In the current time of financial recession, optimising the use of resources and reducing costs in public service delivery has become a crucial issue in public management; meanwhile, there is also a demand for better quality and efficiency. Is it possible to reduce costs and increase quality at the same time? Yes, it is! The seminar will focus on organisational development, back-office and front-office coordination, the move towards a culture of shared services, enhancing cooperation and networking and exchanging information within public administration. Moreover, the seminar will also focus upon the main aspects linked to the reduction of costs and achieving customer satisfaction through the citizen-centric delivery of public services through ICT.

Part of the seminar will be dedicated to strengthening the government’s professionalism in terms of planning, delivery, management, skills and governance of technology and knowledge-driven change in public administration.This seminar is dedicated to achieving a government fit for the 21st century. Participants will be shown how to work around the needs of the citizens and businesses, increase quality and efficiency and reduce costs, through the use of best practice examples selected from among the EPSA2009 (European Public Service Award) winners and nominees.

Method
Presentations by high-level experts from public administration, national and international institutions and academics will be held on theoretical and practical issues. A plenary session will give participants the opportunity to exchange experiences and receive feedback from the experts. Practical exercises will help participants to apply the knowledge acquired to their daily challenges.

Target Group
The seminar is intended for public officials from all levels of government, who deal with change, organisational development, eGovernment, training or Human Resource Management.

Objectives
• to discuss the importance of modernising public administration towards a new culture where citizens and businesses are at the centre;
• to discuss the importance of new technologies in modernising and maximising the potential of an organisation;
• to discuss the importance of new technologies and eGovernment;
• to share the importance of using quality management methods to ensure an organisation’s professionalism, preparedness and customer satisfaction.

Thursday 22 November 2012

Welcome
Sylvia Archmann, Project Leader, Seconded National Expert – Austria, EIPA, Maastricht (NL)

Objectives of the seminar
Time for self-introduction of participants
Sylvia Archmann

Transformational government and knowledge-powered modernisation of the public administration
The new skills and leadership for better quality and more efficiency
Sylvia Archmann

Creative win-wins: simplify your public administration
Guenter Fuerntratt, Change Manager, City of Graz (AT)

Lunch in EIPA’s restaurant

Creative win-wins: simplify your public administration continuation and workshop (practical exercises)
Guenter Fuerntratt

Reducing administrative burdens and simplifying EU rules
André Meyer, Secretariat General, Secretariat General, Unit SG C1 - Simplification and evaluation, European Commission, Brussels (BE)

Dinner in Maastricht


Friday 23 November 2012

Cooperation between different levels of government national chart of partnership between government and local authorities
Patrick Ruestchmann, Directeur Associé, Sources Productions consulting (FR)

The Dutch approach to reduction of administrative burdens and the standard cost model
n.n., (NL)

Lunch in EIPA’s restaurant

Aspects on restructuring the communal portfolio: shared services
Guenter Fuerntratt

Practical lesson
Obstacles, barriers and critical success factors
Moderated by Guenter Fuerntratt