With the new concept of professional training we are striving to enable equal access of all employees to the same quality of training, and in the end, equalize treatment of citizens by the administration, said the Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Branko Ružić today.
At a conference on the challenges of a modern approach to adult education and learning, which was held at the National Academy of Public Administration, he stated that a good system of accrediting implementers, which he added, everyone was proud of, was necessary for providing quality training courses.
“Certainly, in order to maintain the quality of the newly established system of professional training, the development of training staff and of the market of training providers is highly important. That market must unite specific knowledge and skills both from the public administration and from the private and non-governmental sector”, he added.
He stated that it was necessary to further stimulate colleagues from the administration, but also experts from the economy, higher education system and non-governmental organizations, to provide innovative views on certain topics with their experience and help improve the method of conducting training courses.
Minister Ružić congratulated the lecturers who achieved exceptional results, as well as others “who are eagerly waiting to transfer knowledge in such large quantities”, whereby he wished them luck in their further work.
He thanked the Council of Europe and the Delegation of the European Union for understanding our needs and aspirations and providing support that was truly needed.
“Through the project Human Resources Management in Local Self-Government – Phase 2 – we have been working together to improve the system of professional development in Serbia and bring Serbia closer to the values and standards of the European Union and the Council of Europe in terms of public administration functioning”, added the minister.
Over the next two years, NAPA accredited lecturers shall hold numerous training courses for local government employees, with the aim of improving their competencies and skills, as part of the activities of the joint Programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Human Resources Management in Local Self-Government – Phase 2”. This programme, worth EUR 4 million, is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Council of Europe in cooperation with the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government (MPALSG) and the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM).
As Minister Ružić said, by investing in employees, adequate education contributes to the achievement of the goal set by the public administration reform.
“Through the aforementioned reform, we strive to transform the administration into an efficient, modern and professional service focused on all citizens”, said Ružić.
Acting Director of NAPA Dražen Maravić pointed out that a large number of professionals interested in working on the training of public administration employees applied for the competition for accrediting NAPA lecturers, who would be included in professional training programmes for public servants within municipalities and cities.
The Head of the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade, Tobias Flessenkemper, pointed out that the European Union and the Council of Europe have been very intensively involved in the process of modernizing the civil service system in Serbia for several years. He reminded that over the course of 2007, Serbia signed the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which guarantees standards for the protection of the rights of local self-governments and requests states to respect 12 principles of good governance.
Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to the Republic of Serbia Mateja Norčić Štamcar stated that the European Union was fully committed to supporting Serbia in the reform of public administration, which, along with the rule of law and economic prosperity, represented one of the three pillars of the EU. That is why the EU has invested EUR 70 million so far in this area alone, whereby it shall continue to provide financial and professional support.
The programme “Human Resources Management in Local Self-Government – Phase 2” shall provide financial support for 50 different training programmes for local government officials. Professionalization of the civil service is a continuous process in every country. A competent and professional public servant, available to citizens, must be a common goal for all of us”, said Mateja Norčić Štamcar.