The execution of NISPAcee´s mission will be based on five fundamental functions:

1. Networking
2. Facilitating training and education
3. Fostering research
4. Developing consultancy
5. Supporting advocacy

Main objectives of the organisation are associated with these fundamental functions.


 Networking

NISPAcee will serve as a well-functioning forum for the exchange of ideas, skills, and relevant information. In doing so, it will act as an effective clearing house to assist, mediate and actively encourage member institutions in all activities conform with its mission. In particular it will:

•	improve co-operation between various schools and institutes of public administration throughout the region, and between individual educators, students and practitioners in the field
•	disseminate and encourage the utilisation of knowledge and practices developed by its members through co-operative efforts
•	strengthen various partnership patterns to meet both supra-regional (international, East-West), regional and sub-regional challenges
•	help schools and institutes within individual countries at institution building, especially foster establishment of associations in the field at the national level
•	use appropriate networking techniques such as web site, data sets made available to member institutions, newsletter, conferences and joint projects

 Facilitating Training and Education

NISPAcee will serve as an institutional basis facilitating training and education in public policy and administration. In particular it will:

•	strengthen individual schools and institutes of public administration education and training in Central and Eastern Europe by an assistance adjusted to individual needs
•	develop textbooks and other teaching materials adjusted to specific conditions of the region
•	make specific effort to assist developing the new MA and Ph.D. programs
•	initiate quality assessment procedures (including accreditation) in the region and assist in their preparation and implementation at national level
•	stimulate the engagement of young professionals in training and education by special promotion programmes
•	facilitate exchange teaching activities among member institutions

Fostering Research

NISPAcee will support the development of the genuine research capacities in the region. In particular it will:

•	help develop public administration theory, especially as it is able to respond to the region's transition toward fully democratic governance, the functioning of a market economy and preserving social cohesion
•	cultivate the skills of rigorous research methodology, including validity and reliability of applied research
•	establish and maintain its own permanent or occasional research working groups, related to common research interests amongst academics and practitioners active in the field of public administration in Central and Eastern Europe and other countries to investigate specific subjects and problems of interest and importance to member institutions
•	encourage comparative studies
•	regularly publish good quality occasional papers (with further prospect to establish a fully professional scientific journal)

  Developing Consultancy

NISPAcee will become a natural facilitator of implementation of theory and methodology into the practice of public administration. In particular it will:

•	facilitate the application of innovative ideas concerning administrative behaviour, specific technologies and regionally generated knowledge developed by member institutions in the regular operation of civil service
•	disseminate the information about "best practices" and most typical failures
•	elaborate the data base of regional experts in various fields of expertise

 Supporting Advocacy

NISPAcee will use its non-profit, neutral status and reputation to advocate the need of raising the quality of public administration in the region. In particular it will:

•	strengthen working contacts with supranational governance bodies, especially the European Union, the Council of Europe, the United Nations and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
•	act to facilitate links with individual Central and Eastern European national governments, especially by dissemination of NISPAcee products and by promoting public relations activities
•	help to organise standing discussions for dealing with the ongoing public administration reforms of top executives, scholars and teachers at regional, sub-regional, national and local level
•	develop its own Public Relations to strengthen the international as well as national awareness and recognition of NISPAcee within political and administrative circles

The above mentioned functions will be executed by efficient steering, co-ordinating and administrative activities of NISPAcee secretariat as well as member institutions.