European Integration and Western Balkans

In partnership with Spark (Amsterdam) and Center for Civil Society Development (Mitrovica), NGO Fractal (Belgrade) has in 2010 successfully launched the fourth round of program – “European Integration and Western Balkans”.
This program is one of the three modules within “Mitrovica Youth Program” coordinated by Spark. Program involves multilateral cooperation between Spark (Amsterdam), CCSD (Mitrovica), and NGO Fractal (Belgrade).
It is important to highlight the fact that this is the rare program that involves students of University in Mitrovica who deal with the issues of European integration. Throughout the years we have experienced many difficulties during the program implementation but, thanks to high standards of educational curriculum and detailed planning and transparency of our work, we managed to show the importance of discussing EU topics with students of University in Mitrovica and to raise their awareness on the strategic importance of this topic.

Overall goals we aim to accomplish with the module “European Integration and Western Balkan” in 2010 are:
-    To increase the knowledge and awareness of students of University in Mitrovica on issues related to EU integration process and regional cooperation and information sharing on this matter
-    Developing academic and professional skills of students of University in Mitrovica
-    Initiating connections between students of University in Mitrovica and students of EU Universities

Another cycle of the program has started in 2010 when the new group of 25 students of University in Mitrovica,   were selected and invited to take part in lectures related to EU, Western Balkans and European integration issues.
The module is composed of 3 main types of activities such as:
1. Interactive lectures with topics:
•    Introduction to EU Institutions, Laws and Procedures of EU and European identity
•    Economy of EU
•    EU Policies towards the Western Balkans
•    Relations between EU and the Western Balkan countries
•    Academic skills (writing essays, text analyses, case studies, writing biography, critical thinking).

It is important to say that after each module students are assigned to write an essay on given topics but also to fulfill tests.
2. Study visit (regional and international exchange):
This activity gathers 10 best participants – 6 from module European Integration and Western Balkans and 4 from Mitrovica Summer Courses – in a one-week study session that will bring them to the key institutions and organizations from the EU.
Goals of this international exchange are:
•    Encouraging and linking cooperation with academic community in EU (students and professors)
•    Developing and improving the knowledge on EU and the European integration process
•    Meeting with the representatives of international institutions that are present in the Western Balkans, especially in Kosovo

3. Alumni activities and information sharing:
Since with this program we want to stress out the importance of youth activism and spreading issues they have learned and experienced during the past few months in the module, Fractal is gathering students in alumni network that initiates various activities.  About it you can find on: www.eiwb.net