Training Programme for Young Civil Servants of the Western Balkans

The training programme will take place in Tirana, Albania, from Monday 3 June to Friday 14 June, and will include a study trip to Belgium and the Netherlands.

What will the training programme be about?

• Ten days to enhance and deepen your knowledge of EU affairs and the enlargement process, to strengthen your skills and explore avenues to promote cooperation and exchange of ideas.
• The programme will combine different formats to maximise the learning potential:
  • Live interactive lectures;
  • Dedicated workshops focussing on soft skills;
  • A simulation game on a negotiation process;
  • Study visit to EU institutions in Brussels;
  • Study visit to The Hague;
  • Social activities and opportunities to expand your professional network.
• A maximum of four participants per country will be selected through this call for applications to join the training programme in Tirana.

Programme Topics

• The latest EU-Western Balkans summit and the adoption of the Growth Plan by the European Commission represented a boost of the enlargement process, with a renewed commitment of the EU to the Western Balkans’ EU membership perspective.
• The acceleration of the accession process calls for a stronger knowledge of the EU system and for sharper soft skills, especially in the field of negotiation.
• Therefore, the course will focus on:
  • History of European integration;
  • Decision-making process in the EU;
  • Strategies for EU integration;
  • EU policy-making;
  • Legislation approximation;
  • Negotiations skills;
  • Communication skills.

Cost Covered

• Full board and lodging will be provided to participants during the training, including transport and accommodation during the visit to Brussels and The Hague.

Why Participate?

• Learn, connect and contribute to the conversation on the EU integration process.
• Throughout the training programme, you will have the opportunity to be supported by high-level experts to deepen your knowledge of the EU and foster soft skills such as negotiation and communication. The programme represents a unique opportunity to network and exchange ideas with peers across the Region and the EU.

Eligibility Criteria

• You are an agent of change with a sense of leadership and a desire to contribute to the EU Integration process;
• You are a citizen of one of the six Western Balkan countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia;
• You have at least 3 years of experience in ministries whose field of work touches on foreign and EU affairs and/or regional cooperation within the Western Balkans;
• You have at least 1 year of professional experience in the field of EU affairs and integration process;
• You have professional experience in policy making and/or policy formulation;
• You have a good command of English (at least level B2).

For more information, visit College of Europe.