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Description
The project focuses on good governance, accountable institutions and transparency, capacity building on the Ukrainian side as well as specific areas of business infrastructure development, and the vision of socially coherent and environmentally and climate-friendly cities. In cooperation with the Centre of Social and Psychological Sciences of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, the project activities will support analytical capacities, document best practices, and transfer knowledge from theory to practice, which will be beneficial to and applied by the project partners in Slovakia and Ukraine. The aim of the project is to achieve increased integrity and accountability of public administrations in Slovakia and Ukraine, the development of cross-border institutional cooperation, the promotion and creation of new networks and partnerships aimed at the rapprochement of Ukraine to Europe and to establish long-term and sustainable cooperation between public institutions, especially in the affected regions of Slovakia and Ukraine. Moreover, through cooperation in specific areas of business infrastructure development and pursuing the vision of socially coherent and environmentally and climate-friendly cities, we will focus on capacity building and support for long-term sustainable urban development. The following activities are planned: to develop cross-border institutional cooperation between public institutions in the area of good governance, to raise awareness and build capacities at Slovak and Ukrainian public institutions, to improve the awareness of Uzhhorod and Kharkiv public servants in Ukraine about the transparency of public administration, good governance, to transfer knowledge and exchange experience in terms of climate and environmental policies, to transfer knowledge and exchange experience in the field of social economy. Bilateral cooperation: The involvement of the Norwegian partner will help to transfer best practices from the field of regional cooperation.
Summary of project results
The City of Košice, with its partners from Slovakia and the Kingdom of Norway, intensified institutional cross-border cooperation with Ukraine through the submitted project. Through the project activities project partners improved the awareness of Uzhhorod and Kharkiv public servants in Ukraine about the transparency of public administration, good governance, as well as achieved transfer of the experience of partners from Slovakia and Norway and formulated recommendations of using the project partners'' best practices in Ukraine.
One of the topics the project addressed was highlighting the importance of the social and green elements in entrepreneurship for the management of the city and to support participating cities to strengthen the roles of the socially and environmentally responsible business also via their inclusion in the city''s strategic documents (action plans), also with a view to meeting the objectives of Agenda 2030 and achieving climate neutrality.
The project was based on the existing twinning cooperation between Košice and Uzhhorod, to which initiatives in the area of governance, transparency and improvement of the integrity of public administration was added, also through sharing, transfer of knowledge, experience and best practices of the Norwegian partner - NORCE (Norwegian Research Centre). New cooperation and partnership worked out with another Ukrainian partner - the city of Kharkiv. For the from eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, it was an extraordinary opportunity to participate in an international project - in the joint project activities and the mutual exchange of experience with cities and institutions from the European Union and the Kingdom of Norway.
The project aimed to strengthen cross-border cooperation, transparency, and sustainability among public administration institutions in Slovakia, Ukraine, and Norway. Through networking, workshops, and internships, participants exchanged experiences and best practices in areas such as transparent governance, effective EU fund utilization, and crisis management. Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the project adapted by conducting activities online and allocating saved funds to humanitarian aid.
Key outcomes included the establishment of action plans for Košice, Kharkiv, and Uzhhorod, tailored to promote green and social innovations. The publication "A Dozen Examples of Good Practice" compiled successful case studies to inspire other cities. Two studies were also produced: one on integrating green and social innovations into local governance and another on collaboration between local governments and social economy actors during crises.
Additionally, the project improved citizen engagement by establishing first-contact offices in Košice and introducing a digital call system. In Kharkiv, an NGO "Ukrainian-Slovak House" was created to foster cooperation, with a counterpart NGO established in Slovakia due to the war. Workshops further enhanced participants’ knowledge of EU cooperation and funding opportunities, promoting future joint initiatives and partnerships.
The project produced several key outputs, particularly benefiting Ukrainian partners. A series of workshops and meetings focused on enhancing transparency in public administration, sharing best practices, and improving skills in good governance. These activities resulted in reports, presentations, and recommendations for implementing transparency in public procurement, information disclosure, and citizen engagement. Notable examples of good practices included free access to information, transparent public procurement processes, publication of contracts and orders, and promoting citizen participation in strategic planning.
The project facilitated mutual learning on incorporating green and social principles into local entrepreneurship, resulting in action plans aimed at advancing carbon neutrality and social cohesion in the participating cities. Among the key outputs were 25 examples of good practices, which formed the basis for the publication of the booklet "A Dozen Examples of Good Practice in Social and Green Entrepreneurship". Furthermore, studies were conducted on green agreements and collaboration between local governments and social economy actors. A strategic document titled "Framework for Combating Climate Change and Sustainable Energy in Košice" was also developed and is accessible online.
The project improved citizen engagement in Košice through the establishment of five first-contact offices equipped with new technology, including an electronic call system. An NGO, Ukrainian-Slovak House, was also created to foster cooperation between Kharkiv, Slovakia, and other regions, though its activities were limited due to the war. In response, the Centre for Central European Cooperation was established in Slovakia to continue the efforts.
Despite challenges posed by the war in Ukraine, which disrupted many project plans, the initiative successfully delivered tools, strategies, and examples to improve governance, transparency, and sustainability, while also addressing urgent humanitarian needs.
Summary of bilateral results
To have NORCE as a project partner was highly beneficial in many ways. Collaborating with professionals and experts in the project’s focus area allowed for effective supervision of activities, meaningful contributions to project efforts, and valuable insights into the situation in Norway. It provided an excellent opportunity to exchange experiences and knowledge, fostering mutual learning between all participants. Their involvement in project workshops and outputs added significant value to the overall initiative. Additionally, this collaboration opened the door to the possibility of future cooperation, strengthening the foundation for continued partnership.