Department of Administrative Science Course

Department of Administrative Science Course

REFORMING PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN THE EUROPEAN CONTEXT

Lecturers:professor dr. Ivan Koprić (), associate professor dr. Gordana Marčetić (), assistant professordr. Anamarija Musa () and dr. Vedran Đulabić, senior researcher ()

Basic information about the course:The course is comprised of lectures (30 hours in one semester, both Winter and Summer semester) and individual work. It counts for 4 ECTS. Examination includes oral examination (70% of final mark) and one essay (30%)

Short description:The course is intended to offer an extensive overview on current reforms of public administration in Europe, with particular emphasis on the changing patterns of the administrative development within (or due to) the EU membership.

In the first part of the course key processes are analysed: comparative reforms in European states, including changes in the civil service; decentralisation process, enhanced by the subsidiarity principle; and the developments relating to the quality and innovation in public administration, with special reference to effectiveness and appropriate regulatory instruments.

In the second part the changing role of public administration within the EU is analysed, especially the efforts of the EU to support candidate countries to reform their public administrations. New European policy and regulation regarding the provision of civil services will be presented, as well as their institutional consequences (regulatory agencies). Finally, the role of public administration in implementation and coordination of European policies is analysed.

The third part offers an introduction and an overview of public administration and public sector reform in Croatia, in terms of modernisation of central government and administration, and with regard to the improvement of public services provision, both at the local level and at the state level, with special reference to the better regulation agenda. Building on the previously taught units, students will be able to assess relative success of Croatian reform process within the European and EU realm.

Aim and expected outcomes:This course is primarily developed for international students participating in the Erasmus and other exchange programme. Nevertheless, Croatian students interested in public law topics, especially public administration, administrative law and European governance, are strongly encouraged to enrol in the course during their 4th or 5th year of study. Process approach offered in this course will help students to develop their analytic skills, evaluate the issues presented in the course of time, and to polish their comparative approach to public law / institutions problems.

The course will help students to develop broaden their understanding of the public law issues, particularly the contemporary controversies of public administration. Secondly, the analysis of the impact of the EU on national states will provide students with the knowledge on comparative public administration change. Students will be introduced with public management concepts (performance management and contracts, quality assessments, etc.) which are omnipresent in public sector, where great numbers of lawyers build their careers. Finally, international students will develop their understanding of the Croatian state and local government system, while domestic students will deepen their knowledge and, based on the course readings, will acquire a new view on domestic problems. Additionally, students will be able to assess general transition countries’ problems in reforming political institutions.