On 27 May 2026, within the educational component “Project Management in the Public Sphere”, a significant guest lecture was held for master’s level higher education students majoring in D4 “Public Management and Administration.” The lecture was delivered on the topic: “Path to Success: The Community Investment Portfolio.”

This event became an important step in deepening students’ theoretical knowledge regarding the mechanisms for building the financial capacity of territorial communities. In the context of modern decentralisation, investment activity goes beyond the simple attraction of funds, transforming into a complex managerial art that requires strategic vision and analytical precision.

Event moderator: Olha Saienko, PhD in Economics, Associate Professor of the Department of Public Service and Educational Institution Management.

The speaker of the event was Serhii Novikov, Head of the Financial Department of the Tereshky Village Council (Poltava region). Involving practitioners of this level in the educational process allows students not only to become familiar with successful cases, but also to understand the “architecture” of decision-making at the local level.

During the lecture, a wide range of issues critical for effective project management were discussed:

• Diversification of funding sources: analysis of real mechanisms for attracting additional resources beyond basic budget revenues.

• Investment attractiveness: criteria by which investors assess a community, and tools that make a territory competitive.

• Project portfolio management: how to structure financial flows so that they contribute to long-term community development rather than only addressing immediate needs.

• Risk management: assessment of financial challenges and methods for their mitigation in public administration.

The meeting with Serhii Novikov became a unique opportunity for students to go beyond textbooks and see how the financial system of a community works “from the inside.” The practical experience of the Tereshky community demonstrated that a successful investment portfolio is the result of synergy between a professional team, a transparent financial policy, and a clear project strategy.

The discussion confirmed that project management in the public sector requires not only economic knowledge from a specialist, but also communication skills with the business environment and the ability to convincingly advocate for the interests of one’s community.

We express our sincere gratitude to Mr. Novikov for his professional expertise, openness to dialogue, and highly insightful analysis of the practical aspects of financial management in territorial communities.

Department of Public Service and Educational Institution Management