Overview of the practice of training civil servants in post-Soviet countries in the context of digitalization
| Published date | 01 October 2024 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/01447394231223054 |
| Author | Bannykh G,Kostina S,Zaitseva E |
| Date | 01 October 2024 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
Teaching Public Administration
2024, Vol. 42(3) 308–330
© The Author(s) 2023
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DOI: 10.1177/01447394231223054
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Overview of the practice of
training civil servants in
post-Soviet countries in the
context of digitalization
Bannykh G, Kostina S and Zaitseva E
Ural Federal University, Russia
Abstract
Modern conditions of public administration are formed in the BANI world (Grabmeier,
2020), unstable, disturbing, uniquely technological and digital. How many of today’s civil
servants are capable of functioning in such a world through current training and pro-
fessional development systems? This issue is particularly relevant for post-Soviet
countries, as most of them belong to emerging economies that are still shaping their
own unique public administration system. The article is aimed at studying the practice of
professional development of civil servants within the framework of additional education
in post-Soviet countries in the context of digitalisation. According to the study, it is clear
that the Soviet model of supplementary education for civil servants is still valid, with
minor differences in the countries studied. This model is characterised by a cent ralised
organisation of training of civil servants within the framework of specially created
structures (public service academies). With the transition to digital learning, countries are
differentiated by the pace and level of transition to distance and e-learning for public
servants.
Keywords
Civil servants, additional education programs, vocational training, elearning, public
administration, digitalisation
Corresponding author:
Bannykh G, Candidate of Sociological Sciences, Head of the Educational Program “State and Municipal
Administration”, Ural Federal University, Yekaterinburg, Mira str.19, Russia.
Email: g.a.bannykh@urfu.ru
Introduction
In public administration as a field of training, the focus of education shifts in response to
evolving knowledge, needs and interests (see Guy, Mastracci, 2023,Farrell et al., 2022;
Haruna, 2022;McDonald, 2021). The shift in focus and major trends are discussed
annually at academic and practical conferences, such as the SPAE Conference on Public
Administration Education (TPAC), ASPA, EGPA and NISPAcee conferences.
The attainment of independence by the countries of the former USSR in the 1990s
made it necessary to reform their civil service systems. However, this process over the
past 30 years has resulted in fifteen post-Soviet countries achieving surprisingly different
results in public service reform. This diversity in transformation processes can be at-
tributed to historical and cultural traditions and the inherited Soviet legacy, as well as the
influence of the political will of the ruling elites, which has influenced the socio-economic
and governance models adopted by these countries (Baimenov, Liverakos 2022).
In the 21st century, the widespread adoption of the Internet and information tech-
nology, alongside increasing demands from citizens, has facilitated the modernization of
civil service systems and the professional development of employees (Baimenov,
Janenova. 2019). The digitalization of public administration has gained popularity as
a means to enhance the delivery and production of public services, diminish corrup tion,
and augment transparency in government operations (Balzer et al. 2020;Mouna et al.,
2020;Androniceanu et al., 2022). In 2010, the European Union (EU) proposed digital
transformation in all EU member states for the purpose of overcoming inefficiencies and
enhance the transparency in public administration.
1
Yet, little consensus exists among
researchers and practitioners on how to effectively digitalize public administration. In a
broad sense, digitalization refers to the “multidimensional organizational and techno-
logical process of mass application of new digital technologies in production and
management to reduce costs and increase the speed of business processes”, that is going
digital does not mean buying a few computers or designing a Web site to display in-
formation, but transforming the fundamental relationship that exists between the gov-
ernment and the general public (Gascó, 2003). In certain countries, like Great Britain, the
concept of digitalization includes a fundamental reconfiguration of internal processes of
public administration.
2
Meanwhile, in other countries, such as Russia, it is only applicable
to the realm of public services.
3
Thus, the decision of the Supreme Eurasian Economic
Council on the Main Directions of the Implementation of the Digital Agenda of the
Eurasian Economic Union until 2025 defines digital transformation as a qualitative and
revolutionary change that encompasses not only specific digital transformations, but also
fundamental changes to the economy’s structure.
4
These changes include the transfer of
value-added centers to the sphere of constructing digital resources and end-to-end digital
processes. The main directions of digitalization of public administration are considered:
the process of providing public services, smart technologies of management, digital
interaction of citizens and the state, public participation in public decision-making,
improvement of the regulatory legal environment for the introduction and use of digital
technologies, cybersecurity, human resources, formation of infrastructure for the use of
digital platforms, systems, services in public administration, etc.
G et al. 309
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