Artan Karini

2009 - ongoing, Ph.D. Candidate, Development Policy and Management, IDPM/SED, The University of Manchester, UK.

2001, M.P.A., Public Management and Policy, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh, USA.

1996, B.Ed. (equiv.), English Language, University of Tirane, ALB.

The impact of external assistance on public service capacity building in Southeast Europe.

Supervisors: Dr. Tim Jacoby and Dr. Richard Common.

My research interests broadly lie within human resources management in developing countries, particularly in Southeast Europe. I am interested in research on the effectiveness of international organizations in institutional strengthening and capacity building of public service from both political and human resource development perspectives.

The research thesis critically assesses the impact of aid on enhancing capacities of public service institutions in the context of Albania as a missing gap in the literature - a key motivating factor for undertaking the study. Administrative capacity development being instrumental not only to public service reform agenda but also to the political goal of EU accession, the study is also intended to make a contribution to the debate over the internally motivated versus externally motivated reform agenda in the Western Balkans region.

The researcher has 10+ years of international experience in human resources management, academic administration, consulting and training/ teaching through previous employment with organizations including OSCE Secretariat (Czech Republic), York University (Canada), University of Pittsburgh (USA), Mendez England and Associates (USA), Civic Education Project/Open Society Institute and U.S.AID (Albania).  He is recipient of several research and postgraduate study fellowships including a Fulbright for graduate studies (U.S. State Department), Wolfson Fellowship for Public Personnel Management (University of Pittsburgh), NFP/NUFFIC, Research Council of Norway, NISPAcee, IRSPM, RRPP etc.

‘Building Citizen-Centered Policymaking – Best Practices’: policy paper published under the support of OSI Think Tank Fund for Policy Centers; December 2008.

‘Economic and Social Costs of Integration into NATO’, presentation/publication for Center for Civil-Military Relations (CCMR), Belgrade, Serbia, November 2008.

‘Administrations in Transition – Modernization of Public Administration in Portugal, Holland, Ireland and France’ (translation editor), EIPA (European Institute of Public Administration): publication supported by NISPA-Network of Institutes and Schools of Public Administration in Central and Eastern Europe and OSI/LGI October 2002.