Public Administration Education in Ukraine

Yuriy Polianskiy, Master in Public Administration, Head of the International Relations Department, Ukrainian Academy of Public Administration

1. Historical Framework of the Public Administration Program in Ukraine

The establishment of modern Public Administration program in Ukraine coincides in time with the independence of Ukraine. Before 1991 there were no alike programs in the state. In the former Soviet Union the role of the state was to administer economy within boundaries of guidance of the communist party. Thus independent Ukraine was relatively unfamiliar with what in the West is generally termed Public Administration. Also unfamiliar to the culture of Ukraine was an independent civil service in which public service professionals serve as advisors to democratically elected decision-makers and play major role in policy analysis and implementation.

In the former Soviet Union most of upper managerial elite traditionally had technical or agricultural background. The communist party established a network of training institutions to train those destined for upper level managerial responsibilities. The administrative training implied preparation of party and soviet apparatus bureaucrats to fully comply with party policy and strictly implement party decisions. There were no separate from party institutions to train independent civil service professionals. The highest priority was the priority of party decisions but not law.

Upon independence Ukraine found itself without the proper managerial infrastructure. Specifically, management in the government of Ukraine was understaffed, under-trained and poorly paid with little preparation for an independent policy-advising role or for effective policy delivery of public services.

The idea for the establishment of an institute of public administration originated in discussions in the Council of Advisors to the Supreme Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine in 1991. On 18 December 1991 Dr. Bohdan Krawchenko, then working for the Secretariat of the Council, wrote a proposal to the Presidium of Parliament urging the creation of an institute of public administration. Real progress towards establishment of Institute was made after 1 December 1991 referendum on independence and the presidential election. In the end of December 1991, at the initiative of Bohdan Krawchenko, a four-person delegation from the presidential administration headed by Professor Mykhola Mykhailchenko, the President’s Advisor on domestic Political Affairs visited France. The Ecole National d’Administartion was among the institutions, which were visited. Throughout January and February 1992 the idea of the Institute was discussed in various state bodies. Special thanks for the speedy establishment of the Institute are due to Professor Mykhailchenko, and Dr. Serhiy Komissarenko, former Deputy Prime Minister and Ambassador to Great Britain, and Mr. M.Fomenko and Mr.A.Bohomolov, Head and Deputy Head (respectively) of the Ministry of Higher Education of the Cabinet of Ministers. On 4 March 1992 the then President Leonid Krawchuk issued a decree establishing the Institute of Public Administration and Local Government, Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

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The Decree instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to ratify statutes of the Institute, provide appropriate facilities, appoint the management of the Institute and determine the student selection process. The Institute of Public Administration and Local Government used none of the traditions of former “party schools”. On the contrary, the basic idea, institutional model, training philosophy, program structure and its content, as well as qualification granted were absolutely new in Ukraine. More than that, only Western patterns were taken into consideration while establishing the Institute in 1992. Ultimately, the image of the Institute of Public Administration and Local Government was totally different and remote from what used to be “party schools”. As far as content of the program is concerned it was developed by Ukrainian instructors (who had no “party schools” background) and took into consideration educational background of applicants, few of whom were trained in the field of social sciences or administration.

The pattern of relationship between the Institute and the government was inspired by French and Spanish experience. In Ukrainian context direct relationship with public authorities was seen as an important prerequisite for training new generation of public servants (B. Krawchenko, “Comandor”, 1/99, p.1). This relationship ensured financial support of the Institute and graduates employment in the government.

On 30 May 1995 the President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma issued the Decree 398 after which the Institute of Public Administration and Local Government was reorganized into the Academy of Public Administration, Office of the President of Ukraine. Later the four branches of the Academy were established in Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Lviv and Odessa. The MPA program which was developed within the Institute became a major program of the Academy.

The first in Ukraine Masters in Public Administration program has been delivered since 1992 by the then Institute of Public Administration and Local Government and the Academy of Public Administration. From 1992 to 1998 it was a year-long program undergoing constant changes reflecting rapid and often unexpected changes in the quickly developing Ukrainian society. The program was developed and introduced with the assistance and advice of governments and partner institutions in Canada, the UK, France, Germany, and the USA. The efforts of the Academy staff to assure quality of the program lead to its validation by the University of North London in 1995.

The present day program was an outcome of a range of measures undertaken by the Institute of Public Administration and Local Government and the Academy of Public Administration. The input was made by the Presidential Administration and the Cabinet of Ministers, which issued a series of writs and regulations governing the Statute of the Academy and its policies and major practices. The idea behind those measures was to attract to the Academy public servants motivated to obtain knowledge and skills in broad area of Public Administration and striving to implement the knowledge in their work at senior positions in the government. 2. Institutional Setting

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According to Ukrainian legislation the field of Public Administration embraces two specialisations: Public Administration and Public Service on master’s level. The Ukrainian Academy of Public Administration, Office of the President of Ukraine, provides training that leads to a Master of Public Administration qualification. There are 9 universities around Ukraine that started from 1 September 1999 to provide training that leads to a Master of Public Service qualification (not included in main focus of this report).

The Academy of Public Administration with a Statute validated by the President of Ukraine is recognized as the principal institution of higher education in Ukraine for the education, training and in-service training of public servants and is awarded the highest possible (IV) level of accreditation by the state Attestation Committee of Ukraine. The appropriate certificate and license for the PMA program is granted to the Academy by Ministry for Education.

In accordance with the Academy’s mandate and its functions the academic and governing structures include senior management, administration, departments, Institute for Continuous education, branches, Academic Council, Academic Standards and Curriculum Board, Committee on Research, two Specialized Academic Councils, Expert Council, Resource Co-ordination Council. The main learning and scholarly unit is a department, that provides for teaching process in leading specialities, specialisations, subjects, courses, modules etc, and scholarly research.

The Presidential Decree specifies the Academy’s mandate as follows: • to teach and train personnel for central and local government through full-time,

evening, and part-time programs; • to conduct research on the theory and practice of public administration and local

government at the request of the government and other organizations; • to study and disseminate international experience in public administration, local

government and education of public servants; • to develop standards regarding the educational and professional requirements for

public servants and heads of state enterprises and institutions, and elaborate a system for assessing their professional development needs;

• to offer recommendations regarding the recruitment and training of personnel listed in the “cadre reserve”;

• to assist oblast-level in-service training centers with the development of curriculum, teaching methods and learning resources.

Today the Academy offers an 18 months intensive program leading to a Master in

Public Administration degree. The students of the Academy are those who intend to acquire necessary for positions in grades I-IV (the highest in the civil service of Ukraine) knowledge and skills and are selected on the basis of competitive examinations and tests. After graduation from the Academy students work for the Office of the President of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers, and central and local government.

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In 1996 the Main Department for the Civil Service identified nine economic universities to offer Master of Public Administration degrees to prepare new recruits for entry-level public management. The names of the universities are listed below: 1. Kyiv National Economic University 2. Kharkiv State Economic University 3. East Ukraine State University (Lugansk) 4. Ternopil Academy of National Economy 5. Donetsk State Technical University 6. Dniprodzerzhynsk State Technical University 7. Dnipropetrovsk State University 8. Ivano-Frankivsk State Technical University of Oil and Gas 9. Odesa State Juristic University

Those 9 universities have been providing an education in law and economics in a traditional manner. They were asked to provide MPA programs using resources available but had very little experience or support doing so.

The Academy of Public Administration mandate is to provide training leading to the MPA degree to senior civil servants in higher level of the civil service (which are categories I-IV). Being recognized by the Presidential Decree as the leading institution for training public servants the Academy hosts the Expert Council on Licensing and Accreditation. This Council is a part of the State Accreditation Committee, which has the responsibility of accrediting institutions of higher learning involved in education and training in the field of public administration.

With the purpose to train cadre for the lowest V-VII categories the Main Department of the Civil Service planted the Academy’s MPA program into several universities, which adapted it to the conditions of every particular institution nonetheless granted the same degree as the Academy did - that is Masters of Public Administration. To avoid confusion and to differentiate between the two degrees the Academy was licensed to continue providing the MPA degree for higher civil servants. A new degree “Master in Public Service” was established and the curriculum is being developed for nine mentioned above universities under guidance and support of the Main Department for the Civil Service. The draft of the curriculum is not available at the moment. 3. Positioning academic programs in Public Administration in relation to the

disciplines to which they are most closely related.

In 1992 the then Institute of Public Administration and Local Government developed the first MPA program of its type in Ukraine and it occupied a unique place in Central and Eastern Europe. The Academy of Public Administration continued to develop the program originally designed and introduced by the Institute of Public Administration and Local Government. Since first delivery of the program in 1992/93 academic year it has undergone considerable changes and improvements. The latest 18 months version is built upon the one-year program with expansions and supplements. The Academy’s faculty

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members and staff have drafted it with considerable utilization of international experience in the field of Public Administration.

The curriculum of the MPA program includes, but is not limited to the traditional public management fields, such as Organization Theory, Personnel Administration, Budgeting and Management. The curriculum of the Academy is based much more broadly on the traditional social science disciplines.

“The Academy’s MPA program is unique in two important respects. Academically, it offers a broad-based curriculum in the management and social sciences. In this respect it is an ambitious attempt to provide Ukrainian public managers with the preparation in the cognate fields of public management which are either not readily available in Ukrainian higher education or are not part of the relatively more technical education of the typical civil servant. And it provides a wide range of links to international public service and civil service education in an attempt to ensure that education for the civil service in Ukraine becomes and remains current in the latest developments in the field of public administration” (Glen T.Broach, The Civil Service and Public Management Education in Ukraine, 1998)

The curriculum of the program is designed to provide students who previously received university degrees in various fields with knowledge and skills necessary for implementing their understanding of good government and good public service.

The program is based on an interdisciplinary model of training specialists at a relevant qualification level. It is built on a modular structure and comprises 11 courses that somehow approach Public Administration from the viewpoint of each particular discipline.

There is no dominant discipline at the current time though there are “concentration” courses, which are designed to meet professional interests of the students. The weight of Public Administration and Management course is relatively bigger than any other course. The core portion of the Public Administration and Management course comprises 6 modules while the core component of any other course is built of only 3 modules. Beyond this specific Public Administration and Management course the issues of governance are incorporated into other courses, such as modules on Project Management, Public Administration and Politics, and History of Public Administration. The orientation on professional practice is enforced by professional internship modules in Ukraine and abroad. Thus the absolute weight of “pure” Public Administration modules accounts for 16 modules out of total 90.

There is a definite trend towards a change of the courses concerned specifically with issues of governance. As it was mentioned above beginning with 1998-2000 MPA program the core portion of Public Administration and Management course acquired bigger relative weight in the core component. The course structure has been changed to accommodate the increased priority to be given to the core program in Public Administration and Management. There are two reasons for this: absence of this subject in undergraduate degree in Ukraine, and aim to provide students of the MPA program with profound skills in governance. Thus the students of the MPA program should devote more time and efforts to mastering Public Administration and developing skills which they will need in any area of activities in the government.

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A new element to the curriculum has been introduced, entitled Special Subjects (as a rule they are of inter-disciplinary character). The experience of 8 years of the MPA program shows that there are many issues and topics confronting public servants in their professional practice, which require a broader integrating of subject knowledge. These complex issues are addressed by team teaching from staff from different subject departments.

Given the fact that the MPA training is placed on top of an enormously wide range of higher education specialties gained by public servants prior to the Academy, the conditions are ensured providing coherence and succession of the previous occupational education with the training senior public administrators at the Academy. With this purpose the Academy has introduced “basic modules”, such as Modern Methods of Economic and Statistical Analysis; General Theory of State and Law; Conceptual Grounds for Political Science Theory; Management of Organization; Information Technology; Ukrainian Language. The content of these modules is of a general theoretical character.

The future trend in the program delivery is to preserve the interdisciplinary approach but to shift the focus from present day concentration on specific groupings of subjects (e.g. Economics and Finance; Law and Legislative Process; Social and Humanitarian Policy) to specialization in a particular field of governance. From 1999-2000 academic year the students will be able to specialize in Health Care Management. The goal is to introduce specialization in Policy Analysis and Policy Implementation.

The branches have basically the same program as the Academy in Kyiv has. Since the Academy and the branches together constitute the same institution “the Ukrainian Academy of Public Administration, Office of the President of Ukraine” and grant their graduates the same qualification and the same type of diploma, the programs are standardized so that to preserve almost 90 per sent of its content, allowing 10 per sent of optional component to deviate from branch to branch and thus reflect regional peculiarities. This is also true in respect to the relative weight of courses.

The trends in development and delivery of the PA program are based upon a range of measures that the Academy undertakes in order to identify needs and perspectives for this speciality. The input is made by the Presidential Administration to which the Academy is accountable, and the Cabinet of Ministers, which issue guidance on staffing policy. The Academy is independent in developing PA programs and choosing ways and means of its delivery. Nonetheless the PA program should reflect government’s policy in staffing and governance.

With gradual strengthening its human and material resources the Academy proved to be able to shift the focus of the Public Administration program from mostly theoretical teaching to student-focused activities combining theoretical, research, and practical approaches. This approach has also had an impact upon trends in development and delivery of the MPA program. The Public Administration program is highly sensitive to the changes in the society and reforms in Ukraine. The range of new laws, important political, economic, and social events stipulated for shifts in a balance between the elements of the program and introduction of some new topics.

The regular analysis of a feedback gained from the students and graduates is made, as well as public service employers’ opinion. The feedback is sought in a number of ways:

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questionnaires, Alumni Association meetings, Alumni magazine “Commandor”, and meetings with employers.

There is a significant influence of foreign partners upon the trends in development of the Public Administration program. The Academy’s program is being permanently compared with alike programs in leading training institutions in the UK, Canada, France, Germany, and the USA. The most significant input in the development of the MPA program at the Academy was made by the University of North London that certified the program and supports quality assurance measures. 4. Comparative analysis of the contents of Public Administration programs

The program delivered by the Academy of Public Administration leads to the Master in Public Administration degree (магістр державного управління).

In terms of entry requirements the Public Administration program at the Academy is set out in such a way that to provide the following categories of candidates with excess to competitive entrance examinations: - public servants; - not public servants, but those who are on “cadre reserve list” in public service; - young people. There are two types of delivery of the Public Administration program: - paid by the government (under terms of government contract); - paid by students themselves or their sponsors (under terms of contract between the

Academy and an individual student). All those who seek admission to the MPA program must have the university education obtained prior to the Academy (diploma of a specialist or a master). Thus the right for the admission to the full-time program have those who: • work in the central and local government and other state agencies, have no less that

one year working experience in public service, have no lower rank 10 in public service positions classified and are under 45 years old;

• work in the public service or state enterprises and organizations, and who are on the “cadre reserve” list as those slated for promotion or admission to posts in the first to fourth categories of the public service, who have no less than three years of total working experience, are under 45 years old and are recommended by government organizations where they are listed on the “cadre reserve’;

• work for enterprises or organizations, have no less than three years of total working experience, are under 30 years old. This category of applicants can form not more than 10 per cent of the total enrolment.

The Academy is empowered to enroll to full-time and part-time modes students who

can pay tuition fees by themselves or with support of sponsors. The individuals who

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apply for this type of study have to have university education, pass all entry tests, normally be under 40 years old, occupy high positions in the government, state agencies and organizations, enterprises, be elected as members of the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament of Ukraine). Citizens of other states are admitted to the program on the basis of international agreements, conditions and agreements made by the Academy with foreign institutions, organizations or individual agreements. The size of students’ enrolment at the Academy is defined in accordance with the government contract and other agreements.

Selection is based on competitive entrance examinations. The students are selected according to their results in the following tests: - written test on social, economic, legal, political, historical and cultural issues; - composition of a written official document; - personal aptitudes test; - interview on current public administration issues with the purpose of examining the

applicant’s experience, analytical and creative abilities, and motivation for a public servant career. The MPA degree can be obtained after 18 months study at the Academy of Public

Administration. The original MPA program at the Institute of Public Administration and Local Government and from 1995 the Academy of Public Administration lasted for 1 year. The duration of a one-year long program was always seen as a compromise between the need to provide for necessary conditions for training highly qualified public servants and scarce resources. The 12 months program had many drawbacks, which hampered effective training. The constraints of this rigid timeframe imposed a heavy load on the students, faculty members and staff of the Academy. It led to an extremely compressed and intensive timetable. The students lacked time for internships in public organizations. Besides, internships took place at the end of the program with no input into master’s theses.

In 1988 the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the 18 months concept of the MPA program. This 18 months version of the program incorporated 90 per cent of the previous program, all its major elements and concepts. But the course structure was changed to accommodate the increased priority to be given to the core program in Public Administration and Management. The longer duration of the program provides students with more time for master’s theses writing and internships. Greater use of group and individual work has been introduced in relation to practical tasks, exercises, case studies, and other practical assignments in and an effort to increase team working and collaboration and develop practical transferable skills.

The program in MPA at the Academy of Public Administration is built on modular structure and comprises the following courses: • Economics and Finance • Law and Legislative Process • Political Science • Public Administration and Management

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• Social and Humanitarian Policy • Special Disciplines • Urban Management • Information Technology • Masters These and Internship • Ukrainian and Foreign Languages • Health Care Management

Within each course elective and optional modules are offered. The number of core modules is 27. Core modules are obligatory for all students. In order to provide for coherence and succession of the previous occupational education with training senior administrative officials, 6 modules are assigned as basic ones within each of core course. The MPA program provides for “fundamental” and “concentration” training. The fundamental training of the students is ensured by their mastering by students all core modules and 10 elective ones, which are chosen on alternative basis (one module from each course of disciplines).

The elective portion of “concentration courses”, such as Economics and Finance; Law and Legislative Process; Social and Humanitarian Policy, Urban Management, as well as optional modules are designed to meet professional interests of the students. That is the students can study a set of modules grouped in such a way that to ensure deeper mastering of Public Administration with focus on the respective field as mentioned above.

All in all the minimum number of modules that each student has to study is 41. At a whole the academic load on a student constitutes 1746 hours, including 1512 hours of taught classes and 234 hours of private study.

The program provides for obligatory 2-months long placements for students in the government of Ukraine. Those who make good progress in the program and have relevant command of foreign languages may be selected for internships abroad.

On completion of the program the students have to pass state examinations and defend masters theses. The State Examination Board carries out the state attestation of the students and grants the MPA qualification. 5. The European and comparative dimension

The main course in this topic is module on Organizational Framework of European and World Integration, taught at the Academy of Public Administration and its branches. The objectives of the module are to provide students with basic knowledge concerning integration processes and the main international political and economic organizations’ activities, as well as to investigate the problem of Ukraine participation in integration processes and international organizations’ activities.

The module is built of topics concentrating predominantly on Europe and focuses on the European integration processes and Ukraine in the “European House”. The students study origin of European idea in Ukrainian political thinking and issues of political and economic development in Europe. Very important for Ukraine are the EU and NATO

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issues, especially membership in the EU, perspectives of NATO expansion and co-operation between Ukraine and NATO. The module includes topics on the CIS and its perspectives, and Ukrainian attitude to Central and Eastern European initiatives. The economic grouping of topics reveals relations of Ukraine and international economic organizations such as the World Bank, International Currency Fund, International Trading Organization, and European Bank of Reconstruction and Development.

The module on Organizational Framework of European and World Integration was convened by Prof. Bohdan Krawchenko, Philosophy Doctor, Vice Rector of the Academy for International Relations and professor from Political Science Department Valeriy Rebkalo and Associate Professor from the same department Valeriy Shakhov. These instructors as well as invited experts will provide delivery of the module at the Academy in Kyiv. In the branches local staff will be responsible for the delivery of this module. In Dniporpetrovsk branch - Viktor Tarasevich, Professor, Doctor of Economics; Vladislav Romanov, Candidate of Sciences in Philosophy; and Boris Glotov, Candidate of Sciences in Philosoph; In Lviv Branch - Yaroslav Malyk, Professor; in Kharkiv branch - Professor Vasyl Lisnichyi; in Odesa branch – Balabayeva, Philosophy Doctor, Professor. Faculty members of the Academy and the branches have responsibility for teaching other modules mentioned above.

Other modules containing comparative European Public Administration dimension are: Comparative Political Systems; History and Theory of Political Doctrines; Parties in Political System: International and Ukrainian Experience; Foreign Policy of the State; Public Administration in Foreign Countries; Social Systems and Sociological Methods of Research; Regulation of the Labour Market; National Security of Ukraine; Health Care Systems of Foreign Countries.

The comparative European Public Administration dimension evolved during the last eight years literally from zero basis. The European dimension has been evolving together with the evolution and development of Public Administration program since 1992. Though there was no distinctive course on European issues until 1999 the European dimension issues run through most of subjects and dissertations. The evolvement of comparative European Public Administration issues is a two way process: the more Ukrainian experience, knowledge and legislation in Public Administration evolve the deeper and wide comparative studies of European issues it needs.

The Academy’s policy in cooperation with foreign partners has shifted considerably. Instead of involving foreign experts in the direct delivery of lectures on European issues the Academy provides for partnership of Ukrainian lectures with foreign experts in joint work on course development and thus ensuring true comparative dimension. The 1998-2000 MPA program comparing with 1992-1993 one contains considerably more in number and profound in quality topics on European comparative dimension.

The development of European dimension in the MPA program has been also urged by the European choice made by Ukraine. The process of return to Europe started immediately after the referendum on independence and followed all the necessary stages from initiating negotiations on independence to enforcement of the Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation between Ukraine and the EU. The course of Ukraine to

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Europe and steps undertaken on this way is the main reason for development of European component of the MPA program. 6. Research

The Academy has undertaken many efforts to launch research activities and to ensure and monitor the high quality of research programs. The strategy of the research activities in the Academy has been developed and approved.

The appropriate infrastructure for conducting research has been established. The Academy offers advanced degree programs as well as individual research programs leading to Academic degrees. Two specialized academic councils deal with the defense of dissertations for candidate of science and doctorate degrees. Research papers are regularly published by the Academy’s Publishing Department in the Visnyk of the Ukrainian Academy of Public Administration (quarterly journal of the Academy). Research resources of the library are systematically enriched; research capacity of the Academy and its branches has been considerably increased.

The research priorities in Public Administration are defined by the government. The academic field “Public Administration” was introduced by the decision of the President of Ukraine and resolution of the State Attestation Committee in October 1996. Within this field the following major areas of research were defined: Theory and History of Public Administration; Philosophy of Public Administration; Management in Public Organizations; Regional Administration; Management in a Given Sector of Public Administration; Local Self-government. Some research in Public Administration is realized also in mentioned 9 universities with “Public Service” programs – no concrete dates are available.

Most of research activities at the Academy of Public Administration include comparative analysis of European and the world international experience. Beyond research on Comparative Analysis of Public Service Training Systems there are no research topics focused exclusively or predominantly on Europe but as it was mentioned the European dimension is integrated in most students’ works, dissertations and research papers.

The main spheres for implementation of research results are: drafting legislation, information and expert methodological support of the government, development of learning materials for teaching at the Academy and its branches, development of research co-operation with research and learning institutions in Ukraine and abroad.

Most of the research outputs are made public through publications and events. During 1998 the Academy and its branches held 60 communication events, including 22 conferences (8 international conferences).

The outcomes of the research activities have implications upon theory and practice of Public Administration of Ukraine. The most important results were utilized while drafting laws and administrative reform paper and in the Cabinet’s program “Ukraine –2010”. The theoretical concept and questionnaire for monitoring social and economic situation in Ukraine, the methodology for sampling survey of public opinion on

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actual social and economic problems in regions were developed. The Academy’s researchers actively participate in the Ministry of Education commission activities on development of programs for specialty “Public Administration” and on development of teaching and learning standards in this field.

The Academy researchers took part in drafting Concept of Reforming of Administrative Law, Code of Conduct for Civil Servants. They actively participate in various working and expert groups of the government. Other institutions with PA research

There are many research centers beyond educational institutions engaged in research in the field of Public Administration. Some of them are governmental organizations, some – not. The demand for research in this field is spurred by the administrative reform, much consultation and research here is done by organizations supported by international assistance. Some of the research centers are mentioned below: - The Main Department for the Civil Service of Ukraine. The research here is conducted in the field of Public Service and is aimed at making diagnosis what are the drawbacks of existing system of Public Service in Ukraine and what improvements should be introduced. Dr.Oleksiy Obolenskiy, Deputy Head, coordinates these activities. (tel (380-44) 229 46 80, email infaus@guds.kiev.ua)

- Institute of State and Law by Koretskyi of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Department of Problems of Public Administration and Administrative Law of this Institute is ingaged in drafting propositions for administrative reform. Professor Vadym Averianov represents the Institute at the State Commission on Administrative Reform (tel. (380-44) 228 51 55/228 58 33 - National Institute for Strategic Studies The national institute for strategic studies is a governmental institution for conducting research, analytical prognosis and strategic planning. These activities are coordinated by Deputy Director for Research Oleksander Vlasiuk (tel.: (380-44) 224 92 73 - Secretariat of Inter-Agency Council for the Implementation of Economic Reform conducts research in Ukraine and abroad in the field of Public Administration and develops recommendations for reforms in Ukraine. Oleksander Horbunov is a Head of the Secretariat (tel. (380-44) 229 02 30/293 32 44; email <a.gorbunov@reforms.kiev.ua> - Foundation for Support of Local Government. The Foundation conducts research in the area of local self-government activities in Ukraine. Director Mykola Pukhtynskiy, Candidate of Judicial Sciences.

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List of the main research topics with European dimension and researchers The list of the main research topics with European dimension and researchers is as follows: • Social Technology and Public Administration prof. Volodymyr Kniazev • State Executive Power: Organizational and Legal Aspects of Formation and

Functioning prof. Nina Nyzhnyk

• Legal Aspects of Public Administration and Local Government prof. Vasyl Bordeniuk • Mechanisms of Government Regulation of the Market Economy prof. Stepan Dziubyk • Social Development and Social Policy: Major Challenges and Development Trends

prof. Vitaliy Skurativskiy • Improvement of Organizational and Economic Mechanisms in Urban Management

and Development of Local Self-Government under Market Economy prof. Yuriy Lebedinskiy • Improvement of Conceptual Basis for Professional Development Programs in Public

Administration prof. Viktor Kutsenko • Scientific and Methodological Principles of Public Servants’ In-service Training

prof. Petro Nazymko • Comparative Analysis of Public Service Training Systems in European Countries

prof. Bohdan Krawchenko • Compilation of Vocabulary “Public Service and Public Administration: Theory,

History, Technology, Experience” Prof. Ivan Varzar 7. Relations with the profession

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Since 1993 (first graduation) to date about 2 thousand graduates have finished the Academy (with branches). Though six years ago Masters of Public Administration degree was a new scientific title in Ukraine, now it is recognized and valued by employers. Out of 323 thousand public servants only small portion are trained in Public Administration. The higher is a position in public service, the wider knowledge and skills in Public administration are necessary. This is the reason why both national and sub-national administrations consider graduates of the Academy as an important pool of highly qualified professionals who can effectively develop and implement policies in different spheres of public activity. The graduates are seen as rather “generalists” then narrow specialists in a field. They have a high capacity for transferability across ministerial boundaries and are utilized by the government as a cadre of flexible, strategic and general public managers. Thus the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine while establishing recruitment policies for civil service defined that the graduates of the Academy should be accepted to the jobs in the civil service without competition.

Concept of competition for positions in civil service is the main foundation of the Law on Civil Service. The law reads that positions in categories III - VII can be occupied only through competition. Category I is the highest and category VII is the lowest in Ukrainian civil service. The law excludes positions in the I and the II categories from the competition procedure. The reason to that is that categories I and II embrace positions of Heads of State Agencies, First Deputy Ministers, Heads of Presidential Administration, Secretariat of Verkhovna Rada (Parliament), their Deputies, First Deputy of Heads of Regional Administrations – those who are politically selected but appointed by the President, Cabinet of Ministers or Verkhovna Rada.

The Cabinet of Ministers’ decision to provide graduates of the Academy with jobs bypassing competition procedure is a good evidence of appreciation of high level of their knowledge and skills, as well as the need of civil service in such specialists.

The graduates’ access to central and local administration is specifically governed by government’s regulations. First and foremost, graduates who studied at the Academy on conditions of the state contract (that is the government paid for their training) must work with the government for not less that 5 years after graduation. The graduates should be employed by those central or local government organizations where they worked prior to entering the Academy. Those central or local government organizations have to provide graduates with positions in categories I-IV (highest level out of I-VII) or positions not lower than the one that a graduate occupied prior to the Academy.

According to the Academy’s data 70% of the Academy’s graduates work in public service, the remaining 30% of graduates occupy managerial positions at the state enterprises and organizations, in health care management area in particular, or work in non-governmental organizations or continue their education.

There is no direct data available on employment of the Academy’s graduates separately in central administration and sub-national administration. There is indirect evidence on graduates’, employment which is place of their residence. About 1/3 of graduates are residents of Kyiv and Kyiv region. The most considerable amount of graduates lives in big industrial regions like Dnipropetrovsk, Lviv, Odesa, Kharkiv. Besides there is a tendency of the Academy’s graduates to move to Kyiv from regions.

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Since 1992 till 1998 about 100 of graduates sought for jobs in central government and moved from regions.

The career paths of the graduates cover all tiers of government. The positions in categories I-III (the highest, central government mostly) occupy 95 (12,8%) graduates. Comparing positions of students with positions they occupy after graduation the growth in categories III-IV (middle level, both central and regional tiers) constitutes 9%. The most considerable growth took place in positions in categories VI-VII (regional and local level) – 17.7%.

Anyhow, in spite of important support of the Academy and its graduates by the Government, there are important factors, making the whole process of graduates’ employment is rather complicated and subject to a number of factors.

First, being the institution attached to the Presidential Administration, the Academy’s activities are governed by the President’s Decrees and governmental regulations. As mentioned above, there are specific regulations governing employment of the Academy’s graduates. That is most of the graduates are obliged to go back to the government though they are expected to demonstrate better skills and make a good career.

Second, mission of the Institute of Public Administration and Local Government and since 1995 the Academy of Public Administration is to provide the government with cadre of a new generation, trained in the best European standards. Doing this the Academy supplies the state with public servants who see themselves as generators and conductors of new ideas and change. Thus coming back to their jobs they sometimes encounter with hostile treatment because none of old generation of bureaucrats welcomes change. This happens more often in local and regional government organizations so the Academy’s graduates tend to seek for jobs in central government where reforms are initiated and take place (e.g. the grouping of Masters in Public Administration in the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine accounts for 40 persons).

Third, remuneration in public service still does not correspond to provisions of the Civil Service Law “to provide for sufficient life conditions” of civil servants. In most cases this factor is not a decisive one today, but with the development of the private sector in Ukraine it will have more implications in the future.

Besides, two advanced degree programs were launched at the Academy and lead to a Candidate of Science and Doctor of Science Degree. Some graduates of the MPA program entered these programs to write respective dissertations. They are expected to teach Public Administration subjects afterwards. Research for Government

A considerable amount of the research is being done following the assignments by the Presidential Administration, Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, Main Department for the Civil Service, especially with regards to analytical and methodological provisions for the administrative reform in Ukraine. All 22 main directions of research at the Academy of Public Administration are being done in accordance with the government’s order and are purchased by the government. Some governmental organizations make arrangements with the Academy and order research. For example, the Main Department for the Civil

16

Service purchased methodological recommendations concerning introduction of distance learning into training and in-service training of civil servants. Ministry for Emergency Situations purchased from the Academy findings concerning legal basis for economic activities in the zone around Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station. Ministry for Science and Technology purchased research findings concerning terms of reference on compiling information and methodological resources for training civil servants. The Executive Committee of Synelnikov City Council bought from Dnipropetrovsk branch a draft statute of the Committee. Odesa Regional Administration ordered and Odesa branch of the Academy fulfilled research in social and political status of ethic minorities. The branch started working on development of a project on organization of city administration for Odesa City Council.

According to instructions of the Head of the Presidential Administration the theoretic concept was developed and questionnaire designed for monitoring of social and economic situation in Ukraine. Using the methodology suggested experts of the Academy and its branches conducted joint social research based on sampling of social and economic problems in regions.

Research accomplished in the Academy is also used by the government working groups in working out strategies of administrative and legal reform; administrative legislation. 8. In-service training and staff development

The Institute of Continuous Education of the Ukrainian Academy of Public Administration is responsible for providing in-service training to the top four categories of public servants. The Institute is also responsible for monitoring and advising in the areas of pedagogical methodologies, training techniques, and program management of training in the four Academy’s branches and oblast training centers.

The Branches of the Academy beyond MPA program provide short term in-service training.

The oblast Training centers are in each region of Ukraine. They are monitored by the Main Department for the Civil Service and provide in-service training for public servants in V-VII categories. Though formally belonging to the state oblast administrations they have a fair amount of autonomy and in some cases initiate cost recovery activities.

The Sectoral training Institutes are run by individual ministries and agencies of central government. They provide in-service training specifically in tasks and responsibilities of the ministry or agency involved. European dimension in training

The European and comparative issues in the in-service training topics are provided mainly by foreign experts activities within the framework of international

17

programs: TACIS (EU), TRANSFORM (Germany), and technical assistance program of the British Council. International assistance gave the opportunity for Ukrainian public servants and in-service trainers to study European perspective of market economy, public administration and local government, personnel management, methods of in-service training.

The Institute for Continuous Education hosted an international conference on issues of in-service training for Ukrainian public servants. A set of publications was released on the basis of European approach, such as Methodological Guidelines for Conducting Major Types of Training sessions in the System of In-service Training for Public Servants. 9. Conclusions

Democratic and independent Ukraine has achieved balance between painful economic reforms and social transformations in domestic policy, and combined a firm European orientation with trustworthy relations with old and new neighbors in foreign policy.

Since 1991 - time when Ukraine gained independence – the focus of the national renaissance has shifted from centrifugal tendencies to consolidation period which revealed broad opportunities to the integration of all nations in Ukraine on the basis of citizenship in a new independent state. With this tendency new issues of “universal” culture with its European standards arose. The European values are seen as necessary conditions for overcoming post-communism burden. Thus the European choice of Ukraine is defined by long-term national interests of the state.

The main priorities for Ukraine are to achieve standards for becoming a full member of the EU. This process got a new impetus in June 1998 with a Presidential Decree on Strategy of Integration of Ukraine to the European Union. The Decree defined the main priorities for the development of Ukraine till the year of 2007 with the purpose of achieving standards for becoming a full member of the EU.

In the mid-term Ukraine is striving to gain the status of an associate member of the EU. The legal basis of the integration is an Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation between Ukraine and the EU of 1998. This arrangement is of a paramount importance for further development of relations between Ukraine and the EU. The Agreement directs further development of economic, social, trading, and legal systems of Ukraine in its rapprochement of the respective systems of the EU. It also legally ensures the European choice of Ukraine and confirms recognition of Ukraine by all member-states as an independent state. Ukrainian success in fulfillment of the agreement will have a due impact on a chance for Ukraine to become a full member state.

There is a need of a wide public awareness and support, as well as time and patience in solving a range of social and economic problems. Ukraine lacks a national program of informational and educational enlightenment of the purposes of European integration. The government has developed a draft of this program and it is being widely discussed by the public. The draft envisages briefing of the mass media on European issues, wide utilization of available informational resources, introduction of respective training courses into curricula of educational institutions, conducting surveys. The European integration issues are a challenge for the training institutions in the area of Public

18

Administration. The Ukrainian training programs should incorporate more and better courses dealing with issued of Ukraine’s integration in Europe.

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Annex 1

THE LIST OF PROGRAMS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1. “Master in Public Administration” at the Academy of Public Administration, Office

of the President of Ukraine (Kyiv) 2. “Master in Public Service” at Kyiv National Economic University Kharkiv State Economic University East Ukraine State University (Luhansk) Ternopil Academy of National Economy Donetsk State Technical University Dniprodzerzhynsk State Technical University Dnipropetrovsk State University Ivano-Frankivsk State technical University of Oil and Gas Odesa State Juristic University

Annex 2 LIST OF COURSES TAUGHT IN MASTER IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION DEGREE AT THE ACADEMY OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (1998-2000 ACADEMIC YEAR)

Economics and Finance

Law and Legislative Process

Political Science Public Administration and

Management

Social and Humanitarian Policy

Information Technology

Urban Management Special Subjects Master’s Thesis and Internship

Ukrainian and Foreign Languages

Modern Methods of

Economic and Statistic Analysis l.-20 pr.-12

General Theory of State and Law

l.-20 pr.-4

Concept Grounds for Political Science Theory

l.-12 pr.-8

Present Day Issues of Public Administration

l.-12 pr.-12

Contemporary Issues of Social and Humanitarian

Policy l.-20

Information Technology

l.-4 pr.-20

Local Government in Ukraine

l.-20 pr.-4

National Security of Ukraine

(4, 5, 3,1)

l.20 pr.-4

Master Thesis Preparation

Ukrainian Language

20

Modern Economics: Concepts and

Practice l.-20 pr.-12

Constitutional Law of Ukraine and Foreign

Countries

l.-20 pr.-8

History and Theory of Political Doctrines

l.-16 pr.-8

Organizational and Legal Foundation of

Public Administration l.-24 pr.-24

Social Systems and Sociological Methods of

Research l.-20 pr.-4

Information Systems in Public Administration

l.-4 pr.-20

Regional Administration

l.-20 pr.-4

Organizational Framework of World

and European Integration (5, 1, 4, 7)

l.-20 pr.-4

Internship in Ukraine Ukrainian Language for Business

20

Budget Process and Public Finance Management

l.-20 pr.-12

Administrative Law

l.-20 pr.-8

Public Policy, Analysisand Implementation

Mechanism l.-16 pr.-8

Public Power and Public Organisations Activities

l.-12 pr.-12

Social Protection and Security of a Person

l.-16 pr.-8

Effective Decision Making in

Modelling Managerial Situations

l.-4 pr.-20

Microeconomics and the Public Sector

l.-20 pr.-8

Process of Legislative Drafting in Ukraine

l.-20 pr.-8

Contemporary Political Systems

l.-16 pr.-8

Public Service: Theory and Organization

l.-16 pr.-8

Regulation of the Labour Market

l.-20 pr.-8

Organizational and Legislative Grounds of Urban Management

l.-20 pr.-8

Project Management (4, 1, 6)

l.-24 pr.-4

Logics and Methods of Scientific Research

l.-20

English Language

Macroeconomics

l.-20 pr.-8

Civil Law

l.-20 pr.-8

Parties in Political System: International

and Ukrainain experience

l.-16 pr.-8

Management of Organization

l.-12 pr.-12

Humanitarian Policy in Ukraine

l.-20 pr.-8

Urban and Regional Planning

l.-20 pr.-8

Public Administration and Politics (4,3)

l.-24 pr.-4

Principles of Master’s Thesis Writing and

Defence

l.-20

French Language

Money and Banking

l.-20 pr.-8

Finance Law

l.-20 pr.-8

Ethnopolitical Process inUkraine

l.-16 pr.8

Psychology of Administration

l.-16 pr.-12

State Policy and Education Administration.

Youth policy l-.24 pr.-4

Urban and Regional Economy

l.-24 pr.-4

Company Law

l.-20 pr.-8

German Language

International Trade Theory

l.-20 pr.-8

Labour Law

l.-20 pr.-8

Foreign Policy of State

l.-16 pr.-8

Ethics of Public Servant

l.-20 pr.-8

Local Budget and Finance Management

l.-20 pr.-8

(Total course - 500)

OPTIONAL MODULES

Microeconomic Policy of the Government

l.-16 pr.-4

Land Law

l.-16 pr.-4

Political Marketing and Management

l.-16 pr.-4

Public Administration in Foreign Countries

l.-20

State Cultural Policy

l.-16 pr.-4

Instrumental Means for Contemporary Office

pr.-20

Urban Land Relations

l.-16 pr.-4

History of Public Administration in Ukraine

l.-16 pr.-4

Internship Abroad Foreign Languages for Business

100

Macroeconomic Policy of the Government

l.-14 pr.-4

Social Security Law

l.-16 pr.-4

Conflict Studies

l.-16 pr.-4

State Personnel Policy and Mechanisms of its

Implementation l.-20

Social and Demographic Policy

l.-16 pr.-4

Computer Networks

pr.-20

Urban Social Infrastructure Development

l.-16 pr.-4

Public Relations (4, 3, 6)

l-16 pr.-4

Creation of Private Sector and

Government Policy in Ukraine

l.-16 pr.-4

Criminal Law

l.-16 pr.-4

Social Management andPublic Policy

l.-16 pr.-4

Leadership in Public Administration

l.-20

Science and Technology Management

l.-16 pr.-4

Urban Administration on the Basis of Geo

Information Systems l.-8 pr.-12

Environmental Policy (3,1,6,5)

l.-16 pr.-4

Marketing Systems in Agriculture

l.-16 pr.-4

Comparative Administrative Law

l.-16 pr.-4

Political Psychology

l.-16 pr.-4

Control in Public Administration

l.-14 pr.-6

Emergency Forecast and Liquidation Activities

l.-16 pr.-4

Issues of Health Promotion in Public

Administration (9)

l.-16 pr.-4

Benefit-Cost Analysis in Public Finance

l.-16 pr.-4

Conflicts in Public Administration and Means

of its Solving l.-16 pr.-4

Health Education (9)

l.-14 pr.-148

Basic modules - 6 (Total Hours - 144)

Core modules - 21 (Total Hours - 548)

Elective modules -10 Total Hours - 740 (240 + 500)

Optional modules - (20 hrs.) Obligatory for study - 4 modules to be selected (Total Hours 80)

New modules - 15 “Pass/fail” for basic and optional modules; Assessment for core and elective modules

The list of courses that will be taught in Master in Public Service degree at universities is not available.

Annex 3 CONTACT INFORMATION ON RESEARCHERS INVOLVED IN RESEARCH

ON PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION WITH COMPARATIVE COMPONENTS FOCUSED ON EUROPE

Code for phone call and fax messages: 380 – 44 Fax number general for all researchers: 446-94-36 E-mail general for all researchers: general@academy.kiev.ua • Social Technology and Public Administration Prof. Volodymyr Kniazev; tel.: 441-76-96 fax: 446-22-51 • State Executive Power: Organizational and Legal Aspects of Formation and

Functioning Prof. Nina Nyzhnyk; tel.: 441-76-66

• Legal Aspects of Public Administration and Local Government Prof. Vasyl Bordeniuk; tel.: 441-76-84 • Mechanisms of Government Regulation of the Market Economy Prof. Stepan Dziubyk; tel.: 441-76-93 fax: 446-93-57 • Social Development and Social policy: Major Challenges and Development Trends

Prof. Vitaliy Skurativskiy; tel.: 441-76-88 • Improvement of Organizational and Economic Mechanisms in Urban Management

and Development of Local Self-Government under Market Economy Prof. Yuriy Lebedinskiy; tel.: 441-76-92 • Improvement of Conceptual Basis for Professional Development Programs in Public

Administration Prof. Viktor Kutsenko; tel/fax: 446-31-51 • Scientific and Methodological Principles of Public Servants’ In-service Training

Prof. Petro Nazymko; tel.: 293-82-78 • Comparative Aanalysis of Public Service Training Systems in European Countries

Prof. Bohdan Krawchenko; tel.: 446-04-52 E-mail bk@academy.kiev.ua • Compilation Vocabulary “Public Service and Public Administration: Theory, History,

Technology, Experience” Prof. Ivan Varzar; tel.: 441-76-65