ENHANCING THE COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK IN STATE ADMINISTRATION – ADVANCING TOWARDS MORE MODERN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

As part of the EU-funded project “Integrated Human ResourcesManagement in Public Administration of the Republic of Serbia”, a series of training sessions dedicated to the presentation of the model for the enhancement of the competency framework in state administration bodies and its potential implementation in the future was successfully conducted in May 2025.

Following the introductory online training held on 15 May, which gathered more than 90 participants and introduced the basics of the suggested enhanced competency framework, two full-day in-person workshops titled “Competency-Based Human Resource Management: A Balanced System” were organized on 20 and 22 May at the premises of the National Academy for Public Administration. A total of 30 civil servants took part in these trainings, including HR officers and managers from state administration bodies.

The trainings were conducted with the aim to strengthen the capacities of participants to apply modern HR practices and tools based on competencies, with a particular focus on their integration throughout the employee life cycle. Through interactive workshops and simulations, participants deepened their understanding of how the competency framework can be embedded in HR processes that support more effective performance management and staff development such as job profiling, workforce planning, recruitment, career development, and professional development. Special emphasis during the training, as echoed by participants, was placed on the importance of a shift in approach: civil servants are encouraged not only task performers, but to act as drivers of innovation within their institutions. This approach lies at the core of the project’s vision - a professional, transparent, and efficient state administration in the service of citizens.

“There is no need to fear change. When competencies were first time introduced, it may have seemed intimidating, but now everyone is used to them. It’s like that with any change,” noted one of the training participants.

This type of training, as highlighted by several participants, represents an important step in modernising HR policies and can significantly contribute to the retention of skilled and motivated employees in state administration.

“Everything we are doing should contribute to staff retention and to improving HR management policies,” one participant, who is HR officers, added.

The trainings were delivered by Vladimir Mihajlović, a public administration HRM expert, and Kristina Jakubaityte-Revutiene, HRM and organisational development. At the end of the sessions, all participants were awarded certificates of successful completion. The next round of this training for a new group of participants is scheduled for 10 June 2025.

Through continuous cooperation with its institutional beneficiaries - the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government and the Human Resource Management Service - the project continues to support the improvement of professionalism and effectiveness in Serbia’s public administration, in line with the public administration reform grounded in the principles of good governance and aligned with EU standards.