In Ukraine, a country with a large centralized government, a particular challenge is the lack of well-trained civil servants. EF’s partner in Ukraine, the Institute of Social Transformation Council (ISTC), has arranged a study tour for 12 Ukrainian civil servants who will participate in internships at public administration institutions in Poland and Hungary this summer.
These civil servants attended a seminar sponsored by ISTC entitled, Public Administration: Transferring Skills from Central Europe to Ukraine, at the National Academy of Public Administration. Of the 30 civil servants selected to attend the seminar, only 12 were chosen for the internship program. Participants will first take part in an orientation in Krakow where they will discuss what they hope to gain from the program. During their internships each participant will spend five weeks in practical training with their Polish and Hungarian counterparts. Upon their return, participants will meet again to discuss the differences between other European administrative practices and those of Ukraine, and how they will apply their newfound knowledge once they return to work. In addition to its practical benefits, it is hoped that the internship will help start the debate on public administration reform and decentralization in Ukraine.
ISTC hopes to make this a permanent program, annually sending interns to Central Europe.
For more information visit the Kyiv regional office web site.
