Projects with EU Partners
Partnerships That Bring the Western Balkans Closer to Europe
For us in ReSPA, working with the public institutions across Europe, including France, Italy, Ireland, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, Belgium, Estonia, Poland, Hungary, and many more, means opening direct channels to some of Europe’s most innovative and effective administrations. These partnerships bring world-class expertise in administrative reform, digital transformation, citizen-focused services, and public sector mobility straight to the Western Balkans.
By engaging in joint projects, mobility schemes, and technical cooperation, we not only strengthen the capacities of civil servants across the region but also support them in building lasting institutional relationships with EU counterparts. This integration into the European Administrative Space fosters a common professional culture based on trust, efficiency, and accountability.
Most importantly, these partnerships send a strong signal of political commitment to reform and European integration, demonstrating that the Western Balkans is ready to contribute to – and benefit from – a modern, citizen-focused, and sustainable European public service.
This is not just cooperation – it is a clear commitment to modern, resilient, and citizen-centred governance, and a signal that the Western Balkans is ready to be a full and active part of Europe’s public service future.
That is why these partnerships are more than an exchange of expertise – they are a joint investment in modern, resilient, and citizen-centred governance, proving that the Western Balkans is ready to shape and share in Europe’s future.
‘Ireland for EU Enlargement’ is a three-year strategic initiative led by Ireland’s Institute of Public Administration (IPA) in partnership with ReSPA and fully funded by Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
The programme leverages ReSPA’s regional networks and IPA’s expertise in public sector leadership to create a platform for learning, peer exchange, and training, aligned with the evolving demands of EU integration.
Rooted in the belief that EU accession is more than a legal process, but a significant leadership challenge, the Programme empowers senior public leaders from the Western Balkans & Eastern Partnership Institutions as they progress towards EU membership, fostering cross-border collaboration, and supporting participants in aligning national reforms with EU standards.
The implementation of the Programme starts in September 2025 for Albania, Montenegro, Moldova, and Ukraine, continuing in 2026 with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, North Macedonia, and Serbia, and focuses on three technical streams: 1) Economic Transition, Investment, and Competitiveness; 2) Digital Transformation of Public Administration and 3) Justice, Integrity, and Rule of Law, with the Leadership as a cross-cutting issue.
This programme drives lasting change—empowering people, transforming systems, and delivering measurable impact through:
- Stronger Leadership & Institutions: Boosting capacity to lead EU reforms in competitiveness, digitalisation, and the rule of law.
- Tangible Policy Results: Advancing policies through peer learning and regional cooperation.
- Greater Inclusivity: Expanding diversity in public administration.
- Enduring Networks: Uniting reform-minded civil servants across borders around EU values and good governance.
These outcomes will help build a more unified European administrative space, supporting the broader EU integration process and equipping civil servants to lead with confidence in the evolving landscape.
The first year serves as a pilot phase, focused on testing, feedback, and refining the model. Years two and three will scale the programme’s reach, deepen its impact, and expand its community across institutions and candidates.
Cultivating Excellence towards a Shared European Administrative Space
In partnership with leading Italian institutions — SNA, the European University Institute (EUI), the Department of Public Administration — and with funding from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, ReSPA has designed a unique programme that equips public servants from the Western Balkans with the skills, networks, and vision needed for tomorrow’s governance.
Over 55 public servants have taken part in this transformative journey, combining intensive training modules, study visits, and peer exchanges with Italy’s top public administration bodies.
Launched virtually in December 2023 and kicked off in Podgorica in April 2024, the first cycle delivered hands-on capacity building across three core streams: Policy Development & Coordination, European Integration & Accession and Digital Transformation
Each stream features training in Podgorica and at the SNA Campus in Caserta, complemented by study visits to Italian ministries and agencies. Participants worked side-by-side with Italian counterparts, sharing practical insights and building a network of cooperation that goes beyond the classroom.
The Second Cycle began in April 2025 at the historic Kursaal Santalucia Theatre in Bari, bringing together over 50 public servants from across the region. This year-long cycle focuses on European Governance & Affairs, the EU Single Market, and Human Resources Management & Performance Appraisal. Alongside the kick-off conference, participants joined an immersive mobility programme and a Summer School on EU Policy, Enlargement and Reform, designed jointly by EUI and ReSPA. The journey continued in SNA, exploring and Assessing Competency Models with Italian Partners.
The Second Cycle of the Programme will conclude in Rome in November 2025, but the story does not end there — the Italian MFA has already announced the 3rd Cycle for 2026, continuing this powerful exchange of expertise and commitment to building a modern, citizen-focused, and EU-ready public service.
The AI4Gov-X project—a European Union-funded initiative to transform public administration through Artificial Intelligence and digital technologies—was officially launched in February 2025.
The Project is aimed at exploring the possibilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data technologies for developing evidence-based innovations, policies, and policy recommendations to harness the public sphere, political power, and economic power for democratic purposes. The project intends to contribute to the research landscape that addresses ethical, trust, discrimination, and bias issues, and provide solutions to the challenges faced by stakeholders in modern democracies.
As an associated partner, ReSPA joins 40 institutions from 20 EU countries in developing innovation platforms and knowledge-sharing networks. We are looking forward to equipping public administrators with AI-driven tools and skills to enhance governance, efficiency, and transparency in public services.
The RADAR project (Renewing Administration through Democratic Anchorage Reforms) aims to strengthen democratic governance in public administration by focusing on democratic anchorage, new narratives, and education.
Its first goal is to deepen understanding of how public administration reforms relate to democratic legitimacy, using data analysis, innovation case studies, and discourse reviews. Second, RADAR will identify conditions that make reforms effective by studying promising approaches like participation, representative bureaucracy, and experimental governance through experiments, focus groups, and case studies. Third, it will develop practical methods to enhance the democratic legitimacy of reforms, ensuring they deliver results while upholding democratic institutions. Finally, RADAR will integrate these methods into the education and training of current and future civil servants and policymakers.
The project unites seven top research institutes, two national government schools- including ReSPA, a public innovation ministry, and an international NGO, covering expertise across all EU countries and the Western Balkans.
Implementation started in early 2025 and is expected to be finalised by 2028.