Directors of Institutes and Schools of Public Administration (DISPA) Report 16 October 2006 Anneli Temmes

DISPA-meeting October participants from 25 countries no participation from Denmark, Luxemburg, Malta, Slovakia participation outside EU-countries: Norway (Ministry of Government Administration and Reform), Switzerland (Swiss Graduate School of Public Administration), Ukraina (National Academy of Public Administration), Kosovo (Kosovo Institute of Public Administration) European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA) and European Administrative School (EAS) present

Main theme and approach Main theme: Top managers – how to lead the public administration change? Theme and approach closely linked with HR- working group Pragmatic approach Key note presentation: Government Reform – Challenges for the Welfare State (by Mr. Juhani Turunen, Under-Secretary of State) Case studies: 4 cases Small group discussions General discussion

Cases 4 cases representing older and new member states, large and small countries, different kinds of development/training organisations and different training approaches Estonia: How to support strategic leadership through development activities Germany: Reform in the Federal Administration and leadership training at the Bundesakademi Portugal: How to support the role of top managers through training? Finland: Challenges for training of top civil servants in Finland

Working in small groups Tasks/questions 1.Main conclusions of the presented case 2.Main similarities/dissimilarities in the presented approach, models and methods with other institutions 3.Common challenges for development and training of top level leaders (e.g. contents, models, programme structures, co- operation between training institutions - administration Main general topics inside the tasks: –mobility of top civil servants –reforms of top management system –selection process of top level leaders –evaluation of leadership inside training –close discussion between training institutions and administration –training of politicians together with top level leaders –need for more individual training planning –structures of top level training programme –possible joint European programmes –what training can do and what not

Main conclusions Training of top civil servants a priority in most training institutions Top level training under development in several institutions (structures, contents, methodology etc.) Development of training closely linked to development of overall top level management Besides general training, need for more individualised training planning Importance of close co-operation between the training institutions and administration Need to develop HR-function to better support the leaders (e.g. in career- and development plans) Training of politicians a problem in many countries Evaluation of leadership skills made differently in many countries – further need to exchange experiences

Feedback and the next meeting Case studies and pragmatic small group work considered as a good approach Valuable exchange of experiences Need to change information (through e.g. on case studies) between the meetings Invitation to the next meeting in Brühl May, 2007 (given by President Günther Wurster/Baköv) Continuation and deepening the main theme of the Finnish Presidency (Role of top managers in change – preliminary)