Strand 5: Domain Knowledge

Government Campus helps departments make training more widely available, across organisational and technical boundaries.

Domain Knowledge is the knowledge and understanding civil servants need to work effectively in their specific subject area.

Specific subject areas usually relate to departments, for example, health, education or transport.

A specific subject area may also be relevant to more than one government department and profession, for example, climate change.

Explore the Domain Knowledge strand

The types of training in the Domain Knowledge strand are those being developed within departments and across departments for all civil servants to access. You will seek domain knowledge if:

• You are interested in a particular department and want to know what general training they provide in their own areas
• You need to learn about a policy area that crosses departments, for example, climate change (Net Zero)
• You are creating subject matter training which you know will benefit others across government

If you are interested in getting involved you can email gscu-external@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

Examples of the Domain Knowledge strand

The impact of climate change

The government is committed to Net Zero by 2050, and multiple departments, agencies and professions are involved in achieving this. The Department for Business, Energy, Innovation Strategy (BEIS) is coordinating the strategy across government and has recognised that there is a need for widespread training and awareness.

Defra has related requirements in the 25 Year Environment Plan which also create a need for cross-government training and awareness. Strand 5 is the home of cross-department and cross-profession training and will provide models, processes and communities of practice for developing and rolling out the training. A new Climate Skills training product is being designed and developed, with the aim of making this available to all civil servants in Spring 2022.

Understanding trade

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s Trade Policy and Negotiations Faculty ran what is known as the ‘Expert Deep Dive Programme’ to improve knowledge of the critically important specialist area of negotiations. This training is of use to others across government and through Strand 5 of the curriculum. The reach of this valuable and stimulating programme can be extended further.

Domain knowledge guiding principles

Strand 5 will be the place for the guiding principles for organising and/or developing the learning designed to provide civil servants with the knowledge and understanding they need to work effectively in their department. This can include its history, operational context, and other essential knowledge which will help learners become highly competent team members, policy-makers and ministerial advisers. It could also provide access to what departments want others to understand about them.