Scientific Herald: Public Administration

MECHANISMS OF DIGITAL AUDIT AND ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION QUALITY: MANAGEMENT ASPECTS

Мykhailo BACHYNSKY — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0300

The article investigates the mechanisms of digital audit and quality assessment in education within the context of public governance, which allows for a systematic approach to analyzing the effectiveness of educational processes, transparency in managerial decision-making, and strategic planning at all levels of administration. The structural components of the digital audit mechanism are examined, including the regulatory framework, institutional components, information-analytical and technological tools, as well as communication mechanisms to ensure accountability and transparency of results. The process block of the model includes stages of data collection, verification, analytical processing, and the formation of managerial decisions, which enhances the timeliness and reliability of information for administrators and allows for the prompt adjustment of educational strategies and resources. The managerial aspects of digital audit implementation are analyzed separately, particularly the role of administrators in shifting from inspection-based control to analytics and coordination, the risks and barriers associated with algorithmic distortions, cybersecurity, insufficient digital competence, and resistance to change, as well as opportunities for effective strategic planning and resource optimization. The author’s model of digital audit illustrates the interconnection between subjects, processes, tools, and outcomes, emphasizing the mechanism for data integration and updating within the national quality assurance system, which contributes to increasing transparency, analytical capacity, and accountability in managerial decision-making. The directions for improving the mechanism are identified, including the standardization of indicators and assessment algorithms, the development of digital competence among administrators and educators, ensuring transparency and open data, institutional coordination, and the transition to a preventive model of quality management, as well as the establishment of a unified approach to integrating internal and external processes within the public governance system of education.

MOTIVATION AND RETENTION OF PERSONNEL IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION OF EDUCATION: SECURITY-ENVIRONMENT CHALLENGES AND HR SOLUTIONS

Hanna KUZMENKO — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0300

The article substantiates that, under prolonged security threats and resource instability, motivation and retention of personnel in public administration of education become a key prerequisite for the continuity of educational services and the resilience of institutions. Based on the analysis of national analytical materials on the organisation of learning in 2022–2024 and a synthesis of approaches to human resource management in the public service, the main drivers of staff losses are identified: workload intensification and multitasking; the combination of managerial and crisis-response functions; rising digital and security requirements; shortages of equipment and connectivity; emotional exhaustion; and deficits in organisational support and procedural fairness. It is emphasised that the interaction of these factors creates a “cumulative risk effect” for staff turnover: even moderate resource constraints, when prolonged, lead to demotivation, reduced productivity and a loss of continuity in managerial practices. It is further highlighted that effective retention depends on the institutionalisation of fair performance appraisal practices, accessible training, psychological support and managed communications that reduce organisational uncertainty in crisis conditions. The practical value of the results lies in the development of an applied framework for education authorities that enables a shift from ad hoc responses to systematic personnel retention in a securityvulnerable environment, relying on measurable indicators of workload, turnover, resource availability and the effectiveness of implemented measures. Finally, the article notes that HR solutions in education governance should be treated as part of risk management and business continuity: retaining key specialists ensures the preservation of institutional memory, the stability of managerial processes and the ability to promptly restore operations after disruptions caused by security threats or resource failures. In this context, emphasis is placed on aligning HR policy with the requirements of the regulatory environment and crisis-management practices: clear role allocation, scenario-based planning, backup of critical functions, and the use of HR analytics for early detection of “pressure points” (overload, declining engagement, increasing resignation risk) strengthen system manageability and make it possible to adjust interventions in a timely manner without allowing the situation to escalate to the loss of the core workforce.

FUNCTIONS OF THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM FOR ENSURING NATIONAL SECURITY IN THE CONDITIONS OF CRISIS CONTEXT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Adam MARTYNIUK — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0300

In the context of the spread of multifactor threats (hybrid, cyber, information, economic and technological), public administration acquires the status of a system-forming element of ensuring national security. It is shown that it performs not only an executive or instrumental function, but acts as an integration platform capable of ensuring the coherence of state policy and the adaptability of management decisions. It is proven that the effectiveness of the response requires a transition from fragmentary management actions to complex, dynamic and interconnected models of governance. The interaction of such basic components as systematicity, purposefulness and integration of legal and political mechanisms that determine the conceptual content of public administration in the field of national security is analyzed. It is shown that public administration in scientific discourse is considered as a multi-vector activity of subjects of power, aimed at ensuring the protection of strategically important interests of the state and society. It is generalized that such activity includes not only policy development, but also the creation of regulatory frameworks, organizational coordination and the formation of a stable management architecture. It is determined that the mechanisms of public administration in the field of national security are multidimensional, complex in nature and include regulatory, organizational, institutional, resource, analytical and communication tools. It is emphasized that the dynamism of modern threats necessitates the transition from rigid regulatory models to adaptive systems based on the principles of risk-orientation, proactive response and system integration. It is proven that such an approach provides greater stability and flexibility of public administration. The conclusion is drawn about the need to synthesize elements of domestic and Western management schools. It is shown that the systematicity and normative certainty traditional for the Ukrainian management model should be combined with innovation and flexibility.

SECURITY MECHANISM OF CIVIL PROTECTION: WORLD EXPERIENCE IN THE CONDITIONS OF INCREASING SECURITY CHALLENGES (TOOLS, APPROACHES, INFRASTRUCTURE)

Roman POKHYLYUK, Inna CHERNENKO — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0300

Currently, discrepancies have been identified in the practice of government bodies and civil defense forces in Ukraine, namely: the level of threats to the safe life of the population is increasing due to the emergence of emergencies of a technogenic, natural, social and military nature, an increase in their number, complexity of impact and speed of development, in particular those related to fires in buildings and structures of various purposes, large-scale fires in natural ecosystems, deterioration of the technical condition of industrial and infrastructure facilities, which leads to negative consequences for the environment, the emergence of risks to the life and health of the country’s population and generally significantly affects the state of its security; the intensity of the emergence and development of emergencies is increasing due to the complex multifactorial impact of technogenic, natural, social and military factors on the safe life of the population, which is carried out in conditions of uncertainty and suddenness of their onset. Decision-making and implementation are the most complex processes of management activity, in which the leader, members of the staff and members of other management bodies are required to have competence, high operational training, knowledge and skills in using technology, the ability to set goals and achieve them, and take responsibility. Decisions in emergency situations are made in various operational situations, including crisis situations, and in extremely limited time. However, they must be made in a timely manner, be as well-founded as possible and ensure the most complete and effective use of available opportunities. This requires a clear understanding by the leadership of the goals and objectives of the operation, a comprehensive and objective assessment of the situation, and competence. Speaking about decision-making, one should keep in mind the following initial components of this complex process: collection and preparation of initial data, construction of a model of the development of an emergency, formulation (adoption) of decisions by the manager, specification and detailing of the decision in the operation plan, bringing this decision to the executors, as well as organization, operational management and control over its implementation. Centralized management allows management to coordinate the activities of executors in strategic situational zones in a short time and in the best way, effectively use equipment and limited resources, quickly transfer efforts from one direction to another, control any issue and, if necessary, take on any initiative in management. At the same time, the management of strategic situational zones should be given a wide opportunity to demonstrate initiative and creativity in solving the tasks set.

CONCEPTS AND MODELS OF MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCE PROVISION OF TERRITORIES’ DEVELOPMENT: PUBLIC-MANAGEMENT ASPECT

Vasyl PRODANYK — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0300

Today, modern Ukrainian science and practice of public management and administration are only beginning to form approaches and individually apply individual instruments of regional and local initiative, which take into account the solution of multipolar tasks – ensuring social stability and attracting resources to the regions. The author notes that local self-government faces a large number of complex, acute problems that depend on the real formation and functioning of local self-government. Solving all current problems requires significant management resources. This leads to the accumulation of problems, the basis for qualitative transformations is not created, and the competitive advantages of territories and individual bodies of regional and local self-government are lost. In such a situation, when local executive bodies and local self-government bodies independently make decisions on management, the development of territories becomes primarily a matter of the territorial community itself. This determines the need and prospects for the introduction of effective strategic planning at the level of territorial communities. In the theories of public management, the strengthening of the role of the state in development is clearly traced: from minimal interventions in the initial period (market school), to active participation and influence at the following stages (conductor direction). Therefore, at the initial stage of reform and, as a result, the strengthening of regionalism, special attention is paid to the economic activities of entities at the micro level, and later – the influence of various instruments of state influence on the single economy, the development of processes in the state. Another important conclusion for Ukraine from foreign experience in providing resources is the introduction of «smart specialization» as the main method of updating the economic policy of small EU countries, taking into account their relative advantages. This creates a real strategic and even ideological challenge to urgently review the value orientations of the national and local economy. It is determined that profound market changes in the national economy require constant reform (modernization) of systems, mechanisms, and instruments of public management and administration, in order to ensure socio-economic, scientific and technological formation and implementation of targeted, active state policy, especially in the field of decentralization and inter-sectoral partnership, which has become a certain pillar of local development in Ukraine, has become a regularity in overcoming negative phenomena in the economies of different countries.

TRANSFORMATION OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION MECHANISMS IN THE SYSTEM OF BUILDING NATIONAL RESILIENCE: ADAPTATION TO MODERN SECURITY CHALLENGES

Mykola RUSYNIUK — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0300

The article is devoted to the theoretical substantiation and systematization of public administration mechanisms in the field of building national resilience, determining the main directions of their transformation in the context of modern security challenges to increase the adaptability of state and public institutions. An analysis of public administration mechanisms is carried out for further conceptualization of public administration. It is argued that public administration mechanisms are oriented towards the functioning of the power hierarchy, while public administration extends these functions to a wide social environment, which is vital for the formation of national resilience in the context of modern security challenges. Theoretical approaches to revealing the nature of public administration mechanisms are investigated and the procedural contour of these mechanisms is revealed, which determines the transition of the management system from the current state to the expected (forecasted) resilience. The emphasis is on the functional purpose of these mechanisms. The definition of public administration mechanisms in the field of building national resilience is substantiated. A comparative retrospective of the transformation of public administration mechanisms in the field of national resilience is proposed, due to the transition from a hierarchical approach to a network-oriented paradigm. The priority tasks of public administration in the field of national resilience development are identified: strategic forecasting and monitoring; improvement of legislation; ensuring sustainable vital activity of critical infrastructure; coordination of inter-sectoral interaction; leveling of destructive information influences; formation of strategic reserves and resource autonomy; operational recovery. National resilience mechanisms are differentiated according to their functional content, direction of influence and level of management vertical. An optimal classification structure of public administration mechanisms in the field of national resilience development is proposed.

GENDER DIMENSIONS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT

Kateryna SEMENENKO — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0300

The article is devoted to a comprehensive study of the mechanisms for ensuring gender equality and overcoming gender discrimination within the system of public administration and local self-government in Ukraine. The paper analyzes the current state and prospects of gender policy implementation, covering legislative, social, and economic aspects. Particular attention is paid to the transformation of gender approaches in the context of the full-scale Russian invasion, where equality issues have become a tool for crisis response and a foundation for future reconstruction. Based on the “Global Gender Gap Report 2025” data, where Ukraine ranked 62nd, the dynamics of closing gender gaps and the war’s impact on these processes are highlighted. The article provides a critical analysis of the effectiveness of gender quotas in electoral processes, specifically the implementation of the 40% quota under the Electoral Code. The phenomena of the “glass ceiling” and vertical segregation are investigated: it was found that despite the general dominance of women in the civil service, their share in Category “A” positions is only 26%, and in parliament–21%. The practical value of the study is supported by an analysis of women’s representation in the authorities of the Kyiv region, based on which the “Gender Portrait of the Region” infographic was developed. The necessity of using modern tools, such as gender audits and gender community profiles, to form inclusive recovery plans is substantiated. The author argues that the parity participation of women in politics and negotiations is a strategic requirement for improving administrative efficiency and achieving sustainable peace.

INSTITUTIONAL SUSTAINABILITY OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF BUILDING NATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY: SECURITY CONTEXT

Inna SEMENETS-ORLOVA — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0300

Over the past decade, public sector institutions and organizations have faced a number of crises and challenges (increasing security challenges, diversification of hybrid threats, economic and financial crises). The subject of scientific analysis is the factor of both national stability in general and the stability of regions (oblasts), the stability of territories (several communities), and the stability of individual communities. A number of recent studies also appeal to the organizational stability of individual public sector institutions and organizations. Therefore, the subject of scientific discussions has become the problematic aspects of a number of organizational development factors, with the help of which state and non-state organizations cope with challenges and remain able to increase organizational stability, which becomes a component of national stability. The definition of the concept of “national resilience” and the components included in its integrated content in their interdependence (synergies) were analyzed, in particular: readiness for challenges, adaptation, flexibility, stakeholder engagement, knowledge and information exchange. National resilience is a complex integrated concept, therefore there are a large number of different approaches to interpreting the content of this concept. Strengthening governance structures is the most effective tool for increasing national resilience. In combination with targeted efforts to strengthen each of the interconnected operational dimensions of the content of the concept of “national resilience” in the context of modern security threats, the activities of public sector institutions and organizations can lead to systemic, sustainable improvements in resilience potential, supporting national security, social stability and long-term development. An important problematic aspect is the issue of respecting human rights in the context of national security. Compliance with human and civil rights in Ukraine is based on relevant international legal acts, however, the legal regime of martial law necessitates certain restrictions (in terms of border crossing, movement).

COMMUNICATION IN THE EMPLOYMENT OF VETERANS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE: SUPPORTING VETERANS IN THE CONTEXT OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFORM AND EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

Volodymyr SERVETNYK — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0300

The article examines how government communication can serve as a practical public policy tool to increase veterans’ participation and improve their performance in competitive recruitment for public service positions without undermining competition, meritocracy, equal access, or non-discrimination. The relevance of the study is driven by the growing number of veterans after 2022 and the need for their effective professional reintegration alongside the restoration and modernization of civil service recruitment within Ukraine’s public administration reform and EU integration agenda. In this context, the quality of government communication determines whether recruitment rules are clear to applicants, applied consistently across institutions, and capable of appropriately interpreting military experience within civilian competency frameworks. The theoretical and methodological basis of the study combines the principles of public administration as a benchmark for a professional civil service; policy analysis, which treats communication as a policy instrument with measurable outcomes; and a network governance approach that highlights coordinated interaction among the Ministry for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service, HR units, local authorities, civil society organizations, and international partners. The empirical analysis draws on a comparison of practices in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, focusing not on preferential treatment itself but on how communication reduces information barriers, standardizes rules, and supports transparent implementation of existing procedures. The findings show that in the United States effectiveness is achieved through standardized guidance, clear instructions, and consistent interpretation of procedures, which reduce technical application errors and increase predictability for candidates and HR professionals. In the United Kingdom, the guaranteed interview scheme for veterans who meet minimum requirements lowers the initial access barrier while preserving competency-based selection. The Canadian experience highlights the importance of data reliability and institutional oversight, as fairness in recruitment depends on accurate status verification, clear explanations of procedures, and transparent responses to technical issues. For Ukraine, the article proposes a coordinated government communication model for veterans’ access to public service, including joint communication approaches by the Ministry for Veterans Affairs and the civil service authority; unified wording in vacancy announcements and explanations; a pilot guaranteed interview mechanism as a communication entry point to competition for minimally qualified veterans; a tool to translate military skills into civilian competencies for applicants and HR; regular publication of clear performance indicators; and training for HR staff on ethical and unbiased assessment of combat and service experience without stigmatization. The practical value of the study lies in strengthening trust in competitive recruitment, reducing information asymmetry for veterans, and supporting public administration reform through transparent and merit-based procedures aligned with EU integration requirements.

BARRIER-FREE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AS A STRATEGIC PRIORITY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN PRIMARY SCHOOL

Svitlana SYDORENKO — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0300

The article is devoted to a comprehensive study of the formation of a barrier-free educational environment in the context of modern educational transformations in Ukraine. The regulatory framework, management mechanisms, and theoretical foundations of accessibility in education are analyzed. The role of public administration and educational management in ensuring the quality of primary education is substantiated. It is proven that barrier-free accessibility is an integrative characteristic of educational quality and a precondition for sustainable educational development. It is noted that mechanisms for public management of barrier-free education involve training administrative, managerial, and teaching staff with the necessary specialized competencies. Particular attention is paid to creating conditions that promote the most effective adaptation and socialization of children with special educational needs. Despite some positive results, the implementation of barrier-free education in Ukraine faces numerous difficulties. To develop this area, it is necessary to further improve the legislative framework and financial mechanisms, create a supportive school environment, develop material and technical resources, methodological and human resources, and overcome social and professional stereotypes. Scientific analysis of the implementation of public management mechanisms for barrier-free education allows us to assess the readiness of managerial, administrative, and teaching staff for professional activity in an inclusive educational environment. Understanding the concept of barrier-free education as a holistic theoretical and practical construct determines the modeling of a management system capable of ensuring the effective implementation of public administration in this sphere in educational institutions. The main principles of training in this context are systemic, axiological, subject-oriented, competencybased, contextual, and acmeological approaches. The methodological concept emphasizes that the effectiveness of training depends on educational innovations and pedagogical conditions that contribute to the successful acquisition of methodological knowledge and practical skills by specialists for working in inclusive education. Contemporary national practices of ensuring barrier-free access and social inclusion in some countries of the world have been studied. The relevant policy documents are characterized, and the general methodology and its relationship with European and international standards are defined. Measures in the areas of social, economic, civic, physical, and digital accessibility, as well as universal infrastructure design, that can be applied in Ukraine are analyzed.