Aspen Public Service Leadership Program
The Aspen Public Service Leadership Program is a fellowship-based leadership program dedicated to the most promising leaders of the public sector in Romania, launched by Aspen Institute Romania in 2018.
The aim of the program is to motivate, educate, update and inspire promising representatives from various institutions in Romania, who can become promoters of change and improvement in the public sector.
The program gathers 20-25 participants per each cohort, with a high level of English fluency and a diverse background in terms of gender and political affiliation, selected through a complex selection process based on nominations.
The participants may be members of the legislative system, professionals from the local or central public administration (government, city halls and municipalities, local and county councils), universities or promising members of political parties. They must assume the role of decision-makers, whether they are already in office or are preparing for a public office, to be promoters of nonpartisan dialogue to the benefit of the citizen and of good governance and they must be able to engage in the reform of the areas that are essential for the development of Romania, disregarding their political and ideological affiliation.
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT:
Since the launching of the program in 2018, Aspen Institute Romania has organized 9 cohorts (6 annual editions), bringing together a total of 180 participants. The Program Fellows are constantly engaged with the Aspen community through various activities and events.
The 2026 edition of the program (the 7th edition) in Romania will include two groups:
- Participants from institutions of the central public administration (April – June 2026);
- Participants from law enforcement/ security & defense institutions (Q 3 and 4, 2026).
STRUCTURE & CONTENT OF THE MODULES:
- MODULE 1 – The Aspen Seminar:
4-day long, conducted in Romanian, organized in a location outside Bucharest
The foundation of each edition of the program is the Aspen Seminar, a Socratic debate based on a series of readings, from the greatest thinkers of past and present. Through debates guided by skilled moderators, on topics like liberty, equality, ethics and responsibility, participants are offered a neutral space to test their beliefs, in a both personal and collective leadership journey and are challenged to reflect on how timeless values are shaping their decisions and our society at large.
- MODULE 2:
3 – 4-day long, sessions conducted in Romanian and English, organized in a location outside Bucharest.
The Module combines expert presentations, group work, experience-sharing sessions, case studies and workshops on various topics such as: digitalisation, innovation and transformation in the public sector, crisis management, sustainable development and urban planning, negotiation and public speaking, etc.
The Module 2 program partner was for the first 6 editions the INSTITUT NATIONAL DU SERVICE PUBLIC – INSP, France (former École Nationale d’Administration – ENA).
TESTIMONIALS:
- SIMINA TULBURE, Honorary Adviser to the Minister of Investments and European Projects; former Member of Parliament, Chamber of Deputies (2020-2024), Aspen Public Service Leadership Program Fellow 2023:
The Aspen experience shapes a profound exercise of introspection and proposes a very valuable effort to strengthen one’s perspectives of public action. By stimulating both the competence, the cultural capital, and the spiritual identity of the beneficiaries of its programs, Aspen crystallises generations of transformational leaders, able to inspire by their own example and to create ecosystems of sustainable reform in their communities. Access to a network of exceptional individuals and the opportunity to develop close ties with them are factors that further enrich the experience. I highly recommend not only this opportunity, but this leadership pattern too!
- ANDREI DIMITRIU, Advisor, Permanent Electoral Authority, Aspen Public Service Leadership Program Fellow 2024:
The experience within the Public Service Leadership Program has been truly inspirational.
The program was built around an interdisciplinary approach and open dialogue, facilitating the exchange of ideas and emphasizing innovative practices and viable solutions to public sector challenges. I was deeply impressed by the quality and relevance of the content, as well as the professionalism of the organizing and facilitation team.
I wholeheartedly recommend the Public Service Leadership Program to anyone looking to develop their leadership skills, explore new perspectives and contribute to the positive transformation of the public sector. It is an experience that broadens your horizons and motivates you to strive for excellence in public service.
- VLAD COPCEAC, Head of Unit, National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM), Aspen Public Service Leadership Program Fellow 2023:
First part (module) was a journey that I ended up enjoying, it was about a journey that took us forth (trying to figure our own gooseberries) and then all the way back to our anchors. And contemplating on that winding road made it easy for us to see the right direction we should take. In just 4 days we moved from individuals to a group and I really had fun being part of a team. The second part took further our quest to innovate and change public service while keeping in mind that greater good we spoke about. Crisis management part made us (hopefully) more prepared for any types of disruptions, one key idea being that we should avoid expert blindness and the impostor syndrome.
- ANDREI POP, former Member of Parliament, Chamber of Deputies (2016-2020), Aspen Public Service Leadership Program Fellow 2019:
I’ve been thrilled with the quality of speakers and experts that have spent time with us. An entirely new network of colleagues who share the same goals and values but with different views of implementation of the greater good. A journey of guidance to us as individuals has been invaluable on all sorts of levels and I had the reconfirmation that positive action, kindness, trustworthy, competence and hope are essential basics to build a better society. At some point in one seminar I had only one thought in my mind: Yes, WE CAN!
- PAVEL POPESCU, State Secretary, Vicepresident/ Board Member, ANCOM/ Norwegian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce (NOROCC); former Member of Parliament, Chamber of Deputies (2016-2020; 2020-2024); Aspen Public Service Leadership Program Fellow 2019:
The Aspen Public Service Leadership Program provided me a new set of skills that I was not able to discover alone. Aspen Institute Romania is the place where visionary people meet, discuss and find solutions for the real problems of the world. It`s the place where you can start to think big.
- ALEXANDRU ROJA, Lecturer, West University of Timișoara, Aspen Public Service Leadership Program Fellow 2019:
The Aspen Public Service Leadership Program experience was a return to my inner values, and then a journey with colleagues to discover authentic values that leaders should constantly learn and practice. Together with the trainers and organizing team, we learned the skills and competencies necessary to become authentic leaders in our organizations and communities.
The Program is kindly supported by:
