About this learning event

The workshop is designed to equip young public officials and future leaders of the Western Balkans with the knowledge and tools needed to design and implement Policy Cycles and Reforms in the Public Finance Sector. The workshop will emphasize the policy cycle to cultivate a structured understanding of how public policies are developed, implemented, and refined. The framework directs the reform process, ensuring public finance policies adhere to fundamental governance principles such as transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness. Special attention will be given to budget reforms, prioritizing transparency, responsiveness, inclusiveness, and equity to foster ethical governance and build trust between the government and its citizens. Additionally, the workshop will examine global trends in open government initiatives, which serve as extensions of good governance. Participants will investigate how these trends can be effectively applied in the context of the Western Balkans, equipping future leaders to establish a more transparent and responsive public finance sector.

During this workshop, we will:

• Explore the concept of Good Governance and its key principles, which form the backbone of all government actions, particularly in public finance reforms.
• Learn about the Policy Cycle and its key stages: agenda-setting, formulation, decision-making, implementation, and evaluation.
• Showcase EU and regional case studies which show practical examples of a successful reform process and illustrate how the reform followed each stage of the policy cycle to become a law.
• Explore tools to manage public finances amid increasing complexity, such as Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIA)
• Foster young professionals' leadership skills and capacities through experiential learning, consultation and peer learning.
• Co-create examples and draw lessons from the planning, implementation, and evaluation of specific relevant reforms to the participants.
• Examine emerging trends of future trends in public financial management and how they align with good governance principles, making government actions more transparent, accountable, and responsive.
• Explore global trends in open government and how these approaches enhance financial reforms by encouraging public engagement.

Who should attend

Participants of the component WeLearn of the project We Lead: EU Scheme for Young Professionals in the Western Balkans.

Faculty

• Alexander Gruenwald, Expert in good governance, public management, innovation and multi-stakeholder engagement
• Nina Vujošević, CEF Expert in the fields of PFM and Economic Reforms; Former State Secretary at the Ministry of Finance of Montenegro
• Petra Založnik, Leadership and Learning Ecosystem Trainer and Facilitator

Target audience

WeLearn participants – second generation

Partners

This event is delivered as part of the EU-funded multi-beneficiary project “EU Scheme for Young Professionals in the Western Balkans” (WeLead) implemented by the CEF.