"In March 2026, I travelled to Paris as part of a CEF study visit for young public servants from the Western Balkans, where I participated both as a facilitator and as a representative of Slovenia's public administration. I expected to spend the week discussing innovation, public administration and policy design. The program combined visits to French and international institutions with peer learning and practical workshops on public sector innovation, leadership and governance. I came back with a much broader perspective.

As someone working on innovation in Slovenia's public administration, I often think about how to improve services, involve users earlier and help institutions become more open to experimentation. These were exactly the themes of our first meetings in Paris. We explored human-centered design, organizational change and ways to make public services more responsive.

It was encouraging to discover that many of the challenges we face in Slovenia are shared across Europe. Regardless of the country, public administrations struggle with similar questions: How do we reduce unnecessary bureaucracy? How do we build trust? How do we create space for innovation in organizations where avoiding mistakes is often rewarded more than trying something new?

For me, this was reassuring. Innovation is not about finding perfect solutions. It is about creating environments where better solutions can emerge.

Looking beyond innovation

The study visit brought together young public servants from across the Western Balkans. Listening to their stories offered a very different perspective on European integration.

Some countries have been waiting for EU membership negotiations for almost two decades. Others have made significant progress but remain blocked by political decisions beyond their control. Behind every accession process are public servants who continue their daily work despite uncertainty, hoping that reforms will eventually lead to membership.

Our discussions at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs reminded me that innovation never happens in a vacuum. Public administration is shaped not only by internal reforms but also by geopolitics, international relations and strategic decisions that are often invisible to citizens.

The conversations quickly moved to topics such as EU enlargement, geopolitical competition and Europe's role in an increasingly complex world.

It became clear that innovation in public administration cannot be separated from the broader geopolitical context in which governments operate.

Innovation meets geopolitics

One of the strongest impressions of the week was realizing how interconnected everything has become.

At the Banque de France, discussions about the future of the digital euro immediately raised questions about cybersecurity, resilience and public trust.

At the French Development Agency (AFD), we learned how financial instruments support major environmental and development projects worldwide, while innovation teams simultaneously experiment with small-scale pilots to test new ideas before scaling them up.

These visits illustrated an important lesson: innovation is not only about technology or creativity. It is also about governance, institutions and long-term resilience.

A different kind of learning

As facilitators and experts, we often focus on what participants learn. This time, I realized how much I was learning myself.

Watching colleagues from Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Kosovo discuss the future of their administrations reminded me how different our starting points are—and yet how similar our ambitions remain.
Despite different political realities, everyone was asking the same fundamental question: »How can we make public institutions work better for people?«

Sharing Slovenia's Experience

The study visit was not only an opportunity to learn from others, but also to contribute. As part of the program, I facilitated a workshop on public sector innovation, sharing Slovenia's experience with stakeholder engagement, policy design and creating space for experimentation in government.

Working with young public servants from across the Western Balkans reminded me that many of our challenges are remarkably similar. Regardless of the country, public administrations are looking for ways to become more responsive, collaborative and user-centered.

What differed were the contexts. Some participants work in administrations preparing for EU membership, while others are already navigating complex reform processes. Yet one message came through repeatedly: innovation is less about sophisticated methods than about building trust, involving the right people and having the courage to test new approaches.

Facilitating these conversations was just as valuable as participating in them. It allowed me not only to share Slovenia's experience, but also to reflect on our own practices through the perspectives of colleagues working in very different institutional environments.

Coming home

Perhaps the greatest value of international study visits is not collecting good practices. It is gaining perspective.

The week in Paris reminded me that innovation in public administration is important—but it is only one piece of a much larger picture. Public servants today operate in a world shaped simultaneously by digital transformation, geopolitical uncertainty, financial resilience and growing societal expectations.

Looking back, I realized that the workshop itself reflected one of the main messages of the entire study visit. Innovation does not spread because we copy solutions. It spreads because people exchange experiences, challenge assumptions and learn from one another.

That is why international study visits are not simply about learning how other countries work. Their real value lies in creating connections, broadening perspectives and building trust among people who will shape public administration in the years to come.

Sometimes innovation starts with sophisticated international discussions. Sometimes it starts with one person asking a simple question: “How can we make tomorrow a little better than today?”

Programs like this remind us that investing in young public servants is ultimately an investment in stronger public institutions and better governance."

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's personal views and experiences and does not represent the official position of the Ministry of the Interior and Public Administration of the Republic of Slovenia.