EU Directors of Public Administration Institutes and Schools Meet Outside the EU – in Montenegro
For the first time, the Directors of Institutes and Schools of Public Administration (DISPA) are meeting outside the European Union — hosted by the Regional School of Public Administration (ReSPA) in Budva, Montenegro, under the theme “Future-Proofing Public Servants: Leading Through Crises While Delivering Results.”
This landmark event strengthens the bridge between the European Union and the Western Balkans, reaffirming ReSPA’s pivotal role in advancing regional integration into the European Administrative Space through dialogue, innovation, and shared learning.
The opening session featured remarks by Marash Dukaj, Minister of Public Administration of Montenegro; Maja Handjiska-Trendafilova, Director of ReSPA; Anna Mitelman and Christiane Keutgens from the European School of Administration; and Bernard Brunet, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Montenegro. All emphasized the importance of leadership, resilience, and adaptability in building agile public administrations capable of delivering results in complex times.
Minister Dukaj stated that this is the first time DISPA has convened in Montenegro, which represents a special encouragement and a confirmation of our country’s progress on its European path.
“In this way, we are becoming an active participant in the European administrative community, and not merely a candidate for membership. The Ministry of Public Administration is the first institution in Montenegro to have introduced the European Common Assessment Framework (CAF) model for public administration quality. This year, we also obtained the CAF certificate, which enables the Ministry to provide technical and advisory support to all institutions wishing to initiate or enhance their quality management processes,” said Dukaj.
He added that the ability to adapt and improve public administration processes is of essential importance for strengthening citizens’ trust in institutions, as well as for achieving sustainable development and social justice.
ReSPA Director Maja Handjiska-Trendafilova noted that public administrations in the Western Balkans are evolving under challenging conditions - simultaneously managing reform, recovery, and EU integration:
“This makes our region not only a beneficiary of EU support but also a valuable source of lessons in resilience and innovation. As the EU enlargement process gains new momentum, ReSPA and its members are deepening their alignment with the principles of the European Administrative Space, with Montenegro setting a strong example of progress. At the same time, by expanding cooperation with Eastern Partnership countries such as Ukraine, Moldova, and Armenia, ReSPA is fostering a more connected, inclusive, and future-oriented European administrative community.”
Finally, Handjiska-Trendafilova urged for rich exchange and building new partnerships during next two days “toward building professional, citizen-centred, and resilient public administrations across Europe.”
The representative of the Delegation of the EU to Montenegro, Bernard Brunet, stated that candidate countries face significant challenges in building strong and capable administrations that can manage the accession process while simultaneously preparing for the dynamic programme and legislative framework of the EU.
“This meeting is an excellent opportunity for the countries of the region to learn from the experiences of public administration schools from EU Member States, which have faced challenges such as the impact of the pandemic, new financing instruments, technological progress, and an ageing workforce,” Brunet emphasise
The programme features a keynote by Christian Bason, Co-founder of the Transition Collective and former CEO of the Danish Design Centre, on “Designing Leadership for the Unknown.” His thought-provoking address challenges traditional leadership models and highlights the power of human-centered leadership in times of uncertainty.
Panels and interactive World Café discussions invite participants to explore themes such as how to anticipate skills for tomorrow’s public service, strategic foresight, ethics, and innovation — promoting peer learning and the design of joint initiatives to strengthen public service across Europe and the Western Balkans.
The second day will present the 2025 Strategic Foresight Report – “Resilience 2.0: Empowering the EU to Thrive Amid Turbulence and Uncertainty”, with contributions from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and Dr. Eleftheria Ftaklaki from the Hellenic Republic’s Special Secretariat of Foresight.
As the event unfolds, ReSPA and its partners reaffirm a shared vision of a future-proof, collaborative, and citizen-oriented public administration ready to serve Europeans with excellence and integrity.
