Anti-Corruption Training (UA0077)

Building knowledge of persons authorized to perform functions of the state or local self-government on anti-corruption policies, standards, and laws According to Ukraine-2020 Strategy for Sustainable Development as approved by the Decree of the President of Ukraine # 5 of 12 January 2015, the key goal of anticorruption reform is to significantly decrease the corruption prevalence in Ukraine, corruption-caused losses for state budget and private business, and improving Ukraine’s standing in international corruption ratings. One of the most urgent measures to implement anticorruption reform is to establish effective mechanisms for preventing corruption, conflict of interest, violation of ethical standards and ensuring control over observance of the rules of integrity by persons authorized to perform functions of the state or local self-government. Actions Responsible Timeframe Partners Indicator 1. Developing an interactive training course on countering corruption and ensuring integrity for public officials and local selfgovernment officials National Agency on Civil Service State e-Government Agency December 2018 – April 2019 USAID/SACCI project, UNDP in Ukraine, International Charitable Organization East Europe Foundation, other CSOs and international organizations (upon their consent) Interactive training course on countering corruption and ensuring integrity developed; Course piloted in the National In-Service Capacity Building Centre for public officials and local self-government officials 2. Creating a e-system to test knowledge of anticorruption laws, policies and the respective standards by persons authorized to perform functions of the state or local selfgovernment National Agency on Civil Service State e-Government Agency March – October 2019 USAID/SACCI project, UNDP in Ukraine, International Charitable Organization East Europe Foundation, other CSOs and international organizations (upon their consent) E-system to test knowledge of anticorruption laws, policies and the respective standards created and piloted in the National In-Service Capacity Building Centre for public officials and local self-government officials Expected results of this activity are improving professional competence on corruption preventing of public officials and officials of local self-government bodies; delivering effective anti-corruption policies

8. Introduce anti-corruption training for officials

Language of the commitment as it appears in the action plan: [71] Building knowledge of persons authorized to perform functions of the state or local self-government on anti-corruption policies, standards, and laws

According to Ukraine-2020 Strategy for Sustainable Development as approved by the Decree of the President of Ukraine # 5 of 12 January 2015, the key goal of anticorruption reform is to significantly decrease the corruption prevalence in Ukraine, corruption-caused losses for state budget and private business, and improving Ukraine’s standing in international corruption ratings.

One of the most urgent measures to implement anticorruption reform is to establish effective mechanisms for preventing corruption, conflict of interest, violation of ethical standards and ensuring control over observance of the rules of integrity by persons authorized to perform functions of the state or local self-government.

Milestones:

1. Developing an interactive training course on countering corruption and ensuring integrity for public officials and local self-government officials
2. Creating a e-system to test knowledge of anti-corruption laws, policies and the respective standards by persons authorized to perform functions of the state or local self-government

Start Date: December 2018

End Date: October 2019

Context and objectives

According to the National Agency of Ukraine for Civil Service (NACS), the current practice of conducting anticorruption trainings for public officials in Ukraine is considered unsatisfactory, [72] leading to poor knowledge on integrity standards among public officials. This commitment entails developing an interactive training course and an e-system to test knowledge of anticorruption laws, policies, and standards. This initiative suggests useful efforts aimed at anticorruption education. However, it is not clearly related to OGP values as it is an internal government measure that does not directly advance public access to information, civic participation, or public accountability.

Overall, this commitment could lead to positive but minor improvements to anticorruption efforts in Ukraine. It does not extensively change the current government approach to anticorruption training: the government co-develops a program with a university, and then conducts several offline lectures and workshops. [73] It is also not clear how this training course will be substantially different from the current training courses or whether it will reach a larger number of public officials. For example, the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) reported in 2017 that it had conducted 43 trainings for its employees and 14 trainings for other officials, reaching over 1,700 officials in total. [74] There is also already a massive open online course (MOOC) named Anti-corruption Programs for Authorities, [75] co-designed with a civil society expert to help public officials develop anticorruption policies and civic activists evaluate corruption risks. However, consulted experts considered the existing course too generic, [76] and it has only been taken by a limited number of public officials. It is therefore possible that the envisioned course will improve professional competence and reach more public officials, [77] but this is not clearly indicated in the commitment.

Next steps

To improve the effectiveness of anticorruption training, the IRM researcher recommends that the government track the number of officials trained on annual basis, conduct regular surveys on the usefulness of content of the trainings amongst public officials, and adjust the training program accordingly.

Although this commitment could improve anticorruption education, the IRM researcher recommends continuing this initiative outside the OGP framework.

8. Introduce anti-corruption training for officials

Completion: Complete

The Ukrainian School of Governance (USG) launched an interactive training course, created jointly with the USAID-funded Support to Anti-Corruption Champion Institutions program, ^[97] on countering corruption and ensuring integrity for public officials. ^[98] USG also launched an online test on anti-corruption laws, policies, and the respective standards by central and local authorities, and the course overall has been accessed by 199 users. ^[99] Two civil society experts said the format, content, and target audience of the training course and online test should be revised. It should be designed not for anti-corruption specialists, but for all public officials, and include the most recent legislative changes. ^[100]