Professional and Ethical Training of Public Servants as a Necessary Condition of Establishing a Moral and Ethical Climate in Public Service

Навчально-науковий інститут державного управління Національного технічного університету «Дніпровська політехніка» (Дніпро, Україна)

В статті обґрунтовується необхідність підтримки системи професійно-етичного навчання публічних службовців як необхідної умови налагодження морально-етичного клімату на публічній службі. Зазначено, що основна мета професійно-етичного навчання публічних службовців полягає в попередженні корупції та забезпеченні належної якості публічної служби. Встановлено, що зараз існує реальне протиріччя між вимогами до публічного службовця, які пред'являє нинішня ситуація і тим типом працівника, який перебуває сьогодні на публічній службі. Істотного коригування потребують їх соціальні, моральні, професійні та ціннісні установки. Все це зумовлює необхідність постійного вдосконалення морально- етичних компетентностей публічних службовців, шляхом розвитку їх знань, вмінь та навичок з цього питання.

З'ясовано, що в багатьох європейських країнах (Австрія, Іспанія, Румунія, Туреччина, Молдова, Боснія і Герцеговина, Хорватія, Естонія, Латвія, Литва, та ін.) вимоги до професійно-етичного навчання внесені в стратегічні документи, що є позитивним показником його визнання. Нажаль, наша країна не приділяє належну увагу цьому питанню.

Проаналізовано зміст освітньо-професійної програми підготовки магістрів за спеціальністю 281 «Публічне управління та адміністрування» у Національному технічному університеті «Дніпровська політехніка» та зазначено, що навчальний модуль з професійної етики публічної служби, нажаль, в цій програмі відсутній. Запропоновано тренінгову програму підвищення кваліфікації публічних службовців, яка стосується морально-етичної проблематики. Ця програма має на меті підвищення рівня професійної, морально-етичної компетентності публічних службовців шляхом розвитку їх знань, умінь, навичок в процесі запровадженні високих стандартів морально-етичної поведінки в системі публічної служби.

Встановлено, що професійно-етичне навчання має стати частиною масштабної і комплексної політики держави по боротьбі з корупцією, реформи системи публічного управління, та відбиватися в програмних документах.

Ключові слова: професійно-етичне навчання, публічний службовець, підвищення кваліфікації, публічна служба, морально-етичний клімат, доброчесність, корупція

Problem definition

Structural reforms in Ukraine, in particular, reforming state administration, civil service, local self- government, reforming the corruption prevention system requires the formation and maintenance of high standards of behavior of public servants. The new conditions of the development of Ukrainian society impose new requirements on the professional and ethical level of public servants. Their social, moral, professional and value attitudes need significant adjustment. All this leads to the need for constant improvement of the moral and ethical competences of public servants, through the development of their knowledge, abilities and skills in this matter. After all, a public servant is not just a specialist, but a person who acts on behalf of the state. Therefore, his behavior, attitude to the case, to citizens, moral qualities, language, appearance, manner of behavior, culture of communication in general, indicate the appropriateness of his position and determine not only his personal authority, but also public service authority.

Society expects honesty, impartiality and high professionalism from public servants. The attitude of citizens towards government bodies directly depends on the moral qualities of public servants and their self-sacrifice in serving the public good. In our opinion, professional and ethical training is one of the most important tools for establishing a moral and ethical climate in the public service, which will help to avoid many problems that exist today (formalism, corruption, pseudospirituality, imitation of active activities, etc.). That is why the implementation of professional and ethical training is very relevant in the modern conditions of reforming the public service.

Analysis of the research and publications

The issue of professional training of public servants has long been the object of attention of many scientists and practitioners in Ukraine. The researches of N. Honcharuk (Honcharuk, 2012), O. Lindyuk (Lindyuk, 2016), N. Lipovska (Lipovska, 2020), O. Lutsenko (Lutsenko, 2016), O. Melnikova (Melnikov, 2007), N. Nyzhnyk (Nyzhnyk, 2003), L. Prudyus (Prudyus, 2017), S. Serah^ (Serohin, 2003, 2020) and others are devoted to reforming the system of professional training of public servants. In the context of our research, the developments of T. Vasylevska, who emphasizes that professional ethical training is an important means of forming a professional ethical culture in public service (Vasylevska, 2008, 2018), H. Opanasyuk regarding the principle of unity of professionalism and ethics (Opanasyuk, 2001), M. Rudakevich, who proves the importance of ethical education of public servants in the system of training and professional development (Rudakevich, 2007) and others. At the same time, the analysis of scientific literature proved that despite the scientific developments of the above-mentioned scientists, the issues of professional and ethical training of public servants require further detailed study.

The purpose of the research is to justify the need to support the system of professional and ethical training of public servants as a necessary condition for establishing a moral and ethical climate in the public service

The main material. The problem of professionalism of public servants, as before, remains one of the most acute in our country. There is a real contradiction between the requirements for a public servant, which the current situation presents and the type of employee who is in the public service today. A lot of public servants lack proper motivation for work, interest in mastering professional knowledge, misunderstanding or ignorance of moral standards, which reduces the effectiveness of public service as a whole. We agree with the opinion of T. Vasylevska, who notes that successful implementation of professional functions and often personal self-realization of professionals depend on the quality of such a component of professional socialization as education (Vasylevska, 2008, p. 283).

According to the Law of Ukraine «On Civil Service» (2015), professional training is «the acquisition and improvement of professional knowledge, abilities and skills, which ensures the appropriate level of professional qualification of a civil servant for his professional activity» (On Civil Service, 2015). The main goal of professional training is to provide state institutions with highly qualified, competent personnel. Professional training of public servants is ensured thanks to the integral functioning of the system of training, retraining and advanced training of public servants, which, in turn, is a single complex of educational activities with uniform requirements for the formation of the content of training, with a chain of educational institutions and a management system.

In Ukraine, mandatory advanced training is provided for public servants, and a system of professional education has been created. It should be emphasized that in accordance with Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine № 106 «On the professional training system of civil servants, heads of local state administrations, their first deputies and deputies, officials of local self-government and deputies of local councils» (2019), based on the results of professional training of civil servants and local self-government officials, ECTS credits are accrued, which are subject to accounting (maintained by personnel management services). Public servants must collect at least one ECTS credit during the calendar year, the volume of which is 30 hours. In accordance with the «Procedure for awarding ECTS credits based on the results of professional training» approved by the Decree of the National Agency of Ukraine for Civil Service of December 12, 2019 № 226-19, ECTS credits are accrued for the following types of professional training: preparation according to the educational and professional program for obtaining a master's degree in public administration; advanced training; internship; self-education.

To solve the tasks of professional training of public servants, a qualitatively new approach to the formation of the content and technology of training should be introduced. As L. Honyukova (2019) notes, updating the system of professional training of public servants is very important in today's conditions and needs to be transformed into modern system of lifelong learning. In her opinion, it is necessary to change the very approach to longterm training of public servants. It is desirable that the training takes place in conjunction with an internship at the workplace and lasts at least three to six months. In this process, internship supervisors, who organize round tables, seminars, and online discussions, play an important role. Therefore, an appropriate system of encouragement and motivation of internship supervisors should be created in the form of financial payment for consulting and educational work. So, an important point in improving the training of public servants is the establishment of a mentoring institute, because the heredity of knowledge, skills and experience plays an important role in the effectiveness of public administration (Honyukova, 2019, p. 53).

We agree with the author's opinion and emphasize that the main principle of many international documents is precisely the principle of lifelong learning. In particular, this principle is enshrined in such documents as: Convention concerning vocational guidance and vocational training in the development of human resources (1975); Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2000), Vocational Training Recommendation (1962); Recommendation concerning Human Resources Development: Education, Training and Lifelong Learning (2004), Memorandum on Lifelong Learning (2000) etc. The importance of lifelong learning is emphasized in the Memorandum on Lifelong Learning of the European Union (2000), where it is stated that lifelong learning should become the main political program of civil society, social unity and employment. This document defines such types of education as: formal education (presupposes obtaining diplomas and qualification certificates recognized at the official level), informal education (does not provide for the issuance of official documents on education (Lutsenko, 2016)) and informal education (aimed at self-development of the individual) (Memorandum on Lifelong Learning, 2000).

In our research, we emphasize that the professional and ethical training of public servants is one of the tools for establishing a moral and ethical climate in the public service. After all, in our opinion, one of the obstacles to the creation of a stable, politically impartial, responsible, virtuous, authoritative, prestigious public service is the lack of the principle of lifelong professional and ethical learning of public servants.

It should be noted that the United Nations convention against corruption (2003) requires the participating states to promote the approval of educational programs and professional training programs for public servants, in order to ensure their compliance with the principles of good faith, honest and proper performance of public functions and to deepen their awareness of the risks associated with corruption (United Nations convention, 2003).

Professional and ethical training of public servants is conducted in many countries of the world - from countries with a relatively high level of integrity in the public service system, to countries where corruption is a common phenomenon. In various countries of the world, they hold the opinion that the main purpose of such training is to prevent corruption and ensure the proper quality of public service. It should be noted that many countries have developed strategies, programs and other documents that take professional and ethical training into account, and it is often a mandatory element of anti-corruption strategies (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Moldova, Serbia, Spain (Catalonia), Tajikistan) and integrity strategies (Romania, Turkey). Requirements for professional and ethical training may also be included in strategies for professional development or advanced training of public servants (Croatia, Lithuania), strategies for reforming the public administration system (Albania and Kosovo). The inclusion of professional and ethical training in strategic documents is a positive indicator of the growing recognition of the importance of this type of training, especially in cases where these documents contain implementation plans specifying specific measures, the distribution of tasks between responsible bodies, specifying deadlines and the budget (Ethics training, 2013, p. 14).

In European countries, advanced training is a right and a duty of public servants, which is often provided for in the legislation on civil service and service in local self-government. As a rule, public servants are required to participate in various regular training programs, in particular on ethical issues. For example, in Serbia, the Law «On Civil Service» provides for the organization of the personnel management service, professional training of public servants - including in the field of combating corruption; in Croatia, the Law «Civil Servants Act» provides for the appointment of ethics officers who are required to participate in comprehensive programs on ethical issues; in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is a statutory obligation to inform all public servants about the basic principles of ethics (Law «Act on Civil Service», Article 50); code of ethics training is the right of every public servant in Spain (the Law «On Civil Service»); in Latvia, there are separate courses for employees who occupy high positions (prosecutors and judges) and perform separate functions (in the field of public procurement or in other areas where there is a risk of conflict of interest, fraud and corruption) (Law «On prevention of conflict of interest in activities of public officials»); in Austria, political advisors of ministers undergo special training on integrity issues.

Therefore, for many countries of the world, professional and ethical training of public servants is an important tool for preventing corruption and ensuring the principle of integrity in public service. Unfortunately, our country does not pay due attention to this issue.

If we pay attention to the content of the educational and professional training program for masters in the specialty 281 «Public administration» of the Dnipro University of Technology, itshouldbenotedthatthe educational module on professional ethics of public service, unfortunately, is absent in this program. Usually, moral and ethical issues are considered indirectly in other educational disciplines, such as: «Public service», «Local self-government in the system of public administration», «Anticorruption policy» (selective discipline), etc. However, in our opinion, it is absolutely necessary to introduce into the content of the educational and professional program a full- fledged course that would relate to purely moral and ethical issues. The main tasks of this course should be to acquaint students with the basics of professional ethics, public servant ethics, etiquette, developing and consolidating the skills of ethical behavior in public service, expanding and systematizing ideas about the ethical aspects of public service, increasing interest in professional and ethical problems and deepening the need for moral self-improvement.

In the system of advanced training of public servants, the moral and ethical components of training programs have a similar appearance. Although the thematic plans include professional and ethical topics (mainly these are topics related to corruption and conflicts of interest), however, two to four academic hours are usually allocated to mastering these issues. Of course, it is very difficult to expand the knowledge, skills and abilities of public servants on this issue in two hours.

We agree with the opinion of T. Vasylevska (2008), who believes that the main tasks of professional and ethical education are: acquisition by public servants of knowledge of the value-normative base on the ethics of public administration and the development of professional and ethical behavior skills; promoting the formation of self-regulation as a mechanism of professional and ethical regulation. According to the author, it is the diversity, continuity and complex character of training that affect its effectiveness. In her monograph, T. Vasylevska (2008, p. 285), back in 2008, singled out possible elements of professional and ethical training for public servants. In our opinion, they have not lost their relevance even today, namely:

- coverage of ethical issues in humanitarian courses of higher education (in courses on ethics, philosophy, political science, sociology, psychology, management, etc.) and professional and ethical problems - in specialized disciplines of public administration;

- teaching public administration ethics courses within the framework of bachelor's and master's programs in public administration;

- educational and educational work in organizations, collectives of public servants;

- acquiring knowledge and practicing the skills of solving professional and ethical problems at advanced training courses for public servants;

- participation of theoreticians and practitioners in conferences, seminars on ethical issues;

- familiarization with the problems of

ethicsof public administration, covered in

periodicals and other publications;

- self-education, etc. (Vasylevska, 2008, p. 285-286).

It should be noted that public servants in their professional activities are constantly faced with ethical dilemmas, how to act correctly in this or that situation. Therefore, in our opinion, it is really important for them to regularly improve their qualifications on professional and ethical issues. Namely, it is necessary to conduct trainings and thematic courses, where they will n ot only be introduced to the updated legislation and new trends in this area, but also in the process of analyzing individual practical situations and cases, they will show how to behave correctly in order to avoid a conflict of interest or to make the right decision taking into account the norms of the law and public morality.

Given the above, we have proposed a training program for improving the qualifications of public servants on the topic: «Moral and ethical foundations of public service», which is aimed at civil servants and officials of local self-government. The purpose of this program is to increase the level of professional, moral and ethical competence of public servants by developing their knowledge, skills, and abilities in the process of introducing high standards of moral and ethical behavior in the public service. This program includes seven topics, namely:

1. Moral and ethical foundations of public service: essence, specificity, problems.

2. Ethical infrastructure of public service.

3. Compliance with the rules of ethical behavior by public officials.

4. Integrity as a form of countering corruption.

5. Conflict of interest in public service and methods of its settlement.

6. Etiquette as a component of a positive image of a public servant.

7. The formation of organizational culture and its influence on the formation of the moral and ethical behavior of a public servant.

The result of the study of these topics should be an increase in the level of moral and ethical competence of a public servant, in particular, he should learn to: solve complex moral and ethical dilemmas, taking into account the requirements of the law, identify legal conflicts and problems; subordinate personal interests to state priorities and universal human values; avoid conflict of interest in public service; to carry out effective communication, to argue one's position, using moral and ethical principles and norms of etiquette; to be able to adequately represent public authorities in interaction with institutions of civil society, the public through a combination of official powers and personal authority; contribute to the formation of a positive reputation of the public service and increase the level of trust in it among the population. In our opinion, this program should be included in the list of mandatory topics of training seminars for advanced training public servants.

Conclusions

професійно-етичне навчання публічний службовець

So, professional and ethical training is an important component of professional socialization, which contributes to the formation of moral and ethical attitudes and ethical sensitivity of public servants.

Professional and ethical training should be aimed at the assimilation of ethical and legal knowledge (principles, norms, rules) in order to prevent corruption, increase the motivational component, the stimulating factor of readiness to understand the need for the implementation of relevant principles and willpower as an attitude towards professional activity, an act. It plays an important role in the prevention and warning of possible violations and conflicts in the public service. Ethical training increases the level of knowledge and skills of public servants, necessary for analyzing and justifying their decisions, from the point of view of public morality and professional ethics. Also, professional and ethical training affects the provision of a favorable moral and psychological climate in the team.

The importance of professional and ethical training of public servants is determined, first of all, by its influence on the employees' assimilation of uniform value-normative criteria of professional ethics. Therefore, it should become part of the large-scale and comprehensive state policy to fight corruption, reform the public administration system, and be reflected in program documents. It is also necessary to include the requirement for the organization and completion of mandatory professional and ethical training in the Laws of Ukraine «On civil service», «On service in local self-government», in anti-corruption programs and other relevant regulatory and legal documents for the purpose of practical implementation of this training.