OPERATION OF THE NAPA RESEARCH CENTER LAUNCHED WITH THE "CHALLENGES TO MENTAL WELL-BEING" CONFERENCE

The hybrid conference "Challenges to mental well-being", which aim was to present the results of research done on mental well-being of public servants, was held on 2^nd February 2023, gathering more than 200 participants, both live on the premises of the College of Social Work and online. The conference was also an opportunity to present theoretical knowledge and practical solutions or improving the awareness of the importance of mental health of employees in the public administration in Serbia, then to present the results of the National Academy for Public Administration in the field of strengthening the mental well-being of employees, as well as trends and challenges identified in this area.

As part of the UNDP project, a competition was held with the aim of establishing cooperation between the National Academy and civil society organizations and scientific research institutions, as well as implementing the initial research activities of the National Academy. The winning project entitled "Mental Well-Being of Public Servants" of the College of Social Work had the aim to examine (self-assess) the mental well-being of public servants (emotional, psychological and social well-being). The research covered 2,235 public servants, and the key findings indicate that the servants rate their overall mental well-being as moderate, with an average score of 3.46, on the 1-5 scale. The report will soon be available on the Academy's website.

The newly established Research Centre in the National Academy will continue to contribute to strengthening of the analytical approach to decision-making in various areas of the public sector by conducting comprehensive and fundamental research, and to provide comprehensive solutions and proposals in terms of measures that could be implemented in various areas.

The conference was organized under the project "Training for the 21^st Century Civil Service in the Republic of Serbia" implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) with the participation of the National Academy of Public Administration and College of Social Work.