How to survive polycrises: The ROBUST project shows the way to more effective governance

The ROBUST project, in which Masaryk University's Faculty of Economics and Administration is involved, organised a workshop in Brno in September where researchers from ECON MUNI presented the results of their research on the coordination of public institutions. The focus of the meeting was how to strengthen the preparedness of the state and local governments for crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and why cooperation at the local level is key to effective and robust governance.

Robust governance is a very hot topic, especially at times of so-called "poly-crises," when various crisis situations overlap and increase uncertainty about the future development of our society. "Robust governance is important because it is future-oriented and requires a proactive approach among those involved in crisis management," explained project researcher David Špaček. Robust governance requires innovation of public policies, a flexible legal framework, high-quality cooperation across all levels of government, and the involvement of stakeholders who are not in the government. "An effective response from the government and all actors is a critical factor in the future development of the society," added Špaček.

The ROBUST project follows a model that identifies three key factors of robust governance: multi-level governance, hybrid governance and social intelligence, i.e. the ability to use various types of expert and local knowledge. "What helps solve crises is cooperation between different levels of governance, the involvement of non-governmental stakeholders, a more flexible legal framework and more participatory decision-making," confirmed David Špaček. He adds that the success rate of the response to crises also depended on the way in which measures to mitigate their impact were coordinated and implemented.

Researchers from Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Italy, Spain, Estonia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic are involved in the project. A small team from ECON MUNI is responsible for the Czech part, which collected data on national anti-COVID measures, with an emphasis on closing and re-opening schools, vaccinations, and the impact of the pandemic on the wellbeing of primary school pupils. "We also obtained important data through semi-structured interviews with employees of central authorities, regional and local governments, non-profit organizations and politicians," explained Špaček. The ECON MUNI team participated in the preparation of all work packages in the project and the research results were published in prestigious journals.

Foreign experience shows inspiring approaches. In Utrecht, for example, a network connecting schools, the city, and volunteer organizations was created; in the Italian region of Reggio Emilia, the Scuola diffusa concept was developed which uses museums, theatres and sports facilities as alternative teaching spaces; and in Denmark youth wellbeing ambassadors were introduced. "The common factor of these approaches was the role of coordination and an emphasis on mental health, which came to the forefront alongside education," said Špaček.

A workshop was held at the end of September with 21 participants from schools, government agencies, non-profit organizations and research institutions. Its aim was to discuss research findings and experience with addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the wellbeing of children in the Czech Republic and abroad. The project confirmed, among other things, that in the Czech context not all three pillars of robustness are functioning: particularly multi-level and hybrid governance. "Path dependency on the past is still visible, and systematic governance with the cooperation of all actors is not working," Špaček pointed out. "The discussion at the workshop showed that the robustness of governance in education primarily depends on local cooperation and the ability of schools, municipalities and non-profit organizations to respond quickly," he added.

The research showed that the local level, school principals and their ability to improvise, seek new solutions and cooperate with the non-profit sector and municipalities often played a decisive role in the success of the measures. In large cities support rather work through individual links and projects, while smaller municipalities benefited from long-term relationships between mayors and schools. One case study showed systematic coordination, with the city's education and social services department, actively supporting schools not only within the city but also in surrounding municipalities.

The workshop and research brought specific recommendations for increasing the robustness of governance: strengthen local coordination platforms between schools, municipalities and non-profit organizations; ensure effective communication of crisis information; build the administrative capacity of municipalities; stabilise the funding of support professions in schools; systematically evaluate past crises; and promote the sharing of experience between regions and schools.

The ROBUST project not only provides in-depth insights into the course of the pandemic and the ability of states to respond to crisis situations but also offers practical recommendations that can help Czech and European governance be better prepared, coordinated and effective for future crises.

The article was written as part of project No. 101061272 entitled "ROBUST Crisis Governance in Turbulent Times - Mindset, Evidence, Strategies", funded by Horizon Europe.