Transnational Public Administration and Organizing (Baltic Sea Region/EU Eastern Partnership)
The Summer Academy for Young Professionals (SAYP) is carried out by the Academy of Public Administration at Södertörn University (Stockholm) on behalf of the Swedish Institute.
Swedish Institute Summer Academy for Young Professionals (SAYP)
Welcome to the SAYP module “Transnational Public Administration and Organizing” (TPAO), a training program developed to provide the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in a context where governing takes place at various levels and includes public administration, corporations, and civil society organizations across various national contexts.
Here you can find information about:
Practical information:
Dates:
3 - 4 June 2021, online
August 15 - 28 2021, in Stockholm (if possible under Covid-19 restrictions)
Number of participants:
30
Target countries:
Armenia, Belarus*, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Sweden and Ukraine.
* Please, see the Swedish Institut website for special conditions.
Cost:
Participation in SAYP is free of charge and includes meals, accommodation and travel
Language of instruction:
English
Instructions for application documents:
Apply
To submit your application for TPAO, complete the form and append the necessary documentation. If you are applying for more than one module, please remember that you must send us a separate motivation letter for each one.
Application form - Please send us your application no later than Mars 22 2020.
What is this module about?
The TPAO is a response to the growing realization and need among public servants and civil society actors working with the public sector to handle the increasingly transnational dimension in their daily work. The term transnational refers to public administration that takes place at the level of state, regional or local public agencies and that extends or must reckon with jurisdiction and practices from other countries, i.e. operate transnationally. The transnational dimension introduces a substantial grey zone to public administration practice as well as numerous stakeholder interests.
This module is tailor-made to educate and train young public service professionals to be able to navigate the challenges and opportunities for policy-making and administration required by the nature of transnational issues and practice. Because existing practice among professionals tends to yield to formalised rules in TPAO, it is imperative to equip the practitioners with instruments for understanding implications of their actions in the transnational dimension of their policy field. In addition, the module zooms in on the organizational level and elucidates the organizational dynamics that affect TPAO, and organizational challenges that are likely to occur when the transnational dimension enters the organization.
Said about the module:
“The TPAO module is engaging and well-structured. It provides knowledge and practical skills through interesting assignments in working groups.”
“We hope that they will have a chance and possibility to travel to Sweden because it [is] really worth it.”
“We would totally recommend the course. Definitely read the literature in advance! Participate actively in the discussions. Enjoy :)”
How and what do we teach?
The module relies on a mix of lectures, discussions and case-based exercises. Building upon a unique interdisciplinary analytical approach, instructors and students examine how organizations face various transnational challenges, such as migration and welfare, transportation and emergency services, sustainability and climate change, just to name a few. We explore foundations of TPA through themes of experimentalist governance, borders and centre-periphery dynamics, as well as legal regulations. We discuss key elements of TPA focusing on knowledge, democracy and cooperation between multiple stakeholders. By taking part in learning activities delivered by prominent experts in their respective fields, young public sector professionals are given a unique opportunity to develop their policy work and professional skills, consolidating their earlier experiences and developing critical reflection on those experiences.
What are the learning objectives?
Upon completing the module, the participants will be able:
- to demonstrate understanding of the specificities of TPA, in particular how it differs from local and national public administration;
- to communicate, reflect upon and critically evaluate the theoretical postulates of TPA from a multidisciplinary perspective.;
- to apply different organizational perspectives to appraise the internal dynamics that the introduction of a transnational dimension triggers in public organizations.
- to assess the ongoing processes in their home organization from a transnational perspective.
How is the module organized?
The module is organized in two broad themes each lasting one week. The first week covers the broader context of transnational public administration from a legal and political perspective, and the latter focuses on the organizational dynamics that the transnational dimension triggers in a public organization.
For further information about the module, contact project coordinator Jaakko Turunen, (Ph.D. Pol.Sci, Lecturer in Social Work).
How can you apply?
You can apply if you are:
- Citizen of and currently working in one of the selected countries
- Have good command of English language
- Have a relevant higher education (at least three years)
- 35 years or younger (born 1986- )
- Employed in one of the following groups:
- Public servants (non-political civil servants working at government agencies)
- Civil society workers (CSO/NGO employees)
- Policymakers (politicians, government officials, employees of political parties)
- Citizens of other countries in the regions who are currently employed in one of the participant countries may also apply but will not have priority in the selection of candidates.
- SAYP alumni may apply but do not have priority in the selection of candidates.
The application should contain the following documents:
(See instructions below)
The SI Academy for Young Professionals 2021
Eastern Partnership / Baltic Sea Region
In case you have IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge or any other internationally recognised certificate of your English proficiency, please include a copy of it. Otherwise, please ask your English language teacher or another professional who can evaluate and comment on your English language proficiency to assess your level of English according to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) on:
- Listening
- Reading
- Spoken Interaction
- Spoken Production
- Writing
- Any additional comments (optional)
As well as information about the person who carried out the assessment:
- Full Name and Work Title
- Organisation
- Phone Number
- Date and Place
- Signature
SI Academy for Young Professionals 2021
Examples of who can be your reference person
- Supervisor
- Employer/head/director
- Tutor/mentor
Examples of who cannot be referred to and used as reference person
- Family members/relatives
- Partners
- Friends
- Individuals who demand compensation (money, goods, favors, services or other means) from you in order to give you a statement of reference
Why do we require a reference person?
The referee is expected to state an opinion of the applicant from a professional perspective and thereby provide an important supplement to the letter of motivation and the curriculum vitae.
During the selection process, the reference person may be contacted by the Swedish Institute for additional information.
Restrictions
The letter of reference must be completed in English and cannot exceed two pages. Any additional pages will be disregarded. In order to be valid, the letter must be dated and signed.
The letter should preferably be completed by using the template provided by the Swedish Institute. If, however the referee chooses to write a freeform letter of reference, the details of the applicant as well as contact details for the referee must be provided. Furthermore, the referee is encouraged to answer the questions given in the form.
The completed letter of reference is then to be scanned to PDF format (please do not include this instructions page in the conversion) and enclosed along with your application. A letter that is not signed will be disregarded.
Background
Information regarding the SI Academy for Young Professionals (SAYP) can be found on our website.
What to include?
The letter of reference must be completed in English. The referee may decide on how to allocate text between the questions provided, given that the letter does not exceed two pages. Any additional page will be disregarded. The completed letter must be signed and converted into PDF format.
State the following:
- Applicant’s first and last name
- Applicant’s date of birth
- Applicant’s citizenship
- Full name of the reference person
- Title/position of the reference person
- Organisation of the reference person
- Email address of the reference person
- Telephone number of the reference person
- The capacity you know the applicant
Please, address the following questions in your reference.
- In your opinion, how would participation in the SI Academy for Young Professionals be valuable for the professional development of the applicant?
- Please evaluate the applicant’s leadership capacity and skills to contribute to development on behalf of your organisation.
- Please describe in what way your organisation would benefit if the applicant was accepted to the SI Academy for Young Professionals (if applicable)
- Additional remarks/comments (optional)
- Date and Place
- Signature of the Reference Person
Covid-19
Due to the development of the covid-19 pandemic it is unclear if the international travel restrictions will remain through the summer of 2021. Therefore, we still do not know if this SAYP module will take place on site in Stockholm, or if it will migrate to a digital format. As soon as we will know, hopefully by May 2021, participants will be provided with information regarding the finalized format of the course, a detailed plan for learning activities, and updates on accommodation and travel (in case the module can be arranged in Stockholm). For now, our main priority is the health and wellbeing of all participants and staff. We will keep you updated during the coming weeks.
Further information and contact
If you have questions about the module and the application process during an active call for applications, please contact project coordinator Jaakko Turunen.
With general questions about SAYP, please consult Swedish Institute, http://www.si.se/sayp.
Transnational Public Administration and Organising is funded by the Swedish Institute as a part of the SI Academy for Young Professionals (SAYP). SAYP is a training programme organised by Swedish universities and aimed at young policymakers, public servants and civil society actors from selected countries in the Baltic Sea Region, the EU’s Eastern Partnership and the Western Balkans. The purpose of the programme is to serve as a platform for sharing experience, building knowledge and networking around public governance issues. The programme is designed to strengthen participants’ ability to lead the change in their regions.