European Integration and Western Balkans

2010

European Integration and Western Balkans
In 2009, NGO Fractal (Belgrade) in partnership with Spark (Amsterdam) and in cooperation with the local organization from Mitrovica, Center for Civil Society Development (CCSD), has successfully started the fourth round of the program “European Integration and Western Balkans”.
This program is one of the three modules within “Mitrovica Youth Program” coordinated by Spark. Program involves in multilateral cooperation Spark (Amsterdam), CCSD (Mitrovica), DDA (Nis), Jelena Anzujska (Mitrovica) and NGO Fractal (Belgrade).
It is important to highlight the fact that this is the first program that involves Mitrovica University students which deals with European integration issues. Throughout the years we experienced many difficulties during the program implementation but, thanks to the detailed planning and transparency in our work, we managed to show the importance of discussing EU topics with students of Mitrovica University and to raise their awareness on strategic importance of this topic. Overall goals we plan to accomplish with module “European Integration and Western Balkan” in 2009:
•    Raising the awareness of students of Mitrovica University on issues related to EU integration process and regional cooperation and information sharing on this matter
•    Developing academic and organizational skills of Mitrovica University students
•    Initiating connections among students of Mitrovica University and students from EU Universities
•    Another cycle of the program has started in 2009 and 29 students of Mitrovica University were selected and invited to take part in lectures related to EU, Western Balkan and European integration processes.

The module is composed of 3 main types of activities such as:
1. Interactive lectures with topics:
•    Introduction in EU Institutions, Laws and Procedures of EU
•    Economy of EU
•    EU Policies toward Western Balkan
•    Relations between EU Western and Balkan countries
•    Security

These five topics were elaborated during 16 lectures (each topic was covered with four working sessions). Every lecture is consisted of two parts: teaching session and workshop/simulation/case study. The duration of one lecture is 3h and 30 min (including coffee breaks).
2. Academic skills (essays, analyzes, creating case studies, research work, critical thinking)
The focus is on developing academic skills: critical thinking, academic reading and writing, presentation skills. In total four lectures (3h and 30minutes each) were dedicated to this topic.
It is important to say that after each module students are assigned to write an essay on a given topic, but also to complete tests.
3. Study visit (regional and international exchange):
This activity brings together the 10 best participants – 6 from the module European Integration and Western Balkan and 4 from Mitrovica Summer University – in one-week study session that will introduce them to the key institutions and organizations in the EU. The selection criteria are: presence in the lectures, proven readiness for active participation and interaction during lectures, tests and essay results, interview results. In 2009 study visit will be organized in the last week of February and during that period participants will visit institutions and organizations based in The Netherlands (Amsterdam, The Hague, Utrecht) and Belgium (Brussels).
Goals of the international exchange (study visit) are:
•    To encourage and link cooperation with the academic community in the EU (students and professors)
•    To develop and improve knowledge about the EU and the European integration process
•    To meet representatives of international institutions that are present in the western Balkans, especially in Kosovo

With this program we want to stress the importance of youth activism and enhance the learning experience during past few months in the module. Therefore, each year participants who have finished the module becomes part of an alumni network that initiates projects. In 2007, they have delivered additional lectures on EU topics and trainings on academic skills. This group of participants has organized lectures on EU to high school pupils and they have created a web site for this program: www.eiwb.net
How to apply for this program in 2010: Students interested in the program need to fill in an application form (personal data, photo, data on education, letters of recommendations, motivation letter). You can download application from here: www.ngofractal.org or www.eiwb.net
For any further information you can write to: office@ngofractal.org

2008

In year 2006/7 NGO Fractal, in cooperation with local partner organization in Mitrovica Youth Initiative Mitrovica (recently converted name into Center for Civil Society Development) successfully conducted one-year pilot program – “European Integration and Western Balkan”.
This program was one of three modules within “Mitrovica Youth Program” coordinated by SPARK. Program involves in multilateral cooperation SPARK (Amsterdam), CCSD (Mitrovica), DDA (Nis), SUS (Belgrade) and NGO Fractal (Belgrade).
Another cycle of the program will start in 2008 where 25 students of Mitrovica University, will be selected and invited to take part in lectures related to EU, Western Balkan and European integration processes.
Activities in 2008 are:

a) Promotional activities:

1. Peer to peer lectures and presentations – Alumni students that were in Study visit to The Netherlands and Belgium in 2006/7, gave peer to peer presentations of the module to their fellow students of Mitrovica University.
2. Radio quiz – Three alumni students have organized radio-quiz where they have presented module and prepared questions for numerous radio audience in Mitrovica who were answering the questions in order to get selected prizes.
3. At the end of April 2008 we will organize promo party for the Mitrovica University students where one of well known the Belgrade DJ will take a floor.

b) Module “European Integration and Western Balkan”, composed of 3 main types of activities such as:

1. Interactive lectures with topics:

• Introduction in EU Institutions, Laws and Procedures of EU
• Economy of EU
• EU Policies toward Western Balkan
• Society, Culture and Identity in EU

2. Academic skills – The focus is on developing academic skills: critical thinking, academically reading and writing, self – presentation skills.
It is important to announce that after each module students are obligated to write an essay on given topic but also to fulfill tests (in form of questionnaire). At the end of the lectures students will write an overall essay (fifth) on the topic that will be close to the content of lectures they passed during 20 Saturdays.

3. Study visits (Regional and International exchange). At the end 6 best students from module (plus 4 best students from the “Mitrovica Summer Courses” – another module) will be selected for study visit to The Netherlands and Brussels. Goals of the international exchange are:

• Encouraging and linking cooperation with academic community in EU (students and professors)
• To develop and improve knowledge on EU and European integration process
• To meet representatives of international institutions that are present in western Balkan, especially in Kosovo