Share

cover art for EP27 - Financial Recovery: The Common Assessment Framework - assisting public institutions from a national to a local level

Central Europe Explained

EP27 - Financial Recovery: The Common Assessment Framework - assisting public institutions from a national to a local level

Season 2, Ep. 8

" [The question] is now: how to finance, how to make a fair distribution, and how to prepare a system in a way which is resilient, that brings life quality and fairness to all of us." 


In 2019 the CAF2020 was launched, aiming to help and improve public sector organizations’ performances from a national to a local level. The CAF (Common Assessment Framework) is a total quality management model for self-assessment developed by the public sector for the public sector. Recently, it has been intended to strengthen the focus on digitization, agility, sustainability, innovation, collaboration (participation) and diversity.  

Can this model help in a financial recovery? Could it be the solution for alleviating the strain that has been put on public finances, especially on the local level since the start of the pandemic?  

Sebastian Schäffer (IDM) discusses this with Thomas Prorok, Managing Director of the KDZ-Centre for Public Administration Research and Head of the CAF Center.    

Artwork recommended by the guest: Houellebecq, Michel, Serotonin, Paris, Flammarion, 2019  

Find more about the CAF2020 here and KDZ-Centre for Public Administration Research here.  

CEE - Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, powered by Erste Group.   

Guest: Thomas Prorok, Managing Director of the KDZ-Centre for Public Administration Research and Head of the CAF Center.    

Host: Sebastian Schäffer, Managing Director IDM  

More episodes

View all episodes

  • 50. EP 50 70 years IDM - Locating the future

    17:02
    Episode 50: 70 years IDM - Locating the future 🎙️ Celebrate 70 years of history and hard work with us on The Central Europe Explained Podcast! 🌐 In this special episode, host Gloria Becerril takes you through the Platinum Jubilee of the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe (IDM). Hear insights from distinguished speakers, including Austria's Federal President and Minister of Education, as they reflect on IDM's crucial role in shaping a resilient Europe.🔗 Dive into the event with exclusive audio clips on our YouTube channel and gain perspectives on IDM's past, present, and future. Director Sebastian Schäffer shares the challenges and achievements that define IDM's journey, offering a glimpse into the collaborative spirit of the dedicated team. Join us in celebrating this milestone and stay connected for more insights on our website and social media.🙌 A heartfelt thank you to our collaborators over the years! Together, let's continue "Locating the Future" for another 70 years. Thank you for being part of the IDM community. 🌟Edition: Gloria Becerril
  • 49. EP 49 Gender EquiCEEty: Representation, inclusion and intersectionality in Central and Eastern Europe

    37:00
    EP 49 Gender EquiCEEty: Representation, inclusion and intersectionality in Central and Eastern Europe  Taking a brief look at statistics, it may seem that in many regards women in Central and Eastern Europe enjoy more (economic) equality and independence, especially if we consider the gender-pay gap, the percentage of female professionals in STEM fields, and female managers. But if we dig deeper will this image still hold?   In the new episode “Gender EquiCEEty: Representation, inclusion and intersectionality in CEE” of our podcast “Central Europe Explained”, Malwina Talik together with her guests Vladislava Gubalova (GLOBSEC) and Joanna Talewicz (Fundacja w Strong Dialogu) take a closer look at two specific issues: 1) the position of female professionals working in media and start-ups, and 2) the standing of women from the Romani community. Tune in!   Recommendations:   Vladislava Gubalova  A Bulgarian movie ‘Petya of my Petya’ (2022)   Joanna Talewicz Art by Małgorzata Mirga-Tas and Krzysztof Gil A Swedish movie Taikon A Polish Netflix series “Infamy”   Reports mentioned in the episode: Women’s Voices in the Media: A Look at Central Europe  Women in the Innovation Ecosystem Zooming in on Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia  CEEHer Initiative  Fundacja w Stronę Dialogu  Host: Malwina TalikEdition: Gloria Becerril 
  • 48. EP 48 Belonging and becoming: Strengthening the EU project

    29:30
    Belonging and becoming: strengthening the EU projectIn this episode Daniel Martínek engages in an exploration of European identity and the challenges it faces. Our guest, Niccolò Milanese, founding director of European Alternatives, sheds light on the need to strengthen the European Union in the thick of growing Euroscepticism. We touch upon the interplay of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in shaping the European identity, while considering the diverse interpretations of Europeanness across the region. Join us as we navigate these fundamental questions surrounding what it means to be European in today's evolving landscape. Our click here to know more about host's piece of art recommendation.Host: Daniel MartínekProduction and Editing: Gloria Becerril 
  • 47. EP 47 Is Europe still a fortress? Refugees in Central and Eastern Europe

    38:10
    Is Europe still a fortress? Refugees in Central and Eastern EuropeIn CEE (and beyond) migration has become an issue that polarizes and evokes a wide range of emotions. In their conversation, Melanie Jaindl and Malwina Talik discuss three important dates in the recent history of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE): 2015 (the 'long summer of migration'), 2021 (the humanitarian crisis on the Poland-Belarus border), and 2022 (the Russian invasion of Ukraine). They explore how these events have been perceived in CEE, offer explanations for different attitudes, and examine their collective impact on the region. Our hosts' pieces of art recommendations:The Passage by Selma BanichBook Jezus umarł w PolsceHost: Malwina Talik and Melanie Jaindl, associates at IDM Production and Editing: Gloria Becerril 
  • 46. EP 46 Timisoara Unveiled: A journey through multiculturality, art, and communism

    28:27
    Timișoara Unveiled: A Journey through Multiculturality, Art, and Communism  In 2023, the Romanian city of Timișoara holds the title of European Capital of Culture. Tourists are flocking to the city as it is thriving with art exhibitions and cultural events – one can literally find art around every corner in Timșioara these days. Amidst the art, visitors can also witness the historical heritage of Timișoara, a city with a rich and eventful past under the Ottomans, Austrians and Hungarians, and the first city to rise against the communist regime. This legacy has shaped Timișoara into a contemporary, multilingual and multicultural place that some consider to be quintessentially European. In this episode, Sophia Beiter shares her insights into this year’s European Capital of Culture. She talked to a variety of different guests – from the city’s mayor to young curators and independent artists. The episode delves into how multiculturality inspires the art scene in Timișoara, how inhabitants experienced the revolution in 1989, how communism still affects young artists in their work and how the title of European Capital of Culture can have a lasting positive impact.  Take a look at Maria Nalbantova’s artwork here.  Guests: Dominik Fritz, Ovidiu Mihaita, Maria Nalbantova, Cristina Stoenescu, Georgia Tidorescu, Oltea Zambori Host: Sophia Beiter, research associate at IDM Production and Editing: Gloria Becerril 
  • 45. EP 45 Thrill or Chill? Dark Tourism in Central Eastern Europe

    28:52
    For most people holidays means a week at the beach, or a visit to picturesque cities. But that’s not the first things coming up in everyone’s mind. Some people seek the thrill, the misery: they visit places of previous genocide, natural and man-made catastrophes and former war zones. Places, of which Central-, East- and Southeast Europe have plenty – given the region’s specific historical, cultural and political context. Dark tourism describes these practices of travelling to places of human suffering. In this episode, Melanie Jaindl talks with Peter Hohenhaus to shed light on the motivations for visiting these extraordinary sites and how to deal with misery in a respectful manner. Hohenhaus runs a blog and website, where he shares his experiences of travelling the unconventional way, which he also put down in his book Atlas of Dark Destinations.Take a look at our guest's recommendation Shoes on the Danube Bank (Budapest): here.Host: Melanie Jaindl, Scientific Associate at IDM.In cooperation with: Darija BenicEditorial Support: Jade PenancierProduction and Editing: Gloria Becerril, Trainee at IDM and student at University of Padua. 
  • 44. EP 44 - Who’s afraid of the globalist? The trans-nationalisation of right-wing conservatives

    21:40
    In this episode we will dive into the journey of the editor and author Rod Dreher, who recently announced that he is moving to Hungary to work for the think tank Danube Institute. Dreher aims to make Hungary the centre of the American conservative dialogue, as he considers Budapest a hub of a network against globalism, which has been under construction for a few years. We will explore the reasons behind the increasing interest of American conservatives in Hungary, the ongoing diffusion of frames, common goals, and enemies among American and Hungarian conservatives, and the implications of this transnationalisation of political polarisation. To give us insights into these issues, we will be joined by Flora Garamvolgyi, a Los Angeles-based journalist who has been investigating this issue. So stay tuned for an insightful discussion on the origins and intentions of this network and what it means for the upcoming elections. Our guest recommendations:Jordan Klepper Fingers the Globe: Hungary for Democracy - Full Special | The Daily ShowRon DeSantis: Last Week Tonight with John OliverHost:Daniela Apaydin, Research Associate at IDM.Production and editing:Gloria Becerril, Trainee at IDM and student at University of Padua. 
  • 43. EP43 - The blind eye of feminist foreign policy

    15:40
    While feminist foreign policy has been successful in promoting gender equality in some countries, it has also been criticised for imposing Western values onto other cultures and failing to address specific needs. This podcast episode explores the strengths and weaknesses of feminist foreign policy, its current state and the challenges it is facing in order to ensure a gender perspective is present in foreign policy decisions, as well as involving women in target countries in decision-making processes. In this episode, our host Gloria Becerril (IDM trainee) holds an insightful conversation with Dr Claudia Zilla, senior fellow at the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), who provides a nuanced look at the complexities of feminist foreign policy and ways to improve it in the future.Our guest recommendation:Todo cambia (Everything changes), Interpreted by Mercedes Sosa and written by Julio Numhauser.Production and editing: Gloria Becerril, IDM trainee and student at University of Padua.
  • 42. EP42 - National Minorities and Governance in the Danube Region

    25:30
    The Danube Region, Central and Eastern Europe, in other words everything between Germany and Austria, Moldova and Ukraine, down to the Balkans, is a very diverse region when it comes to national minorities. There are very significant populations of people living in countries neighbouring their so-called “kin-states”, such as the Hungarian minorities in Slovakia, Transcarpathia in Ukraine, and Transylvania in Romania.  What does “national minority” refer to? Which challenges are they facing in Central and Eastern Europe? What challenges to ensure the protection for natianal minorities in the Danube Region?  Jack Gill (IDM) discusses these issues with Sergiu Constantin Senior Researcher at Institute for Minority Rights - Eurac research. Our guest recommendation:    The Bridge on the Drina is a historical novel by the Yugoslav writer Ivo Andrić. The Ukrainian folk band DakhaBrakha.  Host: Jack Gill, Research assistant at IDM  Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM and Gloria Becerril, IDM trainee and student at University Padua.