EIPA’s Insights from the EUPAN Summer School

Our colleague, An Cazaerck, represented EIPA at the Belgian EUPAN Summer School in Brussels last week, hosted by Belgium’s Federal Public Service Policy and Support (BOSA).

The Summer School, offered by the European Public Administration Network (EUPAN) since 2021, provides a collaborative platform where experts from all member states convene to exchange knowledge and insights on a specific topic.

Through workshops, lectures and interactive sessions, participants share their expertise, learn from each other’s experiences and stimulate cross-border cooperation.

This year’s edition focused on “HR and the Evidence-Based Approach” and was designed to equip participants with the skills and knowledge needed to make informed, data-driven decisions in HR.

Over four days, participants:

• Explored various HR processes through the lens of the evidence-based approach
• Examined the impact of data analytics and artificial intelligence on HR practices
• Addressed current and future HR challenges, including well-being, employer branding, diversity, inclusion, and integrity.

Key Takeaways and Conclusion

Throughout the Summer School, the interconnected topics of the Employee Life Cycle—from HR Strategy and Leadership to Employer Branding, Recruitment, Retention, and Development—were thoroughly examined.

Among the many valuable takeaways from the week, one stands out particularly:

Evidence-Based HR = best available information + critical thinking = better decisions.

This principle encapsulates the essence of what we learned and underscores the importance of an evidence-based approach in making informed HR decisions

At EIPA, we are proud to be part of the EUPAN network, continuously contributing to and learning from this vibrant community. We look forward to implementing the knowledge gained from the Summer School at EIPA.

Working at EIPA