From August 2017 to January 2019, the Mazovian Unit for the Implementation of EU Programmes (MJWPU) and Kozminski University delivered the project “Leader of Change – Transnational Cooperation as an Investment in the Effectiveness of Public Services at Regional Level.” As part of the initiative, we carried out an institutional audit, trained a group of 26 MJWPU employees, and developed an IN PLUS cooperation model for working with beneficiaries.
The project concept and implementation were inspired by the experience of the Swedish ESF Council, which emphasised that openness, mutual learning, listening and dialogue are crucial in relations with beneficiaries. Building on these principles, MJWPU developed a cooperation model with companies, universities and other partners, focused on:
- strengthening dialogue,
- promoting a culture of knowledge sharing,
- simplifying communications and documents addressed to beneficiaries.
To implement these recommendations effectively, it was necessary to design a tailored development programme focused on strengthening staff capacity. Kozminski University was responsible for this part of the project.
A Development Programme Built on Real Needs
Kozminski University’s work began with a needs analysis (MJWPU institutional audit). Based on the findings, we designed a development programme addressing the needs of both managers and the organisation. Our faculty delivered workshops, including leadership, team management, self-presentation and public speaking, as well as time and task management. The programme combined different learning formats, including lectures, seminars and team-based business simulations. In total, 112 hours of training were delivered.
The sessions were led by Kozminski University faculty and collaborators: Dr Piotr Pilch, Dr Lidia Czarkowska, Prof. Jan Dąbrowski, Dr Maciej Madziński, Prof. Mirosław Sosnowski, Iwona Bobrowska-Budny, Nadia Kirova and Nikolay Kirov.
Participants worked in 5–6 person teams. Each team focused on a specific area of the organisation’s operations and developed a change project, which also served as the final assignment.
Knowledge Exchange and International Learning
Through the programme, MJWPU employees strengthened their understanding of organisational change, developed new competencies and prepared to lead improvement initiatives in selected areas of the institution’s work. The project also enabled learning from the Swedish model both in Warsaw, during study visits by the Swedish partner, and in Malmö, where participants took part in an international study visit.
Tangible Outcomes and Implemented Improvements
The teams developed a set of practical proposals, including:
- simplifying letters and correspondence addressed to beneficiaries,
- strengthening MJWPU’s human resources and internal capacity,
- developing Mazovik 1.0, a tool supporting access to knowledge by structuring information and improving the ability to interpret complex data (including legal regulations),
- introducing the concept of an employee budget, enabling staff to propose improvements to shared infrastructure and social facilities, as well as other initiatives supporting professional development, wellbeing and workplace comfort.
Participants’ Feedback:
The project received strong feedback from participants and MJWPU leadership. The Director of MJWPU emphasised that the initiative supported the identification of development needs and employee potential, and that the outcomes were visible in multiple areas, including access to information through an internal platform, simplified language in documents, improvements in periodic appraisal processes and more informed HR decisions. Participants also highlighted the value of self-awareness, better team collaboration, and practical tools for communication and conflict resolution, including inspiration from the Swedish plain-language approach.
The project “Leader of Change – Transnational Cooperation as an Investment in the Effectiveness of Public Services at Regional Level” was co-financed by the European Social Fund under the Knowledge Education Development Operational Programme.
A publication developed following the project is available HERE.
