CAF Practitioners Network
CAF Snowball Effect on Organizational Improvements – Insights into the change journey with CAF in the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Slovenia
14th of October 2024 (online)
CAF stands for Common Assessment Framework and provides a system for better Quality and Change in Public Administrations. With the CAF Practitioners Network the CAF Centre of KDZ hosts a format to bring together CAF users from around the world to exchange professional experience and strengthening practical knowledge in implementing CAF projects.
Target Group
Public servants working in the field of public administration reform, change management, quality management, consultants, trainer and coaches etc. who want to boost their knowledge and hands-on approach in implementing CAF projects.
Objectives
• Setting the scene for international exchange of experts implementing CAF programs
• Providing hands-on knowledge in fast-lane online-sessions (all two months)
• Sharing experiences and good practices for effective change programs with the CAF
• Boosting and further development of common practices in implementing CAF programs and Professional External Feedback Procedures (PEF)
• Offering workshop designs and methodologies for CAF implementation
Content
In the upcoming meeting on 14th of October 2024, 2-3:30 p.m. (CET) the change journey of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation (hereon MHESI) of the Republic of Slovenia will be presented.
MHESI began operating as a legally independent entity in April 2023. The legal successor to the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport (MESS) is the Ministry of Education (MVI), from which the field of higher education and science was separated in April 2023.
MESS conducted its first self-assessment using the CAF method in 2017. At the end of 2019, the second self-assessment was conducted, and the adopted action plan was fully implemented. In 2021, we underwent an external evaluation and became the first ministry in Slovenia to receive the "Successful CAF User ECU Label" recognition When receiving the ECU Label, it became evident that communication of the project and its outcomes was rated the lowest. In response, we prepared a new communication plan.
The new CAF 2024 working group, composed of representatives from various internal organizational units of the ministry, began its work before the summer and is now
approaching the completion of the project. This time, we focused on evaluating progress over time compared to previous assessments, with particular emphasis on the changes following the reorganization, as well as the innovations and established processes since the creation of our new ministry. The self-assessment was conducted with the support and sponsorship of the management. An important starting point and the “red thread” of the self-evaluation, particularly regarding the measures incorporated in the action plan, were three strategic themes that were established in collaboration with the minister at the outset.
Although we began operating as a new ministry with limited resources, the selfassessment by the group members resulted in higher scores than in both previous assessments.
Ksenja Hauptman, the representative for quality management, and her deputy, Mateja Berčan, will share their experiences with CAF implementation and ECU certification. They will discuss how they successfully anchored long-lasting changes within the organization by focusing on establishing a functional management system based on employee engagement and information accessibility.
Gain practical, hands-on insights into the following topics:
• How to implement the CAF Quality Framework in a whole ministry?
• What worked well in the CAF self-assessment – and what did not?
• Which CAF outcomes have been achieved so far?
• How MHESI “drives the change” and ensures a smooth implementation of CAF actions?
• Why was setting strategic targets crucial for the project?
• How the strategic targets could be made operational with the CAF implementation?
• What tools did we use for internal & external communication?
Mag. Ksenja Hauptman, Secretary, Representative for Quality Management, Head of CAF project
Fields of expertise: Quality ad Business Excellence Management: CAF (Common Assessment Framework), EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management), Process Modeling, Research Studies (Internal and External customers), Human Resources Development, Qualitative and Quantitative Marketing Research, International Benchmarking, Mission Development, Training
Dr. Mateja Berčan
Undersecretary, Representative for Quality Management, Deputy to the Head of CAF project
Fields of expertise: Quality Management – Common Assessment Framework (CAF), management of projects financed from European Coheion Policy
Value
Philip Parzer Head of CAF Centre @KDZ
Fields of expertise: Strategy and mission development, Quality Management – Common Assessment Framework (CAF), Organizational development and change projects, Intermunicipal cooperation and merger projects, Management training and coaching.
Thomas
Prorok
Managing Director @KDZ
Fields of expertise: Common Assessment Framework (CAF), Quality Management, Effective Governance and Organizational Development, Public administration reform and decentralization, European integration, local and regional governments and associations, Open government (Data) and citizen participation
Learning from each other,growing together, bringingthe internationalCAF Practitioners closer and detecting possibilities for future collaboration.
Registration for CAF Practitioners Network
• The CAF Practitioners network is free of charge –entry to the program is possible at any time
• For registration click here or scan QR-code.
