The Programme is designed to empower participants to play an active role in driving their national Reform Agendas — strengthening competitiveness and regional economic cooperation, advancing digital governance, and harnessing digital transformation to improve public service delivery, transparency, and institutional resilience. It also supports efforts to ensure justice systems and rule of law institutions operate effectively, independently, and with full transparency.

The Programme targets mid-level public servants from Western Balkan and Eastern Partnership candidate administrations, aiming to equip them with the tools, insights, and networks needed to navigate the challenges of EU integration. It promotes leadership development, fosters cross-border collaboration, and supports participants in aligning national reforms with EU standards.
Through shared learning and diverse perspectives, ‘Ireland for EU Enlargement’ enables leaders to build lasting relationships and develop solutions that drive meaningful progress, both nationally and regionally.

At its heart, ‘Ireland for EU Enlargement’ is framed by a leadership learning lens. EU accession is more than a technical process; it demands adaptive leadership, continuous learning, and the ability to lead in complex, fast-changing environments. These competencies are cultivated across institutional boundaries, through meaningful relationships, and in moments of critical decision-making.
Learning is positioned as the catalyst that links people, institutions, and aspirations—energising reform, building resilience, and shaping the leadership needed for sustainable, long-term progress.

As a transformational journey, the Programme empowers leaders to drive change, navigate complexity, and champion EU integration. At the heart of the programme is a high-impact learning rhythm—a purposeful pattern designed to foster deep, scalable reform.
This is the pulse of progress, the heartbeat of change:
Ask Big → Think Together → Work Technically → Reflect Systemically → Lead Boldly → Act Collectively → Expand Continuity.
Through this model, the programme cultivates values-driven leadership and supports a generation of change makers ready to forge a cohesive and resilient European future.

‘Ireland for EU Enlargement’ 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.

Participants should be current public servants or officials within the participating administrations, actively engaged in the Accession process.
Ideal delegates will meet the following criteria:

• Professional experience: Between 5 to 9 years of relevant professional experience in public administration, preferably in areas directly related to one of the Programme’s three thematic streams (Economic Transition, Investment and Competitiveness, Digital Transformation, or Justice, Integrity and Rule of Law);
• Be closely connected with the administrations` negotiation teams and have direct access to influence accession negotiation practices;
• Level of responsibility: Hold a mid- to senior-level position, with demonstrated responsibilities in policy development, implementation, or oversight within their institution;
• Thematic relevance: Be directly engaged in the thematic area for which they are nominated, with practical involvement in reforms, strategic planning, programme delivery, or institutional development in the respective stream;
• Language proficiency: Possesses an excellent command of the English language, both written and spoken, enabling active participation in discussions, workshops, and written outputs;
• Potential for impact and multiplication: Demonstrate the capacity and motivation to apply acquired knowledge within their institution and act as a multiplier by sharing insights and practices with peers and teams;
• Commitment and availability: Show a strong commitment to the objectives of the Programme and be available to participate fully in all phases of the learning cycle, including virtual, in-person, and follow-up activities.

In addition, administrations will be encouraged to nominate candidates from ethnic minorities, the returnee diaspora, and underrepresented regions or sectors, in order to foster a richer exchange of perspectives and to help build more inclusive and resilient public institutions. These guidelines are integral to the Programme’s overall impact and legacy, reinforcing its relevance and responsiveness to the diverse societies it serves.