funding for public services, access to public services. In the singular it can mean working for the state: a career in public service. Public service broadcasting is a fixed phrase.
Examples
Rural areas often have poorer access to public services such as hospitals and public transport.
After twenty years in public service, he retired as head of the regional office.
Common phrases
deliver public services · access to public services · career in public service · public service broadcasting
The use of the internet and digital technology to provide public services and information, so that people and businesses can deal with the state online.
Where you use it
Used in strategies, international rankings and reports, often alongside digital government. People talk about e-government services, portals and platforms. Turkey's main portal, e-Devlet Kapısı (turkiye.gov.tr), is usually called the e-Government Gateway in English.
Examples
More than forty services are now available through the e-government portal.
The e-government strategy aims to make every common application possible online.
Common phrases
e-government services · e-government portal · e-government strategy · digital government
The way public services actually reach the people who use them, including access, speed, quality and the channels through which they are provided.
Where you use it
A favourite phrase in reform plans, reports and job descriptions: improve service delivery, frontline service delivery, models of service delivery. It focuses on results for citizens rather than on internal procedures.
Examples
The aim of the reform is faster and simpler service delivery for small businesses.
Local offices are responsible for service delivery, while headquarters sets the standards.
Common phrases
improve service delivery · frontline service delivery · service delivery model · public service delivery
Public services that support people in need, such as children at risk, older people, people with disabilities and low-income families, and the department that provides them.
Where you use it
In British English social services often means the local council department: Social services were contacted about the family. Staff are social workers. Common phrases: adult social services, children's social services, refer someone to social services.
Examples
The school contacted social services because the child was often left alone at home.
Demand for social services has risen as the population gets older.
Common phrases
social services department · refer to social services · adult social services · children's social services
The fact of meeting the official conditions needed to receive a benefit, service, grant or job, such as age, income, residence or qualifications.
Where you use it
Authorities set, check and assess eligibility, and applicants must meet the eligibility criteria or requirements. The adjective is eligible: eligible for support, eligible to apply. The opposite is ineligible.
Examples
Before you apply, check the eligibility criteria on the agency's website.
Eligibility for the housing allowance depends on household income.
A single office or website where people can complete several related public services or applications without having to visit different agencies.
Where you use it
Used in reform plans and e-government strategies: set up a one-stop shop for investors, a one-stop shop for business registration. Similar terms are single window, often used in customs and trade, and single point of contact.
Examples
The new one-stop shop lets entrepreneurs register a company, get a tax number and apply for permits in one visit.
Citizens used to visit four offices; now there is a one-stop shop at the town hall.
Common phrases
set up a one-stop shop · one-stop shop for investors · single window · single point of contact
An essential service supplied through a network, such as water, electricity, gas or sewerage, or the organization that provides it, whether publicly or privately owned.
Where you use it
Often just utilities in the plural: utility bills, utility companies. Utilities are usually regulated because people cannot easily switch providers. In Turkey water is mostly supplied by municipal water administrations, while electricity and gas distribution are run by licensed companies.
Examples
Public utilities such as water and electricity must keep running during an emergency.
The public utility was fined for leaving thousands of homes without water for three days.
Usage note
Turkish kamu hizmeti is much broader than public utility. Use public service for kamu hizmeti in general, and public utility only for network services such as water, power and gas.
Common phrases
public utility company · utility bills · utility regulator · water utility
To introduce a new service, system or policy, often step by step, so that it becomes available across a whole organization, region or country.
Where you use it
Common in project and IT language: roll out a new system, roll out nationwide, roll something out to all offices. The noun is rollout (or roll-out): the rollout of the new ID cards. A rollout often follows a pilot.
Examples
After a successful pilot in two provinces, the appointment system will be rolled out nationwide.
We plan to roll out the new software to all district offices by June.
Common phrases
roll out nationwide · roll out a system · phased rollout · rollout plan
The decisions, plans and actions a government adopts to deal with a public problem, such as unemployment, air pollution or housing; also the field that studies them.
Where you use it
Used in university courses, think-tank reports and government strategies. People make, shape, analyse and evaluate public policy. A single plan is usually just called a policy: the new housing policy.
Examples
Good public policy starts with reliable data about the problem you are trying to solve.
She has a master's degree in public policy and works on energy efficiency programmes.
Usage note
Policy is not politics. Turkish politika covers both, but English policy is a plan for one issue, while politics is the struggle for power.
Common phrases
shape public policy · public policy analysis · evidence-based public policy · school of public policy
An official rule made by a government body, usually under the authority of a law; also the general activity of controlling an industry or activity through such rules.
Where you use it
As a countable noun it means a specific rule: the new fire safety regulations. As an uncountable noun it means control in general: financial regulation, too much regulation. Regulations are drafted, adopted, published, amended and enforced.
Examples
Under the new regulation, all applications must be submitted online.
The ministry is reviewing the regulations on food labelling.
Usage note
In EU law a regulation is a specific type of act that applies directly in all member states, unlike a directive. Turkish translations of EU law usually call it tüzük.
Common phrases
comply with regulations · draft regulation · under the regulation · amend a regulation · financial regulation
Laws as a group, or a particular law or set of laws, passed by a parliament or another law-making body.
Where you use it
Uncountable: say a piece of legislation, not a legislation. Legislation is introduced, passed, amended and repealed. Public bodies must act within existing legislation, and civil servants often check whether a plan needs new legislation.
Examples
The scheme cannot start until the new legislation comes into force.
Our legal team checks every draft against current legislation.
Common phrases
piece of legislation · pass legislation · secondary legislation · current legislation · comply with legislation
To put a decision, plan, law or policy into practice so that it actually takes effect.
Where you use it
A core verb in public administration: governments decide, and ministries and agencies implement. Policies, reforms, recommendations and projects are implemented. The noun is implementation, as in the implementation phase or an implementation plan.
Examples
The agency has six months to implement the auditors' recommendations.
Implementation of the new law has been slower than expected.
Usage note
The verb ends in a clear -ment sound (/ment/), while the noun implement, meaning a tool, ends in a weak /mənt/. In public administration you will almost always meet the verb.
Common phrases
implement a policy · implement recommendations · implementation plan · fully implemented
Any person, group or organization that is affected by, or has an interest in, a policy, project or decision, such as citizens, businesses, unions or other agencies.
Where you use it
Very common in policy and project documents. Officials identify, consult, engage and inform stakeholders, and a stakeholder meeting or workshop brings them together. Key stakeholders are the most important ones.
Examples
We held three workshops with stakeholders before finalising the draft.
Farmers' associations are key stakeholders in the new water policy.
The state of following the rules, laws, standards or conditions that apply to an organization or activity, and the work of checking that this happens.
Where you use it
Used with in and with: in compliance with the regulation. Agencies monitor and enforce compliance, and many organizations have a compliance officer or compliance unit. The verb is comply with: All suppliers must comply with the standards.
Examples
Inspectors check compliance with health and safety rules twice a year.
The payment was made in compliance with the procurement law.
Common phrases
in compliance with · ensure compliance · compliance audit · compliance officer · non-compliance
A public body that sets rules for a particular sector, such as energy, banking or telecommunications, and checks that companies follow them.
Where you use it
Regulators set standards, issue licences, monitor markets and impose fines, and many are independent of ministries by law. Examples include Ofcom and Ofgem in the UK, and in Turkey bodies such as EPDK for energy and BDDK for banking.
Examples
The energy regulator has asked suppliers to explain the price increases.
If you are not satisfied with the company's response, you can complain to the regulator.
Common phrases
independent regulator · energy regulator · financial regulator · complain to the regulator
A formal process in which a government body publishes a proposal, such as a draft law or plan, and invites citizens, businesses and organizations to comment before a final decision is made.
Where you use it
Governments launch, hold or run a public consultation, which opens and closes on set dates. People respond to it or take part in it. After it closes, the authority usually publishes a summary of the responses. Often just called a consultation.
Examples
The draft regulation is open for public consultation until 30 April.
More than two thousand people responded to the public consultation on the new cycle lanes.
Usage note
To consult means to ask people for their views before deciding. In a consultation the authority still makes the final decision, so consultation is not the same as negotiation or approval.
Common phrases
launch a public consultation · respond to a consultation · consultation period · consultation paper
A structured study of the likely effects of a proposed law, policy or project on the economy, society or the environment, carried out before a decision is made.
Where you use it
Governments carry out or prepare impact assessments. A regulatory impact assessment (RIA) examines new rules, and an environmental impact assessment (EIA) examines projects such as dams and factories. In Turkey these are düzenleyici etki analizi (DEA) and ÇED.
Examples
The impact assessment estimates that the new rules will cost small firms about two hours of paperwork a month.
No permit can be issued until the environmental impact assessment is approved.
Common phrases
regulatory impact assessment · environmental impact assessment · carry out an impact assessment · impact assessment report
A formal document that sets out an organization's mission, long-term goals, priorities and targets for several years, and explains how progress will be measured.
Where you use it
Public bodies prepare, adopt, review and update strategic plans, usually for three to five years, and link their budgets and performance indicators to them. In Turkey public administrations are legally required to prepare five-year strategic plans.
Examples
Our strategic plan for 2025–2029 sets five main goals, including faster processing of applications.
Every project in the budget must be linked to a target in the strategic plan.
Common phrases
prepare a strategic plan · five-year strategic plan · strategic plan targets · review the strategic plan
The government publication in which new laws, regulations, decrees and certain official notices and appointments are formally published, which often makes them legally valid.
Where you use it
Usually capitalised as a name: the Official Gazette. Texts are published in or appear in the Official Gazette, or come into force on publication. Equivalents include the Federal Register in the US and the Official Journal of the European Union.
Examples
The regulation was published in the Official Gazette yesterday and comes into force in three months.
Check the Official Gazette for the exact wording of the amendment.
Common phrases
published in the Official Gazette · Official Gazette notice · date of publication in the Official Gazette
The work of making sure that laws and rules are obeyed, through inspections, warnings, fines, orders or legal action.
Where you use it
Agencies take enforcement action, carry out enforcement and have enforcement powers. Weak enforcement means rules exist but are not applied. The verb is enforce: enforce the rules, enforce a ban. Law enforcement usually means the police.
Examples
The agency took enforcement action against twelve companies for false labelling.
Better enforcement of existing rules may work better than writing new ones.
Usage note
Turkish uygulama can mean both implementation and enforcement. Implement means putting a plan into practice; enforce means making people obey a rule, often with sanctions.
Non-governmental organization: a non-profit group, such as a charity, foundation or association, that works on social, environmental or humanitarian issues independently of the state.
Where you use it
Public bodies often consult, fund or work in partnership with NGOs, especially in social services, disaster relief and EU-funded projects. In more recent texts civil society organization (CSO) is also common.
Examples
The ministry is working with local NGOs to reach families who do not use online services.
Several NGOs sent written comments during the consultation period.
Usage note
Pronounced letter by letter: N-G-O. The plural is NGOs, with no apostrophe.
Common phrases
local NGOs · work with NGOs · NGO sector · civil society organization
A system of administration based on fixed rules, written records and a clear hierarchy of officials; in everyday speech, also slow and complicated official procedures.
Where you use it
Neutral in academic texts, where it often refers to Max Weber's model of rule-based administration, but usually negative in everyday talk: too much bureaucracy, cut bureaucracy. The people are bureaucrats, and the adjective is bureaucratic.
Examples
Weber saw bureaucracy as the most rational way to organise large institutions.
Small businesses complain that there is too much bureaucracy involved in getting a licence.
Usage note
Watch the spelling: bureau-cracy, with eau in the middle. Bureaucracy is stressed on the second syllable (bu-ROC-ra-cy), but bureaucrat is stressed on the first (BU-reau-crat).
Common phrases
cut bureaucracy · layers of bureaucracy · state bureaucracy · bureaucratic procedures
An official, fixed set of steps for doing something, such as applying for a permit, handling a complaint or approving a payment.
Where you use it
Procedures are set out, followed, simplified and sometimes breached. Staff are told to follow the correct procedure. The adjective procedural is common in legal and audit language: a procedural error.
Examples
Please follow the standard procedure for reporting a data breach.
The court cancelled the decision because of a procedural error.
Common phrases
follow the procedure · standard operating procedure · procedural error · simplify procedures · application procedure
An official document that allows someone to do something that would otherwise be restricted, such as build a house, open a business or work in a country.
Where you use it
People apply for, obtain, renew or are refused a permit, and authorities issue, grant or revoke permits. Common types: building permit, work permit, residence permit, environmental permit. As a noun the stress is on the first syllable: PER-mit.
Examples
You cannot start construction until the building permit has been issued.
Her work permit expires in May, so she has already applied to renew it.
Usage note
A licence (US: license) is similar but often longer-term and linked to a profession or activity, such as a driving licence or business licence. Turkish ruhsat can translate either word.
Common phrases
apply for a permit · issue a permit · building permit · work permit · renew a permit
Official rules, forms and procedures that seem unnecessary and slow things down, especially when dealing with public bodies.
Where you use it
Always negative; common in news and speeches. Governments promise to cut, reduce or slash red tape, and businesses complain about being tied up in red tape. The name comes from the red ribbon once used to tie official papers together.
Examples
The new online system has cut a lot of red tape for people opening a small business.
Volunteers said the red tape involved in organising a street event was discouraging.
Common phrases
cut red tape · bureaucratic red tape · tied up in red tape · reduce red tape
To complete a form or document by writing the required information in the empty spaces.
Where you use it
Used with forms, applications and questionnaires: fill in a form, fill in your details. British English says fill in; American English usually says fill out. Official letters may use complete instead: Please complete the attached form.
Examples
Please fill in the application form in capital letters and sign it at the bottom.
Many people filled in the online survey incorrectly, so we added clearer instructions.
Usage note
Fill in can also mean to replace a colleague temporarily (fill in for someone) or to give someone missing information (fill me in). Don't say fill a form without in or out.
Common phrases
fill in a form · fill in the details · fill in an application · fill in the blanks
A system in which people or units are arranged in levels of authority, with each level reporting to the one above it.
Where you use it
Bureaucracies are built on hierarchy: decisions go up and instructions come down the hierarchy. People talk about the top or bottom of the hierarchy and a flat or rigid hierarchy. The adjective is hierarchical. Through the proper channels means following the hierarchy.
Examples
Every request has to go through four levels of the hierarchy before it reaches the director.
The new structure has a flatter hierarchy, so teams can make more decisions themselves.
Usage note
In careful speech hierarchy has four syllables: HIGH-er-ar-ky. The spelling ends in -archy, as in monarchy.
Common phrases
rigid hierarchy · flat hierarchy · chain of command · through the proper channels · hierarchical structure
The formal transfer of the power to make certain decisions from a senior official to a more junior one or to another unit, usually in writing and within set limits.
Where you use it
Common in internal rules and audit reports. A delegation of authority sets out who may approve what, for example payments up to a certain amount. The verb is delegate: The minister delegated signing authority to the director-general.
Examples
Under the new delegation of authority, department heads can approve purchases up to 50,000 lira.
Auditors found that some payments were approved without a valid delegation of authority.
Common phrases
written delegation of authority · signing authority · delegate responsibility · scheme of delegation
An official letter or notice sent by a ministry or senior authority to all relevant offices, explaining how a rule should be applied or giving instructions.
Where you use it
Ministries issue or send out circulars, and offices act in line with them. Turkish genelge is usually translated as circular, for example a presidential circular. Circulars normally explain how existing law is applied rather than create new obligations.
Examples
The ministry issued a circular asking all schools to report their heating costs.
According to the latest circular, original documents are no longer required for this application.
Usage note
In everyday English a circular is also a printed advertisement delivered to many homes, and the adjective circular means round. The context makes the meaning clear.
Common phrases
issue a circular · ministerial circular · presidential circular · in line with the circular
The routine work of preparing, filling in and filing the documents and forms needed for an official process, or those documents themselves.
Where you use it
Uncountable: a lot of paperwork, not paperworks. People do, complete, process or sort out paperwork, or feel buried in it. Reforms aim to cut or reduce paperwork, often by moving processes online.
Examples
Social workers say they spend more time on paperwork than with families.
Once the paperwork is complete, the permit is usually issued within ten days.
Common phrases
do the paperwork · reduce paperwork · a mountain of paperwork · complete the paperwork
To give final official approval to a document, plan, payment or piece of work, often by signing it.
Where you use it
Used in offices and projects: sign off a report, sign off on the budget (more American). The noun is sign-off: We are waiting for the director's sign-off. Common in emails when something cannot go ahead until a senior person approves it.
Examples
The final report can't be published until the deputy minister signs it off.
Finance has signed off on the extra spending, so we can order the equipment.
Usage note
Sign off also means ending a letter, email or broadcast (She signed off with 'Best regards'), and in British English a doctor can sign someone off work. Check the context.
Common phrases
sign off on · final sign-off · get sign-off · signed off by the director
A formal request to a higher authority or a court to review and change an official decision, such as a refused permit, a fine or an exam result.
Where you use it
Both a noun and a verb. People appeal against a decision (US: appeal a decision), file or lodge an appeal, and win or lose it. Official letters usually state the deadline for an appeal and where to send it.
Examples
You have thirty days to appeal against the decision.
Her appeal was accepted, and the fine was cancelled.
Common phrases
appeal against a decision · lodge an appeal · right of appeal · appeal deadline · win an appeal
To make a process or organization simpler and more efficient, for example by removing unnecessary steps, forms or approvals.
Where you use it
A favourite verb in reform plans and speeches: streamline procedures, streamline the application process, streamline services. Usually positive, though staff sometimes hear it as a polite word for cuts.
Examples
We streamlined the application process from twelve steps to five.
The plan aims to streamline procedures for opening a small business.
Common phrases
streamline procedures · streamline the process · streamlined service · streamline operations
The principle that public bodies should act openly, so that citizens can see how decisions are made, how money is spent and who is responsible.
Where you use it
A key word in good governance, anti-corruption and open data texts. Governments promise, improve or increase transparency, and critics call for greater transparency. The adjective transparent is common: a transparent process.
Examples
Publishing all contracts online has improved transparency in public procurement.
The selection process must be fair and transparent.
Common phrases
increase transparency · lack of transparency · transparency and accountability · fiscal transparency
The duty of public bodies and officials to explain and justify their decisions and use of resources, and to accept responsibility, including sanctions, when things go wrong.
Where you use it
Almost always paired with transparency. People talk about lines of accountability, democratic accountability and holding officials to account. The adjective is accountable: Ministers are accountable to parliament.
Examples
The new reporting system will strengthen accountability for how grants are spent.
There was no clear accountability when the project went over budget.
Usage note
Responsibility means having a task or duty; accountability means having to answer for how you carried it out. You can delegate responsibility, but in most systems accountability stays with the manager.
Common phrases
ensure accountability · public accountability · lines of accountability · transparency and accountability
An official, independent examination of an organization's accounts, systems or performance to check that money was used properly and rules were followed.
Where you use it
Both a noun and a verb. Audits are carried out, conducted or commissioned, and they produce findings and recommendations. Types include financial audit, compliance audit and performance audit. The people who do them are auditors.
Examples
The auditors found that several payments had been made without proper approval.
We are preparing for the annual audit of the municipality's accounts.
Common phrases
carry out an audit · audit report · audit findings · performance audit · external audit
An official visit or examination to check that a place, organization, product or activity meets the required rules and standards.
Where you use it
Inspections are carried out, scheduled or unannounced, and they lead to reports, warnings or fines. Inspectors work for inspectorates or inspection boards. Inspection focuses on checking on site; audit focuses more on records and systems.
Examples
The food safety inspection found problems in two of the five kitchens.
Schools are told about the inspection only one day in advance.
Common phrases
carry out an inspection · unannounced inspection · inspection report · inspection board · site inspection
The dishonest use of public power or position for private gain, such as taking bribes, favouring relatives or stealing public funds.
Where you use it
A key term in governance and audit texts. Governments fight, tackle, prevent or investigate corruption, and many countries have anti-corruption agencies and strategies. Specific forms include bribery, embezzlement, nepotism and favouritism.
Examples
Online tendering has made corruption in small contracts much harder.
All staff must complete a training course on preventing corruption.
A situation in which an official's personal interests, such as family, business or financial links, could affect, or seem to affect, the way they carry out their public duties.
Where you use it
Officials must declare, disclose, avoid or manage conflicts of interest, and may have to withdraw from a decision (recuse themselves). Even a perceived or potential conflict of interest can damage public trust. Common in procurement and recruitment rules.
Examples
She left the evaluation committee because her brother works for one of the bidders, which was a clear conflict of interest.
All committee members must sign a conflict of interest declaration before reviewing the bids.
Common phrases
declare a conflict of interest · potential conflict of interest · conflict of interest declaration · avoid conflicts of interest
An employee or insider who reports wrongdoing inside an organization, such as fraud, corruption or danger to the public, to managers, authorities or the media.
Where you use it
Many countries have whistleblower protection laws and confidential reporting channels. People blow the whistle on wrongdoing, and the activity is whistleblowing. In English the word is generally positive or neutral, suggesting someone acting in the public interest.
Examples
A whistleblower in the finance department reported that invoices were being paid twice.
The new policy protects whistleblowers from dismissal or other punishment.
An independent official who investigates complaints from citizens about unfair treatment or poor service by public bodies and recommends ways to put things right.
Where you use it
The word comes from Swedish. People complain to the ombudsman or refer a case to them; the ombudsman investigates and issues findings or recommendations, which are usually not legally binding. Turkey's institution is the Ombudsman Institution (Kamu Denetçiliği Kurumu).
Examples
If you are unhappy with the ministry's reply, you can take your complaint to the ombudsman.
The ombudsman found that the agency had delayed the pension decision without good reason.
Common phrases
complain to the ombudsman · ombudsman's report · ombudsman investigation · local government ombudsman
The legal right of the public to ask for and receive information held by public bodies, with limited exceptions such as national security or personal data.
Where you use it
Often shortened to FOI. People make or submit an FOI request, and public bodies must respond within a legal deadline. Examples include the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and, in Turkey, the Right to Information Law (Bilgi Edinme Hakkı Kanunu).
Examples
The journalist used a freedom of information request to obtain the inspection reports.
Our unit handles around two hundred freedom of information requests a year.
Common phrases
freedom of information request · freedom of information law · FOI officer · right to information
The policies, procedures and checks an organization puts in place to protect its resources, prevent errors and fraud, and make sure it meets its objectives and follows the rules.
Where you use it
Managers are responsible for designing and maintaining internal control, and internal auditors assess whether it works. Examples include separating duties, requiring two signatures and reconciling accounts. In Turkey the system was introduced in public bodies by Law No. 5018.
Examples
Weak internal control allowed the same employee to order goods and approve the payment.
The internal control action plan sets out who is responsible for each risk.
Common phrases
internal control system · weak internal control · internal control standards · internal audit
A measurable value used to show how well an organization, programme or service is achieving its objectives, such as waiting times, cost per case or satisfaction rates.
Where you use it
Organizations set, track, monitor and report on performance indicators, usually linked to targets in a strategic plan. The most important ones are called key performance indicators (KPIs). Indicators can measure inputs, outputs or outcomes.
Examples
One of our performance indicators is the percentage of permits issued within fifteen days.
The annual report shows that most performance indicators improved this year.
Usage note
Outputs count what was done (for example, 500 inspections); outcomes show what changed (for example, fewer cases of food poisoning). Good sets of indicators include both.
The independent national body that audits how the government spends public money and reports its findings to parliament, such as a court of accounts or national audit office.
Where you use it
Abbreviated SAI and used mainly in international texts, such as those of INTOSAI, the global organization of SAIs. Examples include the UK National Audit Office, the US Government Accountability Office and Turkey's Court of Accounts (Sayıştay).
Examples
The supreme audit institution reported its findings on the hospital programme to parliament.
Staff from several supreme audit institutions attended the training on performance auditing.
Common phrases
supreme audit institution report · independence of the supreme audit institution · court of accounts · national audit office
Ten questions from this glossary. Pick the right meaning for each term and see your score.
How to learn public administration vocabulary
Read real documents from public bodies in English: annual reports, audit reports, budget summaries and calls for tenders. Many international organizations and national institutions publish them free of charge, and they use exactly the vocabulary in this glossary.
Learn the verbs that travel with each noun: a budget is drafted, approved and executed; a tender is launched, won and awarded; a regulation is drafted, published and enforced; an audit is carried out and its findings are reported.
Map Turkish institutions to their English names carefully. Bakanlık is ministry, genel müdürlük is directorate-general, daire başkanlığı is department, vali is governor, belediye meclisi is municipal council and Sayıştay is the Court of Accounts. Check the official English name an institution uses for itself.
Watch British and American differences: local authority and local government, tender and bid, fill in and fill out, minister and secretary, department and ministry. Both versions appear in international documents, so learn to recognise each one.
Keep a two-column list of the fixed phrases you meet in official letters and reports, such as in accordance with, with reference to, for your information and pending approval. Official English is formal but repetitive, so a small set of phrases goes a long way.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a civil servant, a public servant and a public official?
A civil servant is a permanent, non-political employee of a government ministry or agency, close to the Turkish devlet memuru. Public servant is a broader and slightly more formal phrase for anyone who works for the public, sometimes including teachers, police officers and doctors in state hospitals. Public official is the widest term: it covers anyone who holds a public position, including elected office holders such as mayors, and is common in legal and ethics texts, where Turkish uses kamu görevlisi.
How do I translate Turkish institution names such as genel müdürlük, daire başkanlığı and il müdürlüğü?
The usual equivalents are directorate-general (or general directorate) for genel müdürlük, department for daire başkanlığı and provincial directorate for il müdürlüğü, as in the Provincial Directorate of National Education. Titles follow the same pattern: director-general, head of department and provincial director. Before you translate, check whether the institution already uses an official English name on its website or in its reports, and use that version.
Is regulation the same as the Turkish yönetmelik?
Often, but not always. Regulation can mean a specific rule made by a ministry or agency under a law, which matches yönetmelik, but it can also mean the general activity of controlling a sector, as in banking regulation, where Turkish says düzenleme or denetim. In plural, the regulations often simply means the rules. Look at the context, and remember that a law passed by parliament is usually called an act or a law, not a regulation.
Which terms should I learn first to read public administration texts in English?
Start with the words that appear on almost every page: public administration, civil servant, ministry, agency, local government, municipality, budget, public service, regulation, procedure, transparency, accountability and audit. Then add the verbs professionals use with them, such as implement, allocate, approve, comply with and report. With these you can follow most reports, job descriptions and course readings.
