New CAF 2020 – 20 years of excellence in public administration-
On 28 November 2019, the EUPAN Directors-General in Helsinki unanimously adopted the CAF2020. Around 4,100 organizations are currently using CAF, and many countries have included CAF in their administrative reform strategies. CAF2020 was developed by the European Network of CAF Correspondents and the European Institute of Public Administration (IEAP) in a two-year interactive process. The idea of developing CAF2020 started in Tallinn in September 2017.
What's new in CAF2020?
The basic structure has been preserved with 9 criteria and 28 subcriteria. Language has been simplified, shortened and is now more concise. CAF2020 reinforces the focus on digitisation, agility, sustainability, innovation, partnership (participation) and diversity. As a result, significant changes have occurred in each individual sub-criterion and in the examples. However, users of the earlier versions of the CAF will not find it too difficult to familiarise themselves with the new version; compatibility with its predecessor, the CAF2013, is guaranteed.
The constant acquisition of information and participation have become an indispensable part of the daily life and work of many people. Citizens demand more, have become more critical and want to participate. This has led to greater pressure on traditionally formed administrative structures and cultures. More agility and innovation is required in the development of strategies, in the structures and processes of the organization and, above all, in the awareness of the staff to master the necessary change.
What is CAF?
The Common Evaluation Framework (CFA) is the result of cooperation between EU Ministers responsible for Public Administration. A pilot version was presented in May 2000 and revised versions were launched in 2002, 2006 and 2013. At the European Institute of Public Administration (EAP) in Maastricht, a CAF Resource Centre (CAF RC) was set up following the decision of the Directors-General in charge of the civil service. It works closely with the network of CAF national correspondents.
The CAF is an easy-to-use and free tool to help public sector organisations across Europe use quality management techniques to improve their performance. The CAF is a Total Quality Management Tool (TQM) that draws on the main overall quality models, and on the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) excellence model in particular. It is specially designed for public sector organisations, taking into account their characteristics.
The model is based on the premise that excellent results in the performance of the organization, citizens/clients, people and society are achieved through the leadership that drives strategy and planning, people, partnerships, resources and processes. It examines the organization from different angles at the same time; a holistic approach to organizational performance analysis.