10 November 2025, Tirana, Albania

 ReSPA, in cooperation with the Albanian School of Public Administration (ASPA), organized a Common Assessment Framework (CAF) Info Day aimed at boosting awareness and practical use of the European Total Quality Management framework within Albania’s public sector.

The event brought together national, regional, and EU-level experts and practitioners to explore the role of Quality Management and the CAF Model in driving excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement across public administrations in the Western Balkans.

Opening the session, Jelisaveta Tasev from ReSPA emphasized the institution’s long-standing commitment to supporting the region’s administrations in strengthening performance, service delivery, and citizen trust through the systematic application of QM tools. Together with Slaven Bukarica, she presented ReSPA’s Regional Quality Management Centre (RQMC) and Knowledge Management Platform (KMP) — two key instruments that help administrations in the Western Balkans adopt CAF, exchange good practices, and work towards CAF Excellence Recognition (CER).

The programme featured contributions from leading experts such as Nick Thijs (OECD-SIGMA), who outlined the principles of Total Quality Management in public administration, and Tihana Puzić (EIPA), who presented the role and future plans of the European CAF Resource Centre.

ReSPA experts also led an in-depth session on how to initiate CAF implementation, guiding participants through each phase of the process — from securing management commitment to developing a CAF Action Plan and achieving CAF Excellence Recognition.

A highlight of the day was the regional online panel discussion, which connected CAF practitioners and national correspondents from Belgium, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Ukraine, showcasing diverse experiences and tangible benefits of CAF implementation. These included better organisational culture, higher staff motivation, enhanced transparency, and more citizen-oriented services.

ReSPA’s active role in this event reaffirmed its position as the key regional driver of Quality Management reforms, empowering administrations in the Western Balkans to align with European standards of good governance. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement, ReSPA continues to pave the way for more effective, efficient, and resilient public administrations across the region.