Mechanisms of public management of cross-border projects: analysis of Ukrainian-Polish initiatives in the Lviv region on the example of the Department of International Cooperation of the Lviv Regional State Administration
Students Name: Tsisinska Oksana Bohdanivna
Qualification Level: magister
Speciality: Public Management and Administration (Training of Civil Servants)
Institute: Institute of Public Administration, Governance and Professional Development
Mode of Study: part
Academic Year: 2025-2026 н.р.
Language of Defence: ukrainian
Abstract: Tsisinska O. B. Mechanisms of Public Administration of Cross-Border Projects: Analysis of Ukrainian–Polish Initiatives in Lviv Region. – Manuscript. Master’s qualification thesis in specialty 281 “Public Administration and Management”. – Lviv Polytechnic National University. – Lviv, 2025. In the current context of Ukraine’s development, cross-border cooperation is gaining particular importance as an instrument of regional development, enhancement of territorial competitiveness, and integration into the European public governance space. The processes of decentralization and the strengthening of the role of local selfgovernment bodies and regional authorities intensify the need to improve mechanisms of public governance of cross-border projects implemented with the support of international technical assistance and European Union programs. For border regions, including Lviv Region, cross-border projects represent an important source of financial resources, managerial innovation, and intersectoral interaction. At the same time, practical implementation reveals a number of problems related to fragmented institutional coordination, the absence of a systematic accounting of international assistance, uneven participation of territorial communities in crossborder programs, and limited analytical assessment of the effectiveness of implemented projects. The relevance of the research is further intensified by the conditions of martial law, which have led to increased volumes of international assistance, changes in donor priorities, and the necessity to enhance transparency and effectiveness of managerial decisions. In this context, the study of mechanisms of public governance of crossborder projects is timely and practically significant for the system of public administration and local self-government in Ukraine. The purpose of the master’s qualification thesis is to substantiate theoretical foundations and develop practical recommendations for improving mechanisms of public governance of cross-border projects, using Ukrainian–Polish initiatives in Lviv Region as a case study. To achieve this goal, the following objectives were set and accomplished: to analyze theoretical approaches to defining the essence of cross-border cooperation and its role in public governance; to examine the regulatory and legal framework of crossborder initiatives between Ukraine and the Republic of Poland; to analyze the practice of implementing Ukrainian–Polish cross-border projects in Lviv Region; to assess the financial and socio-economic results of attracting international technical assistance; to identify problems and barriers within the system of public governance of cross-border projects; to develop proposals for improving organizational, institutional, and coordination mechanisms; and to substantiate the expected effectiveness of the proposed managerial decisions. The object of the research is the processes of public governance of cross-border cooperation in the border regions of Ukraine. The subject of the research is the mechanisms of public governance of crossborder projects within Ukrainian–Polish cooperation in Lviv Region. The master’s thesis employs a set of general scientific and special research methods. The methods of analysis and synthesis were applied to generalize theoretical approaches to cross-border cooperation. The comparative legal method was used to study the regulatory framework of cross-border initiatives in Ukraine and the EU. Statistical and analytical methods were applied to assess financial and socio-economic indicators of cross-border project implementation. The systems analysis method was used to identify problems and barriers in public governance. Index and forecasting methods were applied to assess the expected effectiveness of the proposed managerial solutions. The practical significance of the research results lies in the possibility of using the developed recommendations by state authorities and local self-government bodies of Lviv Region to improve mechanisms for managing cross-border projects. The proposed coordination model and the system of key performance indicators can be applied in planning, implementation, and monitoring of international projects and international technical assistance programs. The master’s qualification thesis consists of an introduction, three chapters, conclusions, a list of references, and appendices. The first chapter presents the theoretical and methodological foundations of cross-border cooperation, reviews scientific approaches to mechanisms of public governance, analyzes the regulatory framework of cross-border initiatives, and examines foreign experience in their implementation. The impact of Ukraine’s European integration on the development of cross-border cooperation is highlighted. The second chapter analyzes the practice of implementing Ukrainian–Polish cross-border projects in Lviv Region. It provides a characterization of the research object and uses analytical data, including materials from the “Analytical Portal of Lviv Region.” Strengths and weaknesses of the cross-border project management system are identified, and key problems and risks are determined. The third chapter proposes directions for improving mechanisms of public governance of cross-border projects. The establishment of a regional coordination unit is substantiated, a plan of organizational and managerial measures is outlined, and calculations of the expected effectiveness of implementing the proposed solutions are presented. The conclusions summarize the research findings and formulate scientifically grounded conclusions and practical recommendations for improving public governance of cross-border projects. 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