13 February 2026, Online

The first cohort of the Ireland for EU Enlargement Programme has been successfully concluded, marking an important milestone in strengthening leadership capacity and institutional readiness for EU integration across participating administrations.

Implemented as a pilot phase of a three-year strategic initiative, the Programme is led by the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) in partnership with the ReSPA, and fully funded by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs. The first cohort brought together 48 mid-level public servants from Albania, Montenegro, Moldova, and Ukraine.

Rooted in the understanding that EU accession is not only a technical or legal process but a profound leadership challenge, the Programme aims to equip participants with the skills, perspectives, and networks needed to actively contribute to national reform agendas. Through a leadership learning lens, the cohort explored how to lead in complex, fast-changing environments while aligning reforms with EU standards.

Participants engaged across three core technical streams: Economic Transition, Investment, and Competitiveness, Digital Transformation of Public Administration, Justice, Integrity, and Rule of Law, while Leadership development served as a cross-cutting pillar throughout all activities, encouraging adaptive thinking, peer exchange, and values-driven action.

As a pilot phase, the first cohort focused on testing and refining the Programme’s high-impact learning model, built around a dynamic learning rhythm: Ask Big → Think Together → Work Technically → Reflect Systemically → Lead Boldly → Act Collectively → Expand Continuity.

Early results point to:

-Stronger leadership capacity, enabling participants to better navigate and lead EU-related reforms;

-Concrete policy insights, generated through peer learning and cross-border exchange;

-More inclusive perspectives within public administration, supporting diversity and collaboration;

-Enduring professional networks, connecting reform-minded civil servants around shared EU values and good governance principles.

Beyond individual learning, participants reported increased confidence in translating knowledge into institutional practice, particularly in areas of digital governance, competitiveness, and integrity frameworks.

Building on the insights from the pilot, the Programme will continue in 2026 with Cohort 2, scaling up the initiative, deepening its impact, and further expanding the community of leaders committed to advancing EU integration.

The successful completion of the first cohort confirms the Programme’s potential to empower people, strengthen institutions, and contribute meaningfully to a more unified and resilient European administrative space.