The High School of Public Governance hosted the second open lecture within its series of events dedicated to the European experience in public governance.
More than 500 participants joined the event online via live broadcast. The overall number of those interested in attending the lecture was nearly twice as high, once again demonstrating the strong interest of public servants in professional dialogue formats and high-quality international expertise.
The lecture was delivered by Nicholas Barr, Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), one of Europe’s most authoritative experts in the economics of the welfare state and social policy.
The topic of the lecture was “Human Capital, Social Protection, and Economic Growth.”
During the lecture, Professor Barr addressed key issues of modern public policy, including:
The format of the event went beyond a traditional academic lecture and evolved into a substantive professional discussion. Professor Barr shared examples of reforms implemented in various countries, explained the logic behind public policy decisions, and analysed the interconnections between economic and social policy.
The lecture concluded with a Q&A session, which became an integral part of the event. Participants actively raised issues directly relevant to the Ukrainian context, including demographic transformations, labour market challenges, social expenditures, pension system sustainability, and investments in education.
Nataliia Aliushyna, Head of the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service and moderator of the event, emphasised the importance of the lecture’s topic for public governance: “Today, state resilience is determined not only by macroeconomic indicators. It is directly linked to how a country invests in its human potential.”
The organisation of open lectures featuring representatives of leading European schools of public administration is part of a broader systematic effort aimed at strengthening the professional competencies of public servants and integrating contemporary international approaches into public governance practice.
It is worth recalling that the first lecture within the series was held in November 2025, featuring Fabrizio Tassinari, Founder and Executive Director of the School of Transnational Governance at the European University Institute (Italy). That event gathered more than 300 participants.
The High School of Public Governance, together with the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service and international partners, will continue implementing this format. Further thematic events and distinguished speakers are planned.
The event was organised by the High School of Public Governance in cooperation with the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service within the framework of the PAR4UA project, implemented by the Professional Government Association of Ukraine and Domnīca Providus / Centre for Public Policy Providus, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia.
