On September 24, 2024, a seminar on ‘Quality Management for Successful Public Administration Reform’ was organised by the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service jointly with the Centre for Adaptation of the Civil Service to the Standards of the European Union and the High School of Public Governance. The event was supported by the OECD/SIGMA and the GIZ Regional Fund ‘Administrative Reform in the Eastern Partnership Countries’.

The aim of the seminar was to present a comprehensive approach to quality management in the public sector and its importance for the transformational reforms currently being implemented in Ukraine. In connection with Ukraine’s integration aspirations and its preparation for accession to the European Union, new priorities of public administration were discussed, including the implementation of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF), a tool that allows for improving the quality and efficiency of public authorities and local governments based on self-assessment.

The event was opened by Nataliia Aliushyna, Head of the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service, who stressed the importance of public administration reforms in the context of Ukraine’s European integration. She emphasised that quality management is a key element for achieving sustainable development and increasing public trust in state institutions.

Several informative presentations and interactive sessions took place during the day. In particular, Martins Krievins, Senior Policy Advisor, OECD/SIGMA, spoke about the main SIGMA principles that form the basis of public administration reforms in the Eastern Partnership (region). Graciek Yarmolayan, Regional Manager of the project ‘Reengineering Public Services in the Eastern Partnership Countries’, focused on best practices in the field of public service delivery.

Particular attention of the participants was drawn to the presentation on the status of implementation of the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) in Ukraine by Maryna Kanavets, Director of the Centre for Adaptation of the Civil Service to the EU Standards. She spoke in detail about current achievements and further steps in this area.

The seminar ended with an open session with experts, where participants had the opportunity to discuss practical aspects of CAF implementation in Ukrainian public institutions. The SIGMA/OECD experts, in particular Nick Thijs and Tihana Puzic, shared their recommendations on where to start and how to implement this quality management model effectively.

The workshop was an important step in advancing reforms in Ukraine aimed at increasing the efficiency and transparency of public governance. Participants gained valuable knowledge and tools that will help improve the quality of public service delivery and meet European Union standards.