Newsletter #1

May - August 2024

Highlights

Learning, Networking and Capacity Building
Across Thematic Areas

Last quarter, we successfully integrated two comprehensive training programs within the European integration and accession negotiation thematic area which boosted civil servants' skills and knowledge on the EU policy and acquis implementation, the phasing-in approach, the concept of accelerated integration, the new Growth Plan, enlargement momentum, etc.

The first training module in the 2024-2025 series on negotiation chapter clusters, crafted to streamline and speed up the EU accession negotiations, focused on the fundamentals of the EU accession process. Over 25 public administrators delved into the latest updates on Chapter 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) and Chapter 24 (Justice, Freedom, and Security) engaging in intensive lectures, panel discussions and a group work program. 

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This year's Summer School on EU Integration we co-created with the prestigious Hertie School focusing on "Advanced European Governance and Integration." Through an intensive series of sessions, 20 civil servants from across the Western Balkans boosted their leadership skills and deepened their understanding of European governance, focusing on public administration, governance reforms, and EU integration processes.

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In partnership with the Transport Community Treaty Secretariat, we co-organized the Summer School to enhance sustainable transport in the Western Balkans. This year's program brought together experts and stakeholders from the Western Balkans and the EU to focus on Green Mobility. The event explored innovative sustainable mobility solutions and developed forward-thinking transport policies

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We integrated capacity building and mobility within the Policy Development and Coordination thematic area to assist Western Balkans teams in crafting public policies that will shape the region's future and enhance citizen well-being. Our efforts focused on promoting efficiency, fairness, sustainability, inclusivity, innovation, and resilience in policy development.

During the 2nd Cycle of the Capacity Building and Mobility Programme crafted with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the National School for Public Administration (SNA), 15 participants attended the Policy Development and Coordination/Better Regulation Module to learn about the latest developments in evidence-based policy-making in Italy. They engaged with distinguished scholars, policymakers, and experts from SNA and gained a deeper understanding of the complexities and innovations in public administration.

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In the realm of Human Resources Management and Professional Development, we addressed several crucial topics, such as the comprehensive exploration of the skills and competencies needed to navigate the future of digitally ready governments, the latest trends, challenges, and innovations in HRMIS, LMS, and TMS in the Western Balkans, and the critical role of employer branding and talent management. 

Co-created with the French Ministry of Public Sector Transformation and the Civil Service Support, the dialogue "Navigating Transformation: Empowering Public Service for Today's Trends and Challenges" brought together esteemed guest speakers in a vibrant exchange on the best practices in France, Croatia and Western Balkan administrations on transforming public service in the Western Balkans to align with modern trends and EU integration demands, discussing workforce attractiveness, ethics, diversity, AI integration, and public service image. The workshop also introduced tools and initiatives like ComPAct, TAIEX, ReSPA's Mobility Programme, and Young Cells Albania to enhance regional cooperation. 

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For two days, we hosted a workshop for around 20 civil servants from the Western Balkans to explore their skills for digitally ready governments. Participants were equipped with cutting-edge trends and best practices in competency frameworks, fostering mutual learning and drawing on valuable experiences from OECD and EU member states.

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Through virtual conversation, 30 public servants, policymakers, HR and professionals, interested in enhancing motivation and talent management practices learned from Federal Public Service Policy and Support (BOSA) of Belgium, Directorate General for Administration and the Civil Service (DGAFP) of France and National School for Public Administration of Croatia  about strategic approaches to employer branding and talent management from EU public administrations, both at entry and throughout career development. The event highlighted the importance of strategic talent management in creating motivated, empowered public service employees and enhancing public sector efficiency and effectiveness. 

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The workshop on Human Resources Management Information Systems (HRMIS), Learning Management Systems (LMS), and Training Management Systems (TMS) empowered senior managers responsible for HRM with the latest trends, challenges, and innovations in these areas. Through a dynamic mix of presentations, panel discussions, interactive sessions, and group work, they enhanced their understanding and implementation of HRMIS, LMS, and TMS practices and benefited from the shared experiences and insights from renowned public servants of France and Slovenia.

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Last quarter, our colleagues from the Service Delivery thematic area took bold steps towards modernizing governments and elevating quality management to enhance work performance and public services. In their efforts to digitalize, they integrated various initiatives focusing on capacity building and learning in digital transformation, cyber security, and interoperability.

One of our flagship initiatives, the Seasonal School on Digital Transformation, offered 30 senior public officials to delve into cutting-edge topics crucial for future governance. Through a rich blend of lectures, workshops, and expert panels they explored innovative approaches such as leveraging open data for knowledge-based economies, applying user-centric services through Rapid Innovation Lab models, and navigating the evolving role of AI in public administration.

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On the first day of the Seasonal School of Digital Transformation, jointly with UNDP Serbia, we hosted the Regional Open Data Challenge 2024 Awarding Ceremony to foster data-driven innovations across sectors like mobility, workforce, tourism, and demographics. Winners - teams from Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Albania - were recognized for their impactful solutions and ideas that leverage open data.

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Video Statement from the 1st Place Winner of RODC 2024:
Miodrag STRAK, Block Build Bor, Serbia

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Jointly with UNDP Serbia, we launched the Regional Open Data Challenge 2024 to encourage collaboration between the government, CSOs, academia, and the private sector in delivering data-driven innovation that improves public services, empowers citizens or boosts economic activities. 

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In collaboration with the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre, we conducted a 3-day Training of Trainers on Cyber Hygiene - a programme crafted for 20 senior officials to champion cyber resilience within their organizations. They are empowered to train their colleagues to manage cyber security risks effectively within their institutions across the Western Balkans.

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Building on the success of the inaugural Interoperability Academy in Montenegro, we continued a second one in Bosnia and Herzegovina which brought together key representatives from two significant interoperability networks: the Inter-sectorial Working Group for Interoperability and the Coordination Group for the Interoperability of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina. They collaborated under the technical support of the Ministry of Transport and Communication of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and ensured a robust and productive exchange of knowledge and strategies.

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Jointly with SIGMA and GIZ, we propelled interoperability and digital transformation forward for the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership. The Brussels Learning Week gathered 40 experts in a rich exchange of knowledge and experiences enhanced skills needed for digital public services and interoperability while promoting digital cohesion across the EU and its neighbouring regions. Experts from the European Commission and EU Member States provided key insights on vital EU standards such as the European Interoperability Framework, eID, eIDAS 2.0, "once-only" data registration, e-wallets, and trust services.

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In a collaborative endeavour with SIGMA, we launched the 3rd cycle of the prestigious Public Administration Awards in the Western Balkans. Under the motto "Building a Better Public Administration for and with Users!", this year's competition aims to highlight, reward, and promote initiatives that create meaningful benefits for the region's citizens and businesses. After a selection process by esteemed experts from the Western Balkans and the EU, the winners will be announced at the Ceremony to be organized on the occasion of the High-Level Policy Dialogue on November 27, 2024, in Skopje, North Macedonia.

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Mechanisms of Direct Support

"On-demand" Support Instruments address the specific needs of our Members, helping them tackle various challenges in reforming and modernising public administrations and promoting effective governance in the Western Balkans.

BOSNA AND HERZEGOVINA
We support the Civil Service Agency of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in developing strategic documents for Human Resources Development at the administrative levels, including Bosnia and Herzegovina institutions, Republika Srpska and Brčko District.
We assist the Ministry of Justice develop an e-tool for the e-registration of associations, foundations, and Non-Governmental Associations, supporting their efforts to digitalise the NPO registry in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
We support a comprehensive training program on eIDAS and eIDAS 2.0, which covers the legal framework, technical implementation, security, data protection, strategic planning, case studies, and group work. Additionally, we contribute to webinar content and ensure all final materials are delivered digitally.

MONTENEGRO
At the invitation of the Government of Montenegro, we are supporting the development of the Ready4EU Programme, a multi-module training initiative designed to prepare Montenegrin civil servants for future roles within EU institutions, bodies, and agencies once these opportunities become available.
We assist in developing the Digital Health Strategy, in conducting a comprehensive analysis that includes assessing current digital health capabilities, identifying gaps and opportunities, and providing strategic recommendations to strengthen digital health infrastructure and services.
We contribute to the development of the Digital Academy through interconnected training programs focused on topics such as Open Data Management and the Use, Processing, and Protection of Data.

NORTH MACEDONIA
We supported the development of a web platform for monitoring and reporting on the PAR Strategy 2023-2030 implementation, which was carried out in three interconnected phases:  inception, implementation, and finalisation.

SERBIA
We support enhancing the transparency of the Government's work by conducting a comprehensive analysis of the current situation and identifying key areas for improvement.
As part of the eGov Pilots projects, we support further digitalising training management services at the National Academy for Public Administration in Serbia, as well as developing software modules for the IDDEEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina by enhancing data visualisation, updating metadata to meet the DCAT-AP standard, creating an automated metadata generation module, and conducting final testing with necessary adjustments.

Mobility Schemes

Our Mobility Schemes foster mutual learning, exchange, and collaboration between peers in the region and in the EU member states. 

We enabled public servants from the Western Balkans to participate in and contribute to the significant PACE (Public Administration Cooperation Exchange) initiative of the European Commission. Western Balkan civil servants participated at the project coordinated by the  Direction générale de l'administration et de la fonction publique (DGAFP) while others engaged in exchange weeks, discussing with the EU peers issues of "Attracting and retaining talents in the civil service: strategies, tools, and actors" and the "Prospective approach of Careers: Coaching, and Mentoring".

This quarter, through the Mobility schemes, we connected teams from the Western Balkans and their peers within the region and from the EU Member states, continuing on a dynamic trajectory:  Montenegro's Ministry of Finance collaborated with counterparts from the Croatian Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development to explore the implementation of a dynamic public-private partnership.

Albanian RIA Oversight Unit, part of the Prime Minister's Office, visited the Czech Republic Government RIA Unit to improve regulatory quality through impact assessment tools and public consultation mechanisms. The Albanian team learned about the roles of key actors in the Czech RIA process, including the Government Legislative Council, RIA Board, and relevant stakeholders such as business associations, NGOs, and academia.

Finally, a Serbian delegation participated in a visit to the European Institute for Public Administration (EIPA) and explored topics such as EU integration, EIPA's cooperation mechanisms with EU and non-EU states, and collaboration between universities, the public sector, and organisations.

We also enabled six public servants to participate in the Summer School on "EU Better Regulation and EU Integration" They actively engaged in group work and discussions, analysing a Strategic Plan and a Management Plan of a Commission DG. They also examined the alignment of EU Impact Assessments with national RIA systems and explored possibilities for moving towards EU best practices for Better Regulation.

At the beginning of this year, we kicked off a capacity-building and mobility program crafted with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation the Italian National School of Administration (SNA) at the Opening Conference, continuing with its first Cycle, crafted of three parallel learning modules.

This quarter, we continued with the 2nd Cycle held in Caserta and Rome, seamlessly integrating three modules. The program included training sessions in Caserta, organized by the Italian National School of Administration (SNA), along with peer learning opportunities during visits to various public administration institutions in Rome.

Milica Alavanja and Stanislav Vasilovski are among 55 civil servants gaining essential insights into the latest European public administration reforms, covering policy development, better regulation, EU integration, and digital transformation. They will learn from over 50 experts from the Italian SNA, EU institutions, and Western Balkans organizations. Watch their insights on learning, connecting, and sharing in Caserta and Rome

Watch here

In addition to the Mobility programme crafted jointly with the Italian public institutions, we launched the Regional Mobility Programme, which initially included executive training at the College of Europe and study visits to EU institutions.

This quarter, we have entered the new phase of the Regional Mobility Programme – a job shadowing phase - offering civil servants participating at the Mobility Programme the chance to work with, learn from, and exchange ideas during one working week with colleagues in CEFTA, RCC, RAI, RYCO, CEF, TCT, and WBF, who hosted them or a job shadowing.
The ReSPA team looks forward to welcoming Fabiola Islami, Merima Tanović, Srđan Mitrović, and Rebeka Rakip in ReSPA in  September!

We share impressions from Enxhi Oga who spent a week at the Transport Community Treaty Secretariat: 

“I am Enxhi Oga from Albania. I am a Specialist in the Sector of Information, Environment Statistics, and Geography Information Systems at the National Environment Agency, which operates under the Ministry of Tourism and Environment of Albania.

I am here at the Transport Community through a job shadowing opportunity provided by the Regional School of Public Administration. As transport has significant environmental impacts, I appreciate the kindness and openness of everyone here in sharing their knowledge and insights”.

The ReSPA team would like to thank all partners and civil servants for joining us on this incredible journey!

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Policy Briefs

“The New Growth Plan for the Western Balkans: Seizing the Renewed Momentum to Spearhead Public Administration Reform" 

A robust public administration is crucial for transparent governance, efficient public services, and sustained growth. It’s also essential for the EU accession process, driving key reforms and dialogue with the European Union.

Key Highlights: Public administrations, the backbone of EU accession, new Growth Plan adoption and reform agendas and focus on public administration reform and regional cooperation.

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"Inclusive and Transparent Policy-Making Process as a Precondition for Sustainable Reforms in the EU Accession"

Public policies aim to generate public value by effectively utilising resources, delivering high-quality services, establishing regulations, and organising public life. The ultimate goal? To improve citizens' lives and foster an environment where rights and freedoms are exercised freely.

Key Aspects of the Paper: the essential role of public and state institutions in policy-making; how elected/appointed officials and civil servants channel ideas into outcomes and detailed analysis of the policy cycle: from setting the agenda to continuous improvement.

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Partnership

Along with ReSPA`s main commitment to continuously strengthen close cooperation with its Members and the Beneficiary, establishing and maintaining strong and effective partnerships remains to be ReSPA`s strategic orientation. After starting the year by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with EIPA, over the last months, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Croatia's National School of Public Administration.

The ReSPA Director engaged in active bilateral meetings with high-level officials, including with the newly appointed ministers Andonovski and Minchev in North Macedonia and contributed to the  Western Balkans Summit on the Growth Plan,  2024 Annual Meeting of the OECD Network of Schools of Government,  ComPAct High-level Conference: "A Growth-Enhancing Public Administrative Space", OECD High-Level Conference on SEE,   24th Summer Seminar for Young Public Policy Professionals and the  Athens Conference of Public Administration Schools.

We also have made significant strides in strengthening cooperation with EU partners, including DG NEAR, EEAS, the European Committee of Regions, DGAFP (France), the Croatian National School of Public Administration and  Service for Knowledge Transfer, the European Institute of Public Administration, the College of Europe, Hertie School, SIGMA and others.

As part of the ReSPA and European University Institute partnership, we had the pleasure of organizing a 3-month internship for an EUI student. We enjoyed working with Jasmin Bal, who helped us gather relevant information about the strategic, legal, and institutional frameworks of public administration systems in the EU that will be part of the knowledge management platform, and we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Jasmin and EUI for her invaluable support in this endeavour.

Upcoming events

We have a dynamic and intensive quarter ahead, featuring the Annual High-level Policy Dialogue, the Closing Conference of capacity-building and mobility programme crafted with Italian public institutions. Additionally, we will co-host a high-level conference on Innovative HRM for the Public Administration of the Future with Slovenia's Ministry of Public Administration. 

ReSPA Team

We have strengthened our team by welcoming two new program managers, both experienced professionals in public administration and international institutions. Jelisaveta Tasev from Serbia brings over 12 years of expertise in public administration, governance, EU accession negotiations, international relations, regional cooperation, policy advising, and regulatory and policy development. Jelena Mrdak from Montenegro joins us, continuing her professional growth with a wealth of experience in public administration reform, policy development and coordination, better regulation, and EU accession negotiations.

Building on our successful tree-planting initiative in Podgorica last year, we embarked on a regional mission to plant at least 100 trees across the region in the upcoming period. This year, in cooperation with the Tirana City Hall, we planted trees in Tirana.

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Blog

Delve into Our Blog, where we provide expert insights across various topics within the intricate landscape of public administration agenda issues.

Interoperability: Unlocking the Full Potential of Digitalized Services

Stefan DEDOVIC, Research Associate at KU Leuven Public Governance Institute and PhD Scholar at the University of Tartu - Center for IT Impact Studies

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