NEXT GENERATION PUBLIC LEADERS intensive course for students of higher education programs of the Department of Economics and Public Administration (specialty 281 Public Administration and Administration)

April 24, 2023, based on the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and in partnership with the Interregional Department of the National Agency of Ukraine for Civil Service in the Lviv and Zakarpattia Regions, the Lviv Regional Branch of the Association of United Territorial Communities, the Association of Local Councils “Councils of the Lviv Region” started the NEXT GENERATION PUBLIC LEADERS intensive course. The five-day intensive is not only for students majoring in Public Management and Administration but for everyone interested and wanting to be an agent of change in our country.

The event aims to help students learn the theoretical knowledge they acquired during their studies and, based on practical work and tasks with cases, to develop useful skills for future employment in a speciality. In particular, the NEXT GENERATION PUBLIC LEADERS course is designed to promote the involvement of competent public managers as primary stakeholders and partners in revising and updating educational programs and qualification requirements. The organisers also set themselves the goal, based on practical tools and basic management processes, to form among young people an understanding of the role of youth and youth policy in public administration, changes in administration at the local level, and what skills need to be developed for successful employment and building a career.

The event began with the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between Ivan Franko Lviv National University and the Interregional Department of the National Agency of Ukraine for Civil Service in Lviv and Zakarpattia Oblasts, the Lviv Regional Branch of the Association of United Territorial Communities, the Association of Local Councils “Councils of Lviv Oblast”, Novoyavorivska City council, the Pidberiztsiv village council of the Lviv district of the Lviv region, which took place with the participation of the first vice-rector Andrii GUKALYUK, who noted that “the University is open to cooperation with stakeholders and employers, because this is one of the main elements of quality education, in particular, in the format of non-formal education. Such practical intensives and open interaction opportunities not only for graduates for successful professional realisation in the modern labour market but also for employers – to talk about the advantages of their field of activity and find promising successful employees.”

On the first day of the opening of the intensive, the first vice-rector Andrii GUKALYUK addressed the higher education students. “The topics of discussions and lectures of the intensive are rich and diverse, which will be of great interest to future public managers. This event helps students of higher education not only acquire new knowledge, skills and abilities and gain knowledge from practical experience. Thanks to practical cases, students can quickly understand the acquired theoretical knowledge. Thanks to the Department of Economics and Public Administration of the Faculty of Finance and Business Management of LNU. Ivan Franko for the high-quality organisation of the event, and I wish all the participants to have a productive time and make the most of all potential opportunities”, Andrii GUKALYUK noted and added that the course was attended by students of various specialities and other institutions of higher education in Lviv, which indicates the relevance of the topics of the speeches speakers among active patriotic Ukrainian youth.

The Faculty of Finance and Business dean, Andrii STASYSHYN, welcomed the participants. “Today, young people who cheer for Ukraine have gathered here, keep their finger on the pulse and are open to new knowledge and opportunities. You are in the right place at the right time. Time is the most valuable resource today, and you understand how to use it effectively. Today’s speakers are young and successful public managers who will share their experience building their careers. In the conditions of martial law, abilities and skills are tested more than ever by practice – to make effective decisions, take care of the community and its residents, and create changes in the community and Ukraine – this once again confirms the professionalism of our graduates,” emphasised Andriy STASISHYN.

Thus, on the first day of the course, Vasyl KOVAL described the structure of Pidberiztsivska TG and the peculiarities of its formation, financial capacity and specifics of budget formation, determined the indicator of the financial return of the community territory, analysed human resources, access to the labour market and commodity markets. In the report, he paid particular attention to the decentralisation process, highlighting the advantages and risks of decentralisation for the community’s long-term development. As Vasyl Koval pointed out: “An important task of the community is to conduct a proper youth policy, take into account the opinion of the younger generation in the process of making management decisions, create opportunities for the implementation of youth ideas, develop youth infrastructure, attract young people as a human resource to work in the local self-government body. To this end, the community investigates the problems and needs of young people, organises public hearings and promotional events, and supports youth organisations’ development.”

Also, on the first training day, course participants listened to Volodymyr MATSELYUKH on “Activities of Local self-government Bodies under martial law”. In the report, he drew attention to the formation process of the Novoyavoriv community, the resolution of personnel issues, the formation of documentation, and the development and implementation of projects. Many questions were devoted to the specifics of the activities of the local self-government body under martial law: the creation of self-defence units, ensuring the 24-hour work of the council, the formation of a checkpoint, the reception of a large number of IDPs, the establishment of living conditions for housing and food for refugees, etc. What was it like to realise the mayor on February 24, 2022, and prepare the community? What to do and how to make decisions. A terrible shock for the community came on March 13, 2022, when a powerful missile attack occurred on military facilities in the community’s territory. This event made it necessary to make decisions quickly, respond promptly to unforeseen challenges, and show maximum attention and support to the victims and their families. Currently, the community has developed a draft of a new Community Development Strategy, which considers the peculiarities of work in war conditions, and the practice of cooperation with international funds that provide humanitarian aid is developing.