European Centre for Government Transformation (in cooperation with the Lisbon Council and Accenture)
Accenture, the Lisbon Council and the College of Europe have established a specialised centre called the European Centre for Government Transformation, previously known as Government of the Future Centre . In the face of immense pressure on public finances and increased demand for public services, the European Centre for Government Transformation provides innovative ideas, best practices and actionable solutions to EU institutions as well as national, regional and local governments on key areas of public sector reform. It comprises a powerful community (including a network of senior-level public service officials), pioneering events, groundbreaking research and tough leadership aimed at facilitating the sharing of leading practices.
Official launch of the "Government of the Future" Centre - October 2009The students’ state transformation case studies : tomorrow’s leaders examine today’s challenges
Students of the Department of European Political and Administrative Studies of the College of Europe are selected to take part in state transformation case studies. In small multinational teams, they assess the performance of selected public service agencies in Europe, evaluate their challenges, and formulate recommendations on the basis of best practices. After about 6 months of work, including a 2-3 days site visit in the public agency, the students produce final deliverables in the form of an oral presentation (Jury meeting) and a written report, which are evaluated by a high-level jury.
In 2012-2013, the case study topics and clients included:
- Social Media in the Labour Market : Pôle Emploi, Paris, France
- Economic Growth and Innovation: Region Southern Denmark, Denmark
- Productivity of the Labour Force in the Justice sector: Prosecutors’ Office, Spain
I was excited about joining the Government of the Future Centre project since day one, not only because of the opportunity of working and liaising with Accenture and the Lisbon Council, but also because I wanted to work in and learn about a sector in which I am quite interested – health. For eight months, my team has worked closely – including two site trips - with our designated institution, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, to deliver a final report. In the end, despite all the extra hard work and the hours spent in team meetings, it paid off: not only have we learned a lot about the current status of health in the EU, but we were also given the chance to work with extremely interesting and intelligent people within Accenture, the Lisbon Council and HCB. It was definitely a great experience. Or, to paraphrase Accenture: Learning. Working hard. Having fun. Delivered. - João SOARES DA SILVA from Portugal, Health Team, Spain, 2009-2010
ECGT Project provides a complete insight into public sector consultancy. During our mission on the reform of labour policies in Italy we had the opportunity to meet high level officers from the Italian Social Security Institute. With the guidance of Accenture consultants we developed a benchmark to identify the best practices from the different Member States in order to deliver a set of recommendations meeting their needs. I would highlight the ECGT Project a team experience. Working hand in hand with four colleagues during the whole academic year creates an enriching dynamic where each member of the group benefits from others’ background and expertise. - Gonzalo HERRERA DOMINGUEZ from Spain, Employment Team, Italy, 2010-2011
ECGT was one of the highlights of my year at the College. It is not a secret that ECGT added an extra workload to our already busy academic schedules but I can only recommend it to you! The project gave us a good insight to consultancy work and a chance to work on a project that really mattered – improving the breast cancer programme in one of the biggest regions in Spain. Coming from a more foreign policy background this was all very new to me and I gained lots of skills that I consider useful for any career prospects. Plus we had a great team and lots of fun together! - Outi NIEMINEN from Finland, Health Team, Spain, 2011-2012
The ECGT project is a great opportunity to be immersed in a diverse and professional environment, dealing with complex issues and working under demanding schedules. Balancing this with my studies really helped to prepare me for the transition into my current role in a Public Affairs Consultancy. The ECGT project is unique in that you work in a multi-cultural and multi-lingual team on real projects that allow you to use your experiences and insight to add genuine value to the project. The highlight for me was presenting the project at the annual European summit for Government Transformation, and hearing that the majority of our recommendations would be taken on board by our client. - Louise DAY from the United Kingdom, State Reform Team, France, 2011-2012
