8–9 December 2025, Zagreb, Croatia

Nearly 100 public administration leaders, experts, and institutions from the Western Balkans, the EU, and partner countries gathered in Zagreb for the 2025 Leadership Conference “From Insight to Action: Co-Creating Leadership for Public Administration.” The conference was jointly organised by ReSPA, the Croatian School for Public Administration (NSPA), Hochschule Kehl, and the French Embassy in Zagreb.

Building on the success of the 2024 edition, this year’s conference marked a shift from discussion to implementation, presenting new models, pilot results, and hands-on approaches for cultivating future-ready public sector leadership.

The 2025 edition introduced two pioneering elements: NSPA’s “From Insight to Action” learning concept and the “Beyond Classroom Learning” initiative,

Both underscore a central premise: leadership is formed where public service happens — in institutions, through practice, mentoring, collaboration, and shared problem-solving. The key message is clear: Leadership must turn insight into measurable results for citizens.

Over two days, participants engaged in high-energy panels, interactive sessions, co-creation labs, and group work focused on designing a Regional Leadership Programme and launching a Regional Community of Learning to sustain long-term cooperation.

Damir Habijan, Croatian Minister for Public Administration and Digital Transformation, underlined at the opening, that the leadership “is not just a skill it is a matter of culture.”

Rudolf Vujević, Director of the Croatian School for Public Administration, emphasized that the role of Schools of Public Administration goes far beyond traditional training. Their task, he highlighted, is not only to educate public servants, but to cultivate a regional community of leaders who learn together, support each other, and innovate together: “Schools of public administration must lead this transformation – turning knowledge into action and action into lasting public value,” He further underlined the shifting nature of learning in modern public service: “If we know that only 10% of learning comes from formal education, while 20% comes from peer-to-peer learning and as much as 70% from experiential, on-the-job learning, what does this mean for the future role of our schools and institutes?”

Boris Ristović, ReSPA Programme Manager, commended NSPA for the excellent cooperation across numerous joint initiatives and stressed the importance of sustained regional efforts in leadership development, underlining that embedding the leadership principles in public administration training contributes to the activation of leadership potentials among the public sector professionals, which in turn transforms the administrative culture from static execution of bureaucratic procedures to agile and innovative resolution of public sector challenges. 

Addressing the participants online, H.E. Siham Al-Khawaldeh, Director of the Institute for Public Administration of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, reflected on the importance of continuous investing in young leaders and crafting tailored programmes, as well as sharing the best practices and connecting the peers from the regions.

Thibault Cornut-Gentille, Embassy of France to Croatia, reaffirmed France’s commitment to strengthening governance systems across the Western Balkans together with key partners such as ReSPA and NSPA.

Dr. Eleftheria Ftaklaki, Special Secretariat of Foresight (Hellenic Republic), demonstrated how foresight tools can enhance strategic and anticipatory governance.

Panel: Leadership Development in the Western Balkans, EU and Jordan, moderated by Jelena Mrdak (ReSPA Programme Manager), brought together Dr. Anna Jaroń (KSAP, Poland), Abdullah Mohammad Saleh Obeidat, IPA, Jordan, Emona Boce (ASPA, Albania), Arlinda Hoti (ASPA, Albania) and Francesco Leone (Ministry of Public Administration, Italy). The discussion highlighted modern leadership development systems, competency-based training, and international synergies.

Dr. Osman Bayraktar (Hochschule Kehl) presented outcomes of the Do-It-Yourself Competency (DIY-C) pilot, offering practical tools for self-directed leadership growth.

Panel: Beyond Classroom Learning – New Models for Leadership Development, moderated by Prof. Dr. Jürgen Kegelmann (Hochschule Kehl), gathered experts Dr. Anna Jaroń (KSAP, Poland), Christiane Keutgens, Deputy Head and Célia Pessaud from European School of Administration, Polona Sirnik (Leadership and Learning Ecosystems Officer, CEF), and Athanasios Raptis, Director of the EKDDA who explored workplace learning ecosystems, agile leadership formats, and peer-learning structures as key accelerators of modern public sector leadership.

Participants worked in five thematic groups using the Impact–Ideas–Enablers method to develop fresh concepts for leadership innovations: DIY-C – Do-It-Yourself Competency; Beyond Classroom Modules; Leadership Culture: Institutions as Enablers; Leading with Empathy and Inclusion and Mentoring and Coaching. Groups presented innovative concepts focused on feasibility, institutional readiness, and real-world impact.

Day 2 transformed insights into actionable next steps, with groups developing roadmaps outlining: a vision for 2025–2026; two to three strategic actions; key institutional responsibilities and immediate next milestones. Guided by Dr. Osman Bayraktar, these sessions built a clear foundation for regional collaboration on leadership excellence.

The 2025 Leadership Conference stands as both a reflection on progress and a launchpad for new regional initiatives. By merging pilot results, European expertise, foresight techniques, and co-creation methods, the event advances the establishment of a Regional Leadership Programme and a Community of Learning that will promote excellence in public administration across the Western Balkans and beyond.

The journey continues - from insight to action - building stronger, more future-ready public administrations for the benefit of all citizens.