Insight Archives - Ascend Magazine Website

Insight, News

December 6, 2023

Year in Review: Ascend Magazine’s top 10 themes of 2023

What common threads ran through the biggest stories in regulation over the course of 2023? What were the year's biggest, most impactful developments? We answer this and more in our Year in Review.

Criminal Justice Reform, Cryptocurrency, Digital Government, Internationally educated, Interstate compacts, labor shortages, License Portability, Licensing Reform, military, Regulation, U.S.

READ MORE

Insight

What is the meaning of regulation? Why does it exist? Who does it affect, and how? We look at the broader issues surrounding regulation and licensing.

Criminal Justice Reform, Cryptocurrency, Digital Government, Internationally educated, Interstate compacts, labor shortages, License Portability, Licensing Reform, military, Regulation, U.S.

December 6, 2023

Year in Review: Ascend Magazine’s top 10 themes of 2023

What common threads ran through the biggest stories in regulation over the course of 2023? What were the year's biggest, most impactful developments? We answer this and more in our Year in Review.

AI, Climate Change, Digital Government, Regulation, U.K., U.S.

November 29, 2023

Ascend Radio guests weigh in on tomorrow’s regulator

How can new technology enable the regulator of the future to improve its work in protecting the public interest? What challenges does the future hold for regulatory bodies? Ascend Radio guests share their thoughts.

Artificial intelligence, Compassionate regulation, Data analytics, Regulation, Regulators, Rick Borges, risk-based regulation

November 22, 2023

Building my regulator of tomorrow with LEGO® bricks

What should the regulator of tomorrow look like? While there may be no definitive vision, contributor Rick Borges gets creative with answering this important question, drawing inspiration from a favorite toy to 'build' a model of an effective future regulator.

Harry Cayton, Regulation

November 15, 2023

‘Thin’ and ‘thick’ rules of regulation: Cayton reviews Daston’s history of what we live by

Lorraine Daston explores fascinating examples of rulemaking throughout history in her new book, ‘Rules: A Short History of What We Live By.' In this article, Harry Cayton discusses what regulators can learn from Daston's work.

Australia, Performance Measurement, Regulation, Regulatory Excellence, U.K., U.S.

October 31, 2023

How do regulators measure their performance around the world?

To what extent is it possible for regulators to measure their impact on the fields they regulate? How can they be held to account for their performance and guided toward better outcomes? In this article, we explore how performance measurement frameworks are used around the world to assess regulatory effectiveness and drive improvement.

Banking, Finance, Regulation, Rick Borges

October 18, 2023

Regulation in financial services: Is it more effective 15 years after the global financial crisis?

The lessons learned in the aftermath of the 2008-09 global financial crisis led to changes in regulation around the world. Fifteen years after the onset of the crisis, Rick Borges reflects on the effectiveness of regulatory measures put in place to prevent a similar catastrophe from occurring in the future.

Health Care, Kieran Walshe, Regulation, Research, U.K.

October 13, 2023

How regulators can benefit from independent, proprietary research: Insights from Kieran Walshe

Why should regulators expend their limited resources pursuing research projects? Well, according to Kieran Walshe, even small amounts of proprietary regulatory research can have a significant impact on decision-making and understanding of organizational priorities. In this piece, we explore some of the insights gathered by Walshe over his years in the world of research and how regulators can put them to good use.

Complaints, Harry Cayton, Health Care Regulation, Misconduct, Nursing, Professional Licensing, U.K.

October 11, 2023

Blame games: How these nurses’ shocking crimes highlight regulatory weaknesses

The recent sentencing of British nurse Lucy Letby has left members of the public, media, and medical community calling for more regulation. In this article, Harry Cayton examines the response to Letby's crimes and what it highlights about the limits of professional regulation.

Artificial intelligence, Digital Government, Digital transformation, Regulation, U.S.

September 28, 2023

AI in regulation: Applications and use cases

How can artificial intelligence be used to advance the daily work of regulation? In this Insight piece, we explore the potential applications of AI in rulemaking, adjudication, complaint handling, and other regulatory processes.

AI, Regulation, Rick Borges

September 21, 2023

Do chatbots understand you? Exploring bias and discrimination in AI

To what extent does AI have the potential to exhibit bias and discrimination? And how might humans implement the technology in a way that curbs these tendencies? In his latest piece for Ascend, Rick Borges discusses the ethical implications of widespread AI implementation and explores what could be done to address them.

AI, Big Tech, Harry Cayton, Regulation, Regulatory Capture, self-regulation

September 13, 2023

AI requires people-centric regulation to succeed: Cayton

Artificial Intelligence has much to offer for good as well as for harm, and the need to regulate emerging AI technologies in some way has become apparent. In this article, Harry Cayton argues that instead of trying to regulate an entire international industry, AI regulation requires a precise approach that focuses on the people who create it and use it.

Cloud computing, Digital Government, Digital transformation, Regulation, U.S.

August 30, 2023

Demystifying cloud: How government agencies are moving toward a digital future

Cloud computing seems to be the way of the future in both the public and private sectors. But what is this technology? How does it work? And how can it help optimize day-to-day work processes for regulators? We explore these questions and more in this Insight piece.

Fashion, Harry Cayton, Iran, Regulation

August 23, 2023

Fashion, identity, and regulation: Cayton explores the complex landscape of clothing norms

In liberal democratic countries, the idea of the government regulating what people should wear is abhorrent. But when it comes to choosing what we wear, are we as free as we think? In this Voices article, Harry Cayton explores the important influence of culture, society, and identity on clothing norms.

Finance, Regulation, Regulatory Transformation, U.K.

August 16, 2023

‘The people piece’: The key role of people in regulatory transformation

Regulatory transformation is not only about changing an organization's technology and processes; it is also about empowering and engaging its people throughout the journey. In this article, Rick Borges looks at the key role that people play as enablers of regulatory transformation.

Regulation, Regulatory sandboxes

August 9, 2023

Playing in the sandbox: Old regulators are learning new tricks

Regulators are increasingly turning to an innovative policy tool called a “sandbox” to address various challenges. In this article, Contributor Will Morrison explores the origins of regulatory sandboxes and how they work.

California, Digital Government, Digital transformation, IT, Legacy modernization, Regulation

August 2, 2023

How can regulators tackle the urgent challenge of legacy IT modernization?

The burden of outdated IT systems can create serious problems for regulators as workload demands increase and new security vulnerabilities develop over time. In this Insight piece, we explore how government agencies may go about upgrading their legacy systems to current-day requirements and why it is imperative to do so.

SPECIAL REPORT

Updated: A breakdown of all interstate licensing compacts

The Week in Brief is your weekly snapshot of regulatory news and what's happening in the world of professional licensing, government technology, and public policy.
This week in regulatory news, professional communities clash over plans to publicly fund nurse practitioner clinics in Alberta, California considers an alternative pathway to licensure for lawyers, and much more.

FEATURED TOPIC

Regulatory Licensing

Insight Process

Goals-based Regulation

A look at common approaches to regulation

While there are a wide range of approaches to regulation, broadly speaking, three common approaches prevail – rules-based (prescriptive), goals-based, and management-based regulation. In this article, we break down these three common approaches and take a look at their benefits and challenges.

Goals-based Regulation Management-based Regulation Regulation Rules-based Regulation

Insight News

Criminal Justice Reform

Year in Review: Ascend Magazine’s top 10 themes of 2023

What common threads ran through the biggest stories in regulation over the course of 2023? What were the year’s biggest, most impactful developments? We answer this and more in our Year in Review.

Criminal Justice Reform Cryptocurrency Digital Government Internationally educated Interstate compacts labor shortages License Portability Licensing Reform military Regulation U.S.

Podcast

David Benton

NCSBN’s David Benton reflects on leadership, retirement, and the future of nursing regulation: Ascend Radio

In this episode of Ascend Radio, David Benton, CEO of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), reflects on his impending retirement, his eight years of work with the organization, its value to the field of nursing in the U.S. and abroad, and much more.

David Benton Featured Health Care Licensing Reform NCSBN Nursing Professional Licensing

In Brief Regulatory News

AI

California establishes licensing rules for crypto companies, kiosks: Weekly regulatory news

The Week in Brief is your weekly snapshot of regulatory news and what's happening in the world of professional licensing, government technology, and public policy.
This week in regulatory news, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs legislation that will create licensing rules for cryptocurrency companies and kiosks, the World Health Organization publishes guidelines on regulating AI to improve quality of service in health care, and more.

AI Alberta Art Therapy California Cryptocurrency Digital Government EMS Health Care Licensing Reform Maryland Nursing Oklahoma Pennsylvania Professional Licensing Regulation Sexual misconduct Yukon

In Brief Regulatory News

Alaska

Virginia approves universal license recognition: Weekly regulatory news

The Week in Brief is your weekly snapshot of regulatory news and what's happening in the world of professional licensing, government technology, and public policy.
This week in regulatory news, Virginia approves universal licensure legislation, Alaska makes it easier for licensed professionals who move to the state to get to work faster, France passes stringent licensing rules for crypto firms, and much more.

Alaska Cryptocurrency DEI Education France Health Care Regulation labor shortages Licensing Reform Professional Licensing Regulation Tennessee Texas U.S. Universal Licensure Virginia

Insight Voices

Artificial intelligence

Building my regulator of tomorrow with LEGO® bricks

What should the regulator of tomorrow look like? While there may be no definitive vision, contributor Rick Borges gets creative with answering this important question, drawing inspiration from a favorite toy to ‘build’ a model of an effective future regulator.

Artificial intelligence Compassionate regulation Data analytics Regulation Regulators Rick Borges risk-based regulation

Insight International Policy Voices

COVID-19

‘New normal’ asks us to question original regulatory requirements

The global pandemic has introduced a number of changes to regulation and licensing around the world. But are they permanent? And if regulatory requirements were loosened, were they even necessary in the first place? In this Voices column, leading regulatory authority Harry Cayton explores the pandemic’s impact on regulation.

COVID-19 pandemic Professional Licensing Regulation

Insight International Policy Voices

Finance

‘The people piece’: The key role of people in regulatory transformation

Regulatory transformation is not only about changing an organization’s technology and processes; it is also about empowering and engaging its people throughout the journey. In this article, Rick Borges looks at the key role that people play as enablers of regulatory transformation.

Finance Regulation Regulatory Transformation U.K.

READ MORE

Stay informed.