Within the framework of the GOVERNANCE Project, the Puglia Region, acting as Lead Partner, ensures technical and managerial coordination, guiding the partners towards the achievement of the established strategic objectives.

The main goal of the Project is to support Local Public Administrations in Italy, Albania, and Montenegro in their path towards greater efficiency and transparency, through the digitalisation and simplification of administrative processes, and the enhancement of staff skills in digital transformation and the effective use of European funds to better respond to the needs of their territories.

The Project’s Action Plan is structured around three specific objectives:

• To create the ideal conditions to assist and support Public Administrations in improving the efficiency and quality of the services they provide;
• To strengthen the empowerment of human capital within Local Administrations, through the acquisition of knowledge and the development of advanced digital skills, as well as a deeper understanding of the EU Cohesion Policy and its instruments, including the programming and management of European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF);
• To support the EU pre-accession process of Albania and Montenegro, by harmonising their administrative practices and policies with European standards, encouraging the adoption of the legislative and regulatory framework required to become full EU members (acquis communautaire).

To achieve these objectives, the Puglia Region, together with the project partners, has defined and is implementing several project actions in collaboration with the CINI (National Interuniversity Consortium for Informatics), through the University of Bari “Aldo Moro” and the University of Salento, including:

• Conducting a needs analysis of the territories with respect to digitalisation and simplification processes;
• Developing a Joint Strategic Model to define the conditions and requirements necessary for implementing digitalisation and simplification processes;
• Drafting Operational Plans, specific to each partner, that describe – in line with the Joint Strategic Model – the necessary actions, the skills to be developed, and the stakeholder categories involved;
• Implementing pilot actions to test the Operational Plans;
• Establishing a Multifunctional Hub (GOVERNANCE Platform), designed both to foster networking among key stakeholders and to provide them with highly qualified knowledge and expertise on the Project’s themes;
• Delivering advanced training courses entitled “UPSKILLING FOR GOVERNANCE”, awarding University Credits (ECTS) in collaboration with the University of Bari “Aldo Moro”;
• Conducting capacity-building activities, workshops, and study visits;

Providing technical assistance and advisory services to Albania and Montenegro on EU pre-accession processes.