GR and advocacy: how to lobby for changes to public policy

DATE
25-26 April and 9-10 May, 2026

FORMAT
offline, Kyiv
Dobrovolchykh Batalioniv St., 10

SPEAKER
Roman Kobets

COST

45000 UAH

The Law of Ukraine ‘On Lobbying’ is already in force, and lobbying has thus officially become a full-fledged institution of the political system. The defined organisational and legal principles have created a new reality for businesses, public organisations, industry associations, and expert communities.

Today, the key question is no longer whether lobbying is legal, but how to professionally and strategically implement Government Relations (GR), build advocacy campaigns, and influence changes in public policy.

The need is to understand:
how to build systematic interaction with government bodies,
how to form coalitions and stakeholder networks,
how to organise and conduct effective advocacy activities,
how to combine lobbying, GR and communication strategies so that decisions are made in favour of specific social or business interests.

Roman Kobets’ authorial course, created exclusively for the Kyiv School of Public Administration named after Serhiy Nyzhnyy, aims to develop a systematic vision of GR and policy advocacy.

The programme introduces participants to the logic of building lobbying and advocacy campaigns, the principles of working with state institutions, the mechanics of influence formation, as well as closely related communication and social mobilisation strategies.

In addition to the theoretical foundation, the course develops practical skills in developing and implementing GR strategies, preparing position papers, working with stakeholders, and evaluating the effectiveness of influence on public policy.

A SPECIAL COMPONENT OF THE PROGRAM IS A BUSINESS GAME, WHICH INCLUDES STRATEGIC PLANNING OF AN ADVOCACY/LOBBYING CAMPAIGN AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SUPPORT

THIS COURSE IS FOR

REPRESENTATIVES OF BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS
POLITICAL SCIENTISTS AND POLITICAL ANALYSTS
SPECIALISTS IN THE FIELD OF GR (GOVERNMENT RELATIONS)
REPRESENTATIVES OF EXPERT AND ANALYTICAL INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS
REPRESENTATIVES OF POLITICAL PARTIES
REPRESENTATIVES OF ADVOCACY COALITIONS
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY SECTOR
REPRESENTATIVES OF TRADE UNIONS
JOURNALISTS
ANYONE INTERESTED IN EXERCISING EFFECTIVE INFLUENCE ON THE DECISIONS OF STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES

COURSE TOPICS

INTRODUCTION: POLICY ANALYSIS AND ADVOCACY. WHAT ARE ADVOCACY, LOBBYING, SOCIAL MOBILISATION, COMMUNICATION AND HOW THEY ARE PLANNED TO BE REGULATED WITHIN THE LAW OF UKRAINE ‘ON FAIR LOBBYING’?
LOBBYING/ADVOCACY IN TERMS OF WORKING WITH ATTENTION AND INFORMATION
HOW THE AGENDA’ SETTING OF PUBLIC POLICY IS FORMED
LOBBYING/ADVOCACY AS INTERACTION WITH STAKEHOLDERS
LOBBYING/ADVOCACY IN THE CONTEXT OF WORKING WITH PUBLIC OPINION
LOBBYING/ADVOCACY AS A SYSTEM OF INFLUENCE ON THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT, APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF DECISIONS BY THE AUTHORITIES
SUBJECT OF A LOBBYING/ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN
ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN PLANNING
ARGUMENTATION IN LOBBYING/ADVOCACY PROCESSES. CRITERIA FOR JUSTIFYING/CRITICIZING DECISIONS IN PUBLIC POLICY
FACTORS THAT DETERMINE THE SUCCESS OF COMMUNICATION SUPPORT FOR LOBBYING/ADVOCACY ACTIVITIES
PLANNING COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT A LOBBYING/ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN
ORGANIZATION OF SYSTEMATIC INTERACTION WITH STAKEHOLDERS (STAKEHOLDER’ MANAGEMENT SYSTEM)

Book participation

THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR THOSE WHO SEEK TO

Systematically work on the implementation of the developed policy proposals, interacting with policy makers, stakeholders, potential supporters and opponents of the developed proposals, as well as with public opinion and the media
Acquire skills of rational (logical and structured) analysis of lobbying and advocacy campaigns

MENTOR

ROMAN KOBETS

GR and advocacy: how to lobby for changes to public policy

Candidate of PhD in Philosophy, Research Fellow at the H. Skovoroda Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Chairman of the Board of the International Charitable Foundation “Alliance for Public Health”, Lecturer at the Schools of Public Administration of the Ukrainian Catholic University and the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, as well as the Kyiv School of Public Administration named after Serhiy Nyzhnyy.
Head of the European Information and Research Center at the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (2015-2018), Advisor to the Prime Minister of Ukraine (2019-2020). Currently, he is an advisor to the Head of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP).

YOU WILL FIND OUT

What are lobbying, advocacy, social mobilization and communication and how they are interconnected in public policy?
Why advocacy is a systematic work with stakeholders and their coalitions
How to build a system of continuous interaction with stakeholders (Stakeholder’ Management System) at the institutional level
Why there is a direct link between lobbying/advocacy activities and the procedural aspects of the development, consideration and adoption of decisions by the authorities
What are the types of arguments that help to attract attention and make your proposals more convincing?
What factors determine the success of communication support for lobbying/advocacy campaigns?
What are the requirements for lobbying/advocacy activities under the new legislation of Ukraine?

Book participation

YOU WILL DEVELOP SKILLS

Clearly define the goals and objectives of specific advocacy/lobbying campaigns
Determining stakeholders and clarifying the nature of the relationships with them
Planning a lobbying/advocacy campaign
Preparing a system of arguments/counterarguments and communication messages necessary for a successful lobbying/advocacy campaign
Planning a campaign for effective communication support of lobbying/advocacy activities

PRICE FOR THE STUDY

10, DOBROVOLCHYKH BATALYONIV STR., KYIV

LECTURES / PRACTICAL EXERCISES / CERTIFICATES / COFFEE BREAKS