About this learning event

As for the specific focus of this first webinar, presentations and discussions will highlight the importance and the challenges of linking PSAM with the EU economic governance framework and of adopting international public sector accounting standards .
While public sector financial management (PSFM) and PSAM are usually conceptualized at the national level, there is a strong trend towards international convergence. In conducting reforms, “novice” countries may learn from the experiences of “advanced” reformers and wider international trends. Best practices are defined by international standards, some of which, such as ESA, are a prerequisite for accession to the European Union, while others – such as IPSAS – have become a generally accepted reference point.

The current international impetus for reform in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, the implications of increased public debt, as well as the attained or pursued membership in economic or geographic unions may all help overcome some of the obstacles traditionally posed by national or regional specificities – e.g. frequent lack of political will, of well-structured systems of incentives for government organisations and individuals, of well-defined property rights, of reliable registries and data sets, etc. 

What is critical is that there has to be a coherent set of actions and reforms to be implemented and a dedication to the process by successive governments. To this end, countries have been linking their reforms to the European Semester cycle’s documents and to national sectoral strategic planning documents. However, the design and implementation of reforms must also rest on sound technical competences. Hence the need to support capacity development for finance officials and other officials involved in PSAM and to provide them with a setting to exchange experiences and solutions.

What will you learn

In the webinar, you will learn:

• That PSAM and PSFM processes must be perceived and exercised in a managerial context.
• That reforms must be designed from a mid- and long-term perspective, in line with wider international trends and memberships.
• That reforms must be based on the development of a consistent set of values and drivers for change.
• That long-term national sectoral strategic planning documents are needed to secure accountability lines and mechanisms.
• About international convergence trends in public sector accounting and their relevance for PSAM.
• About the drivers, approaches, and challenges surrounding the adoption and implementation of international accounting standards.
• About the importance of an adequate preparation phase (initial staging of the reforms).
• The goals and planned activities of the three-year EPSAM program.
• How you can participate in the EPSAM program and become a change agent for improving asset management processes in your country.
• The options and opportunities to continue learning about PSAM on a longer-term basis.

Who should attend

• Senior officials (policy makers) at Ministry of finance and other line ministries engaged in PSAM.
• Public sector managers and directors engaged in PSAM processes, in developing and maintaining asset records and managing asset portfolios.
• Representatives of Supreme Audit Institutions.
• Representatives of academia in the areas of public-sector management, accounting, and auditing.

Faculty

• Gorana Roje, Head of Unit for State Asset Management Strategic Planning Coordination, Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets, Croatia

• Eugenio Anessi-Pessina, Full Professor at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy

Partners

This learning initiative was supported by: