On 10 April 2025, the jubilee 10th European CAF Users Meeting took place in Warsaw, held under the auspices of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The prestigious event was hosted by the PGE Narodowy Stadium, the largest stadium in Poland, which became a place for the exchange of experience, innovation, and inspiration for public administration across Europe. It was attended by over 130 representatives from public administration organisations.

The Slovak delegation, coordinated by the Slovak Office of Standards, Metrology and Testing (ÚNMS SR) as the National Correspondent for the CAF model, consisted of 3 participants. In addition to a representative from the ÚNMS SR, two representatives from the city of Nitra also attended the event, thus confirming Slovakia’s active involvement of local governments in improving the quality of management in the public sector.

Selection of Best Practice Examples: Golden 18

The main item on the agenda was the presentation of exceptional examples of good practice in the form of the so-called Golden 18. This involved a selection of 18 case studies from 13 countries, demonstrating the successful implementation of changes in public administration organisations following the adoption of the CAF model. These organisations practically proved that innovation in public administration is not only possible but is already actively taking place and delivering tangible results.

The presentations took place in 2 parts and 3 parallel blocks:

Breakout session no. 1 (morning): Empowering people:

• Leadership and stability in direction and values
• Active involvement of people: collaboration and joint creation of solutions
• Organisational culture: support for mental well-being and work-life balance

Breakout session no. 2 (afternoon): Transformative processes:

• Excellence in the public sector – A vision for digital transformation and innovation
• Results orientation – continuous innovation and improvement
• Corporate social responsibility – the attractiveness of the public sector

The National Correspondent for the CAF model from Slovakia also actively participated in the programme as a discussion facilitator within the afternoon block dedicated to public sector excellence through digital transformation.

The discussions and presentations within the Golden 18 brought several common themes and inspirational insights that confirm the power of the CAF model as a tool for change in public administration. It was stated that excellence is not an accident and that even when implementing changes, the power of internal and external communication should not be forgotten. Several contributions emphasised the importance of cooperation between organisations and across departments within an organisation, as well as the potential for involving the community itself in the transformative processes. Attendees also agreed on the need to use digital tools and artificial intelligence, which was particularly highlighted by the Polish presenter in his contribution when he said, “The future is not coming – it is already here.” Special attention was also paid to supporting employees during the introduction of changes, creating a healthy work environment, and building trust within the organisation.

The 10th European CAF Users Meeting confirmed that CAF is a truly effective quality management tool that helps organisations to grow, continually improve, and increase their social value. At the same time, however, the community of its users is aware that the CAF model itself is not static, and if it is to remain a useful tool in a dynamically changing society, it must also be simplified and adapted to new challenges. It is precisely this open exchange of experience and visions within the European CAF community that represents an important prerequisite for its further development.

The concluding words of the event traditionally belonged to the representatives of the European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA), as well as the representatives of the Polish Presidency – the Director of the State Service Department, Marta Kuzawińska, and the Polish National Correspondent, Katarzyna Dudzik. Also speaking was Nick Thijs from the OECD/SIGMA team, who summarised the event in a short contribution: as public administration employees, we serve citizens to whom we should deliver quality services enriched with innovations that we must boast about. In this regard, there is no time to be modest. CAF is a catalyst for change. As the French proverb says, it is necessary to take a step back in order to take a great leap forward. The CAF model works similarly – it is necessary to stop, think, reflect, and then take a leap forward in the form of changes and innovations.

Diplomas were also solemnly presented to the representatives of the 18 presenting organisations in recognition of their work. The Golden 18 case studies will also be published in a collection, which we will share with you upon its release.

Participants of the 10th European CAF Users Meeting

Joint Discussions at the 10th European CAF Users Meeting

Breakout session no. 1

Panel Discussion Facilitators

Updated 13.11.2025