A field of study Public Policy and Public Administration in Central Europe, study programme International Territorial Studies is implemented as a follow-up master´s joint degree programme.
The Silesian University in Opava and Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice agreed on a common implementation of the field of study, both parts were awarded an accreditation of the appropriate ministry of education and successful graduates will receive so called joint diploma (in the Czech Republic according to Art. 47a of Higher Education Act No. 111/1998 Coll., as amended).
The teaching during the first and the final semester will take place at the fundamental faculty which has admitted the students to studies and where the studies will be completed by diploma thesis defence and final state examination. The joint teaching at the FPA (Faculty of Public Administration) in Košice in the second semester will be focused on the theoretical fundamentals of public administration, creation and implementation of public policies, the joint teaching at the FPP (Faculty of Public Policies) in Opava in the third semester will be then focused on particular public policies.
The conception of the field of study is based on the concept of The Visegrad group as a transnational region where the common and diverse traditions as well as the contemporary interests of the individual countries meet and collide. In this context, it follows the matter of public administration, public policies and services. In particular, the closeness of both countries, developed border cooperation and frequent migration of young people in general may help the graduates to increase the probability of finding employment in the field of state administration in both countries. By its character, the entire study is interdisciplinary, simultaneously, a solid methodological preparation through compulsory as well as compulsory optional subjects enable the engagement of students in scientific and research activities of the faculties by means of research projects, student´s grants and diploma thesis preparation.
The aim of the study is to intensify the knowledge of relations and connections within the Central European region as well as within the European Union, and development of practical skills and abilities for employment in the field of public administration, in creation and implementation of public policies. The unifying principle in the individual subjects as well as in the overall structure of the studies is the analysis of specific problems in public administration, public policies and services and their solving within the whole Central European region as well as within individual countries taking into consideration the influence of the neighbouring regions.
