Municipal Training Centre (MTC) is a self-sustainable department at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities at Kaunas University of Technology. It was established in 1993 to bridge theoretical knowledge and practical experience, with the aim to implement best practices and innovations in Public Administration in Lithuania. The Centre aims to foster democratic processes, raise awareness and make a move of civic initiatives in Lithuania. By building capacity, to provide know-how and tools for civil servants, public managers and policy makers, local communities and NGOs, the Centre has gained a national and international status. MTC was the very first training institution in Lithuania to offer officially approved training programs for civil servants. At the same time MTC has developed the very first master study programme for public officials at the Faculty of Social Sciences of Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), and today offers internationally accredited education programs for civil servants from non-EU countries.
The MTC's mission is to strengthen local governance in Lithuania by:
- developing and implementing training programs for public officials and politicians;
- providing information, consultancy services and offering a series of research initiatives;
- applied research on innovative and modern public management and leadership;
- offering solutions for improving the performance of local government institutions;
- initiating and implementing civic society development programs.
The main MTC activities:
- Training
- Consultations
- Projects
- Research
The Municipal Training Centre has a unique identity, being at the same time a school, a research centre and a consulting agency in local government and community development issues. Among similar institutions in Lithuania, MTC is probably the only one to group all these activities together.
The Centre provides the best global practices, outlines the possibilities of cross-sectorial cooperation and latest developments in the field of public administration for Lithuanian and foreign municipal and local community representatives.
During more than 20 years of its existence the Centre accumulated much valuable experience and know-how in the field of development, design, implementation and administration of training programs. MTC has substantial experience in organizing study visits and internships for professional development of public officials from Lithuania and abroad, providing consultancy services and offering a series of research initiatives as well as implementing local community and civic society development programs.
Being a self-sustainable department of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities of Kaunas University of Technology, the MTC works closely with the Association of Local Authorities of Lithuania, Civil Service Department, office of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania, Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Lithuania, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania and other local government institutions.