Šukvietienė, Aušra

The concept of co-governance is understood as a way to build trust in government and to increase public involvement. It should lead to improvements of public services and solve wicked problems related to service provision. However, the idea of co-governance itself requires the sharing and devolution of decisionmaking power, which becomes challenging in relation to the public sector's role, their willingness to retain control, and at the same time – seeking to engage citizens. Although the aim of national strategies in Lithuania is to involve NGOs more actively in service provision, this can be challenging given the diverse characteristics, capacities, and expectations of stakeholders. Furthermore, municipalities are responsible for ensuring the provision of social services and are under pressure to guarantee their availability and quality. The case study of Marijampolė municipality was chosen as an example for analysis because it has one of the highest demands for social services in Lithuania and experience of transferring service provision to NGOs. In this context, this study aims to analyse the shifting boundary between the state and civil society in the context of public service provision. To achieve this aim, the following tasks have been set: 1. Examine the theoretical assumptions and changes in cooperation between the public sector and NGOs. 2. Identify the current cooperation between NGOs and the Marijampolė municipality in the field of service provision. 3. Provide scientific insights into the conditions necessary for co-governance of social services. The case study was conducted in several stages. First, the scientific literature, legal acts and other documents related to the research problem were analysed. Then, a qualitative study was conducted, including interviews and focus groups with representatives of the Marijampolė municipality and NGOs.

Constructive co-operation between municipal administrations and independ-ent public service providers, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs), establishes favourable conditions for the development and dissemination of best practices in the delivery of high-quality social services. This research aimed to assess the development and effectiveness of co-operation between a municipal administration and NGOs in delivering social services, using Marijampolė municipality as a case study. A qualitative empirical approach, comprising interviews and focus group discussions, was employed. The Stakeholder Relationship Manage-ment Maturity (SRMM) model was used to evaluate the level of co-operation. The municipal-ity chosen for the present analysis is distinguished by a substantial presence of NGOs actively delivering services. The research findings indicate that, according to the SRMM model, the maturity of co-operation between municipal administrations and NGOs in providing social services is primarily at the procedural level, whereas relational aspects are evident within the process standardisation dimension. To foster mature co-operation, it is recommended that participants within the co-operation network establish a shared vision regarding the future of social service provision and the role of NGOs. The findings of the empirical research under-score the necessity for participants in a co-operation network to cultivate competencies essen-tial for sustaining and enhancing co-operation (e.g. communication and conflict resolution) and highlight the importance of establishing a unified culture of co-operation.

The study is aims to develop scientifically based proposals for the modernization of the system for considering citizens' appeals in the Republic of Kazakhstan based on a comparative analysis of international experience in digital public administration. The purpose of the study is to determine organizational, legal and technological mechanisms that can increase the efficiency of processing appeals, transparency of procedures, and the level of citizens' confidence in state institutions in the context of digital transformation. The analysis finds that successful models are based on the “only once” principle, unified digital identification, interagency data exchange, process standardization and the use of intelligent solutions. For Kazakhstan, measures have been proposed to further debureaucratize the system, including the introduction of a single mobile identifier, the development of a secure data exchange platform, the transition to proactive services for life scenarios, the integration of AI tools and increased transparency of access to personal data through the citizen's personal account. The implementation of these steps requires an update of the digital government strategy with clear KPIs and an architecture of intersystem compatibility. Keywords: e-Government, public complaintsdigital government services, comparative study, Republic of Kazakhstan, public administration, digitalization.

This study explores the role of non-state actors in Lithuania’s social service sector, a field shaped by demographic change, growing demand, and governance reforms. While national legislation provides opportunities for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to participate in service delivery, planning, and oversight, the practical implementation of these provisions varies across municipalities. Using document analysis and secondary statistical data, the paper compares two municipalities Marijampolė and Alytus to examine how the legal framework is applied locally. The findings show that national regulation has expanded the formal space for NGO involvement through accreditation, diversified funding, and defined provider requirements. However, municipal differences in infrastructure, administrative capacity, and policy priorities produce distinct cooperation models: Marijampolė demonstrates more established NGO engagement, while Alytus shows a gradual, incremental approach. Overall, the study reveals persistent fragmentation and uneven implementation, highlighting the need for coherent mechanisms to strengthen multi actor collaboration in social service provision.

The prevailing complexity, complicated management, and communication tools have led to a situation in which cooperation between academics and practitioners has become essential for generating higher added value in science, management, and for the well-being of residents. In Marijampolė Municipality, efforts to improve social services involve greater collaboration between municipal institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). These NGOs vary in terms of size, capacity, and the scope of their activities. Consequently, the municipal administration plays a pivotal role in organizing service provision and coordinating the entire network of service providers. However, greater attention to the coordination of this process and the application of good practices from abroad would likely improve cooperation between the municipality and NGOs, which would in turn improve the quality of social services provided. In order to reveal the potential for cooperation between the Marijampolė municipality and NGOs and to have a positive impact on the south-western region of Lithuania by developing a network of social services, Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) is implementing an applied research project entitled ‘Development of cooperation between the Marijampolė municipal administration and non-governmental organisations in the provision of social services (NGO4MSA)’.

he concept of a sustainability developed together with the concept of green economy (GE) serves to establish key strategic managerial directions through three primary steps: promoting a macroeconomic approach to sustainable economic growth at regional, sub-regional, and national levels; developing GE strategies aimed at identifying opportunities for green financing; and providing support to nations in the development and integration of macroeconomic policies. The growing demand for societies to embrace GE practices has prompted a vital transformation in higher education. It is crucial that the skills taught in higher education incorporate aspects of the GE, integrating them smoothly within the broader competency framework. However, there remains a lack of consensus on how to achieve this integration, specifically regarding changes to the higher education qualification system and the restructuring of study programs. This study intends to explore the current practices in GE training within the European higher education landscape to bolster the resilience of the higher education system through open education. Methodology: A two-fold approach that combines a scoping review with analyses of European Universities’ practices. For the scoping review, the inclusion criteria were established to higher education, specifically in the areas of green economy, green skills, and open education. A total of 1,211 publications were initially targeted and 63 studies were included in the final analysis. In pursuit of the clustering, the VOSviewer tool were used. For European Universities’ practices analysis, we examined best practices in the GE by researching the top 10 EU universities recognised for sustainable development according to the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2025. We analyzed the courses offered at these institutions to identify key themes and 1389 study subjects were selected for further content analysis. Findings: A scoping review has identified three key approaches within the domain of sustainability education: interdisciplinary approaches, problem-based learning, and action-oriented approaches. It is also evident that general competencies have a limited space in the curriculum needed to achieve the necessary green skill (GS) sets. Analyses of University practices reveal that, within the selected key subjects where the discipline field and the topic overlap (23.25% of all subjects), one aspect of GS is already integrated into the traditional curriculum and is regarded as an integral and inseparable component of the studies. Sustainability is the most common key topic in disciplines that develop GS, constituting 14.91% of all studied subjects. Conclusions: GS constitute a relatively novel concept, analysed in conjunction with sustainable competencies and environmental beliefs. These could be reached by breakdown into three components: environmental and technical skills, such as systems thinking, literacy in circular economy principles, and sustainable design practices; strategic and pedagogical skills, including the utilisation of open education methodologies, curriculum integration, and cross-disciplinary teaching approaches; and interdisciplinary competencies, such as digital fluency, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and resilience.