20–21 October 2026, Burges

Bringing together public officials from the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership administrations, ReSPA’s Regional Public Administration Mobility Programme continues in Bruges with its Executive Training, delivered in partnership with the College of Europe. The Executive Training is the leading learning component of the Mobility Programme and an important step in a broader journey designed to strengthen the knowledge, leadership capacities and strategic thinking of public officials from across the Western Balkans, Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine, connecting administrations facing different stages of reform and European integration, but many of the same challenges of building more capable, responsive and future-ready public services.    

Rather than focusing on knowledge transfer alone, the programme is designed to help participants better understand the wider European governance environment, reflect on solutions relevant to their own institutions and strengthen their capacity to lead change.

Over two intensive days, participants explored some of the most important issues shaping contemporary public administration in Europe. The programme opens with a strong focus on effective leadership in the public sector, combining conceptual learning with practical workshop-based work. It then turns to EU integration, policy implementation, European integration and regional cooperation, placing participants’ day-to-day institutional responsibilities within the broader context of enlargement and cooperation across Europe.           

The second day broadens the perspective further, addressing public administration reform and digital governance in the context of EU accession, financial management and budget analysis, as well as strategic policy development. Together, the sessions connect leadership with the practical realities of policymaking, institutional reform, financial governance and strategic decision-making.    

This combination is particularly important at a time when public officials are expected not only to understand increasingly complex policy environments, but also to manage change, coordinate across institutions, communicate effectively with different stakeholders and translate strategic priorities into measurable results.

The Executive Training also marks another important step in the continued cooperation between ReSPA and the College of Europe, combining ReSPA’s strong regional network and understanding of public administration reform with the College’s European expertise and learning environment.

Through this cooperation, public servants working directly on public administration reform, digital transformation and European integration processes gain access to knowledge, perspectives and networks that extend beyond their national administrations. At the same time, bringing together professionals from the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership administrations creates an additional layer of value: participants learn not only from European expertise, but also from one another.

This approach reflects ReSPA’s broader role as a platform connecting people, institutions and knowledge across regions, and creating opportunities for public officials to transform shared learning into stronger institutional practice.

The Training prepared participants for the next stages of the Regional Public Administration Mobility Programme, which will include an online Strategic Masterclass on 4 November that will serve as a bridge towards the mobility placement phase. Through the Masterclass, participants will further define their learning objectives, develop individual mobility learning plans, identify relevant stakeholders and prepare to make the most of their exchange experience.    

As Filip Chaparoski underlined: “Public administration reform ultimately depends on people, on their ability to lead, to learn from others and to turn new knowledge into better institutional practice. This programme is designed precisely around that idea. By combining high-level learning with peer exchange and practical mobility experience, we want participants not only to gain new perspectives, but to return to their institutions better equipped to drive change. Because stronger public administrations are built not only through new rules and systems, but through capable people with the knowledge, confidence and networks to turn reform ambitions into results.”

Through its Regional Public Administration Mobility Programme and continued cooperation with the College of Europe, ReSPA is investing precisely in those people – and in the professional connections that can turn individual learning into lasting institutional and regional impact.