Across Europe, public administrations are facing a dual challenge: adapting to the digital age while driving forward the green transition. Meeting these challenges requires new visions for how public institutions operate, stronger capabilities, and greater collaboration between research, education, and policy practice.
The PADST project responds to this need by establishing a new generation of world-class research, teaching, and knowledge transfer capabilities at the crossroads of public administration, digital transformation, and sustainable transition, based at TalTech in Estonia. It strengthens TalTech’s unique knowledge base through international collaboration, targeted training, and institutional development, helping to shape governance systems fit for the digital and sustainable future.
The project brings together TalTech with three leading European research universities — KU Leuven, Utrecht University, and University College London — to develop an international, cutting-edge research centre on public administration capabilities.
PADST pursued five key objectives:
First, it expanded the knowledge base on governance of digital and sustainable transitions through joint research, training early-career researchers, and institutional knowledge exchange.
Second, it developed new graduate and executive-level training programmes for students and public sector professionals, advancing educational offerings at TalTech and across the consortium.
Thirdly, it engaged national and international policymakers by co-creating future scenarios, designing policy interventions, and participating in international policy networks.
Fourthly, it strengthened institutional capacity at TalTech through staff upskilling, exchange between support staff, and joint development of new project proposals.
Fifthly, it enhanced capabilities in research dissemination, exploitation, and communication, ensuring that project results are accessible and impactful.
By integrating insights from the social sciences and humanities with digital and environmental expertise, PADST has delivered theoretical and practical tools to help public administrations in Estonia and beyond navigate the twin transitions. The project contributes to building more innovative, future-ready, and resilient governance systems across Europe.
