An associate professor from WUNU took part in the Swedish Institute Academy for Young Professionals training programme
From 4 to 7 May 2026, Anastasiia Virkovska, Associate Professor in the Department of Economics and Global Studies, took part in the Swedish Institute Academy for Young Professionals training programme in Chișinău.
Throughout the training session, participants explored the topic ‘How to Make Participatory Governance Work’, discussing transparency, citizen engagement and innovative tools for cooperation between the state, civil society and the business sector.
The programme included lectures and practical exercises led by experts from Malmö University, the Europe Georgian Institute and the State Chancellery of Moldova. During the training, participants discussed issues relating to combating corruption and digital transformation, as well as examples of public participation and the role of young people in democratic processes.
The role-playing game ‘Corruption’ proved particularly engaging, as it allowed participants to experience the complexity of decision-making in real-world conditions and to understand the importance of building a system based on transparency and trust. Training participants deepened their knowledge of the principles and tools of participatory governance, including methods for engaging citizens and co-creating decisions; developed practical skills in designing and implementing inclusive participation processes in collaboration with public authorities, civil society and the private sector; improved their ability to apply mechanisms of transparency, accountability and trust in decision-making processes, familiarised themselves with the role and responsibilities of civil servants in the development of participatory governance using examples from Sweden, and learnt how to adapt these approaches within the national institutional context.
The internship proved to be a source of new knowledge, inspiration and international contacts.
A big thank you to the organisers—Tom Nilsson, Lena Andersson and George Melashvili—for the opportunity to be part of this rewarding internship.
