“New Tendencies in Public Administration: Attractiveness, Innovation and Greening” were the Focus of the ReSPA Workshop
Belgrade, 4 April 2023
The Workshop” was an exceptional opportunity to exchange the state of play and the latest trends in public administration. Designed in partnership with the French Ministry of Public Sector Transformation, the Workshop targeted 25 top public servants from Serbia and tackled emerging topics: the attractiveness of the public sector for young and skilled professionals, improving the image of the state as an employer, digital transformation in public administration and green budgeting.
French Minister Stanislas Guerini emphasized the importance of public transformation in delivering closer, simpler and more efficient public services for the citizens. It can be achieved “if public servants are knowledgeable, skilled, inspired, and genuinely involved in the reform process.”
ReSPA Director Maja Handjiska-Trendafilova highlighted ReSPA’s role as an important regional centre of exchange of experiences and knowledge, capitalizing on the cooperation with EU Member states such as France and thus enabling learning from inspiring examples by bringing them to the region. Director Handjiska emphasized that “boosting the attractiveness of the public institutions for young professionals, green and digital transition are top priorities for PAR reforms in the Western Balkans.”
The State Secretary Čedomir Rakić pointed out the excellent cooperation between the Serbian and French public services, evident even today, as well as in the exchange of practices and mobility visits.
Renowned French practitioners, part of the French civil service, Pauline Martin, Olivier Joviado and Pauline Gregorie-Marchand presented the latest trends in digital transformation in public administration and those related to green budgeting, while Serbian officials presented the state of the play in public administration of Serbia.
The French guests emphasized that the main goal of modern public service shall be to make the civil service more fulfilling and attractive by restoring the meaning of the general interest and public service, rewarding commitment and offering appropriate career paths, which also promote a civil service that is exemplary in terms of gender equality and open to diversity. The Workshop gave an overview of current challenges and priorities as regards attractiveness in the French civil service, more precisely on measures taken for young generations, such as paid internships, talent spotting already in Universities, etc. Participants discovered the actions implemented by the French administration to support the digital transformation of the French public sector and beyond, focusing on the strategies implemented to reduce the digital environmental footprint of public administrations. All this aims to be replicated in a Western Balkans context.
With the strong support of François Lafond, who moderated the discussion, the Workshop brought new perspectives for more efficient collaboration. It opened avenues for even stronger ReSPA’s backing in building modern, attractive, greener public administration in the Western Balkans.
