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LITHUANIA |
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LITHUANIA |
RESEARCH
Almost all public administration research is conducted by institutions of higher education, in the department responsible for operating public administration degree programmes. However, research in public administration is in the initial phase of development.
The majority of PA research projects are related to the issues raised by public administration reforms and training officials in order to improve the quality of their work. This is often connected with the European Union’s PHARE programs in Lithuania.
KTU’s PA research is conducted by the Department of Public Administration and by the department’s Municipal Training Centre. From 1995 to 1998, twenty research projects were undertaken, with the Ministry of Management Reforms and Local Government Affairs commissioning the majority. Several projects were executed while participating in international programmes such as: PHARE, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), among others. In 1995, for example, an “Analysis of the Structure and Functions of the Administration of Kaunas and Recommendations for its Restructuring” project was conducted; in 1996, research related to "Environmental Policy and Economic Reforms in Central and Eastern Europe” project was supported by USAID and the Harvard Institute of International Development. Also in 1996, an analysis of training needs was performed in eight Lithuanian cities, with the support of USAID. At present, research on the effectiveness of government institutions is being carried out by Prof. E. Jasaitis, Prof. V. Domarkas, Assoc. Prof. R. Malkevicius, Assoc. Prof. A. Raipa and others according to KTU’s research plans. In 2000, the Institute of Politics and Public Administration will begin several research projects analysing social changes, including public administration as part of Lithuania’s preparation to join the European Union.
The European and comparative dimension is the primary research focus executed by KTU, within the framework of multiple PHARE programmes. In 1998, for example, research on the institutional and pedagogical potential for improving the professional skills of Lithuanian officials was executed as ordered by PHARE. As a result of this research and considering the experience of European countries, suggestions were made on improving the training system. Staff of the Department of Public Administration also conducted comparative research on higher education management, which was used in implementing the PHARE Higher Education Reform Programme (1997-1999) and preparing the Law on Higher Education. Prof. E. Jasaitis, Prof. V. Domarkas and other staff from the department actively participate in these programmes.
Vilnius University’s Institute of Politics and International Relations conducts research mainly focused on analysing the activities of central government institutions and problems that appear when implementing PA reform in Lithuania. For example, as ordered by the Ministry of Management Reforms and Local Government Affairs, this institute carried out research on the "Change of State Institutions from 1990 to 1997," and, in academic year 1996/1997, conducted research on “Structures of the Ministries of the Republic of Lithuania,” with the support of Oslo University, Norway. In cooperation with the Centre of Studies of European Integration, the institute took part in a joint research project, “Lithuanian Integration into the EU: 1997-2000,” and prepared a study entitled “Lithuanian Integration into the EU: Situation, Strategy, and Consequences.”
LTA’s Faculty of Governance is in its first year and has just started public administration research. At present, the “Solutions to Problems in Public Administration, Legal Regulation, and Information Society Development" project is underway. In academic year 1999/2000, a research project will be undertaken while implementing the PHARE TEMPUS programme “Training Officials for Legal System Reform.”
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