Cooperation beyond Borders - Transnational Public Administration and Organizing (Baltic Sea Region/EU Eastern Partnership)

This module is funded by the Swedish Institute through the SI Academy for Young Professionals. The training programme aims to build new networks, knowledge and practices for increased transparency, efficiency and resilience in public administration among young professionals from different sectors in the Baltic Sea Region and Eastern partnership countries.

Deadline for applications: 5 April 2024, 23.59 CET

Swedish Institute Academy for Young Professionals (SAYP)

Welcome to the SAYP module in “Cooperation beyond Borders – Transnational Public Administration and Organizing” (TPAO), a training programme that provides the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in a context in which governance occurs at various levels and includes public administration, corporations, and civil society organisations across various national contexts.

This module is offered by the Academy of Public Administration at Södertörn University (Sweden) and is open to young professionals who already work transnationally or who plan to introduce a transnational dimension into their work.

The content and structure of the module is tailor-made to navigate the challenges and opportunities of policymaking and administration that transnational issues require. The module introduces participants to research and various TPAO practices from the Baltic Sea region and Eastern Partnership countries, training them to use this knowledge to examine their organisations in the transnational dimension of a relevant policy field, as well as initiating or developing their own transnational working skills.

Alumni about the module

“The TPAO module is engaging and well-structured. It provides knowledge and practical skills through interesting assignments in working groups.”

“We would totally recommend the course. Definitely read the literature in advance! Participate actively in the discussions. Enjoy :)”

“Definitely join it and try to get as much fun as you can from this project!”

“Apply! It will be beneficial for your professional development, it will help you to understand the concept of TPA and how we as young professionals can be more involved and better in TPA.”

Transnational public administration and organizing takes place at the level of state, regional or local public agencies and extends or must reckon with jurisdiction and practices from other countries. It is not limited to issues that transcend national borders, e.g., environment, communication, trade, but may include policy areas that are traditionally addressed nationally and locally, such as employment, education, healthcare and many more.

This module focuses on strengthening the capacity of young professionals in the Baltic Sea region and the EaP countries in meeting the challenges of transnational public administration by (1) getting acquainted with the broad spectrum of established practices of TPAO in Europe, (2) analysing these practices from the perspective of good governance, democracy and sustainable development, (3) reflecting on their own experiences with the help of relevant scientific literature, case-method exercises and innovative group projects, and (4) establishing contacts with young professionals from their own and other countries with a potential for future cooperation.

The module combines lectures, seminars, case-based exercises, project work and study visits. Building upon an interdisciplinary approach, instructors and students explore the foundations of TPAO through such themes as experimentalist governance, border dynamics, good governance, organisational resources, collaborative capabilities, reforms and more. We discuss key elements of TPAO, focusing on knowledge, democracy and cooperation between multiple stakeholders. By taking part in learning activities delivered by prominent experts in their respective fields, the participants are given a unique opportunity to develop their professional skills, systematising and critically reflecting on their experiences.

Upon completing the module, the participants will be able to:

·demonstrate understanding of the specifics of TPAO, in particular how it differs from local and national public administration;
communicate, reflect upon and critically evaluate the theoretical postulates of TPAO from a multidisciplinary perspective;
apply different organisational perspectives to appraise the internal dynamics that the introduction of a transnational dimension triggers in public organisations;
assess the ongoing processes in their home organization from a transnational perspective.

A detailed course syllabus and schedule will be provided upon admission to the module.

The module is open for applications from policymakers/politicians, public servants and representatives of civil society organizations and businesses at the age of 25 - 40 years (born 1984 - 1999).

Citizens or residents of Armenia, Belarus*, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Sweden and Ukraine are eligible, regardless of their current country of residence.

* It is not possible for public servants from Belarus to take part in SAYP online or in person.

More detailed information can be found on the Swedish Institute's webpage Länk till annan webbplats, öppnas i nytt fönster..

The module has three parts. The first part is online, where the module’s structure is presented in detail, participants get to know each other and are introduced to key topics that connect transnational public administration and organising to political processes and structures. The second part takes place off-line (in Stockholm, Sweden) and focuses on organisational dynamics in relation to transnational cooperation. We also visit/are visited by relevant Swedish and international organisations. During the third part, we meet online to conclude with the presentation of participants’ project work.

The schedule is as follows:

Online introduction: 23 May, 3-4 June 2024

Main programme in Stockholm: 13-23 August 2024 (incl. arrival/departure)

Online wrap-up: 8 November 2024

Participation is free of charge; meals, accommodation in shared rooms, and travel costs are covered by the organisers.

The language of instruction is English.

Active participation in all parts is required for the completion of the course.

This course can also be taken as a Master's level course worth 7.5 ECTS credits.

For further information about the module, please contact the project coordinator Zhanna Kravchenko, Associate Professor of Sociology, School of Social Sciences or project manager Petya Burneva, PhD in Business Administration.

To submit your application for TPAO, complete the form and append the necessary documentation.

Applications are accepted until 5 April 2024 (23.59 CET).

Go to application

Your application must contain the following documents, all of which can be downloaded under "Documents" below.

Motivation letter: Make sure to read the questions thoroughly and be specific and personal in your reasoning. If you are applying for more than one module, please remember that you must send a separate motivation letter for each one

Curriculum Vitae (CV) in the Europass format of maximum 3 pages.

Letter of Reference. Remember that a letter of reference that is not signed is NOT valid. Only one letter of reference is required.
English language certificate. To participate in SAYP 2024 we will require at least English 6 or Independent User B2 (in average) according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. This must be verified in one out of three ways mentioned here:

Any formal certificate that can prove level of English. It should include contact details to certifying authority.
A diploma of completed BA/BSc, MSc or PhD degree in English.
If you do not have an English language certificate, please use the provided template for English language certificate. An English language teacher or other professional who has studied English language (higher education) may evaluate your language proficiency and sign the template.