SKILLS THAT DRIVE CHANGE

More than 250 senior civil servants successfully completed professional training and workshops organised by the project "Strengthening the Professional Capacities of Senior Civil Servants in the Republic of Serbia," as announced at the final project conference held today at the premises of the National Academy for Public Administration (NAPA).

Over the course of this four-year project, implemented by NAPA with financial support and in partnership with the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia, participants attended a specially designed training programme.

"Improving managerial skills among senior civil servants and strengthening leadership are key factors for the success of public administration reform in the Republic of Serbia. In that regard, I would like to express my deep gratitude on behalf of all participants for the unwavering support provided by the EU Delegation over these four years," stated NAPA Director Marina Dražić at the opening of the conference.

In the introductory part of the conference, the audience was also addressed by Nikola Bertolini, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation; Aleksandar Petrović, State Secretary at the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government; and Mihailo Jovanović, Director of the Office for Information Technologies and eGovernment.

Nikola Bertolini emphasized that Serbia's EU accession process, significantly supported by the European Union, largely depends on the effectiveness of senior civil servants. "They are the ones driving innovation in how public administration works in the service of citizens. The Growth Plan and the acceleration of EU accession are opportunities for them to become more transparent and accountable to the people of Serbia. A key role is entrusted to the National Academy for Public Administration, which is supporting the country on its path to EU membership," said Bertolini.

Mr Jovanović highlighted the central role of NAPA in the professionalization and development of public administration, noting that the Academy has become a canter of excellence in civil service education and training over the past eight years. He described the project as just one example of NAPA’s contribution to strengthening the capacity and expertise of Serbia’s public services—particularly its leadership and decision-makers.

"We live in an era of advanced technologies, and it is crucial that our public administration is able to adapt to new challenges and seize the opportunities they bring. Our obligation as a public administration is to be agents of change. I am confident that the knowledge and skills participants have acquired during this training will be applied in their daily work and will continue to improve the quality of public services. Only a professional and efficient civil service can ensure sustainability and a better quality of life for all citizens," said Mr Jovanović, adding that he believes all project participants will be able to respond effectively to the needs of modern society and contribute to building a responsible and modern administration.

Through a modern and innovative training approach, and with the involvement of experts from various fields, civil servants improved their knowledge in key areas for public administration via the “Foundations” and “Hive” programmes. The "Foundations – Core Issues" module was designed as a guide and preparation for newly appointed senior civil servants. The "Hive" programme reflects the idea of combining various modules according to the specific needs of each participant.

The project also included study visits to Brussels, where civil servants had the opportunity to observe the functioning of EU institutions firsthand and exchange experiences with colleagues in Brussels.