The Introductory Seminar "Fellowship Programme for Young Government Officials from the Western Balkans: Supporting Excellence and Leadership in Governance" for the fourth generation of EFB Fellows took part in Berlin and Potsdam from 18-29 April 2012.
The Fellowship Programme is designed to support institutional reform in the Western Balkans while supporting links between administrations in the region and individual networking. The introductory seminar serves as a platform for discussion of current political and social challenges and for an exchange of ideas.
In conducting the seminar, the European Fund for the Balkans combines forces for the fourth year with the Potsdam Centre for Policy and Management (PCPM) at the University of Potsdam, one of the leading competence centres for governance and the public sector in Germany.
The ten-day introductory seminar offered participants cutting-edge knowledge of social and political developments and dynamics in the EU. The fellows had the chance to discuss their plans for their fellowship, receive individual advice, present their professional and personal goals, and prepare themselves for the fellowship programme.
Designed as a combination of theory and practice, this seminar seeks to improve the professional competence of participants at the cognitive as well as attitudinal and skill levels. Beyond the training focus, the course programme will also provide the opportunity to get to know Berlin and Potsdam; for socializing and exchange in order to enrich the intercultural experience; and to broaden the learning process.
The Berlin seminar aims to cover a variety of political, economic and social topics, with a Western Balkan, European, and a global focus. Each seminar day had an overall theme such as: (1) A study of the host country of the seminar – Germany; and review of German-Western Balkan topics of common interest and interaction; and (2) Relevant topics of regional importance for Europe and the Western Balkans.
This year fellows had the chance to talk with Zoltan Pogatsa (Lecturer, Institute for European Studies/Faculty of Economics, University of Western Hungary) about 'Monetary Union - To Join or Not to Join'. 'Administrative Reform in the Western Balkans' was the topic discussed with Arben Kashahu (Executive Partner of Prizm – Albania), Dejan Buha (Expert Advisor and Coordinator for PARCO – Bosnia-Herzegovina), Dalibor Dvorny (Deputy Head of the Prime Minister’s Office – Croatia), and Milena Lazarevic (Project Manager for German Development Cooperation GIZ -- Serbia).
Dusan Reljic (EU External Relations Researcher at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs) discussed the ‘Position of Southeast Europe in a Multipolar World (Between Transatlantic and Eurasian Affinities)’.
The seminar also gave an overview of global themes of current relevance such as Democracy in Today's World - The use of the Internet’ with Jon Worth (Founder and Partner in TechPolitics LLP); ‘Discourses of EU Integration: Human Rights and Anti-discrimination Politics’ with Jelisaveta Blagojevic (Faculty of Media and Communications, University Singidunum, Belgrade, Serbia) and ‘Patterns and Challenges in Diplomacy, Conflict Prevention and Resolution from Israel and Beyond’ with Prof. Emanuela Del Re from University Niccolò Cusano of Rome (Chair of EPOS Int. Mediating and Negotiating Operational Agency).
On the German Day of the seminar, the fellows met Sandra Breka (Robert Bosch Stiftung), Joachim Koschnicke (Executive Director, Forsa Institute for Empirical Social Research) and Annett Meiritz, (Journalist, Spiegel Online) and discussed the ‘Political Climate in Germany - One Year before the Elections’.
‘Deregulation and Public Service Reform in Germany’ and ‘German Foreign Policy Towards Southeastern Europe’ were issues talked about with Dr. Dominik Böllhoff (National Regulatory Control Council, Federal Chancellery) and Nikolaus Graf Lambsdorff (Special Envoy for Southeastern Europe and Turkey, Federal Foreign Office).
The Potsdam seminar offered various tools to ensure training and learning effectiveness. It included classroom learning (lectures and plenary sessions, case studies, discussion, guest speakers and exercises) as well as group/team work in different settings. This year the emphasis of the Potsdam seminar was laid on the topic areas of public policy, multi-level governance and leadership in the Public Sector – summarized under ‘Perspectives on Good Governance’.
With eminent professors from the Potsdam University they talked about the perspectives of good governance: ‘EU Politics and EU Perspectives’ with Prof. Klaus H. Goetz (Professor for German and European Politics and Government, University of Potsdam); ‘Good Governance in Public Administration’ with Julia Fleischer (researcher, DHV Speyer) and Thurid Hustedt (researcher, University of Potsdam); and ‘Good Governance through Transparency? – Prevention of Corruption with Cornelia Abel (Transparency International).
The workshop 'Public Administration Reform and Public Sector Leadership' with Kerstin Altherr (PCPM) and Thurid Hustedt (University of Potsdam & Bernd-Friedrich Voigt, Managing Organizations) gave the fellows an opportunity to learn about concrete tools in the process of administrative reforms and public leadership.
‘Expertise and Interests of Policy Making and the NGOs and Policy Making’ was taught by Prof. Falk Daviter (Junior Professor of Administration and Policy, University of Potsdam). From Falko Ueckerdt and Giulia Carboni, researchers at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), participants heard about latest investigations in the field of Climate Change. Prof. Markus Lederer (Professor of International Politics, TU Darmstadt) introduced them to the ‘Climate Governance in a Global Perspective’.
Beyond the training focus, the fellows had the opportunity to get to know Berlin and Potsdam. The Berlin City Rally and Potsdam Sightseeing / Bicycle Tour and Boat Trip were a relaxing but exciting part of the programme, helping fellows socialize and exchange, as well as gain and enrich their intercultural experience.
Fellowship Programme for Young Government Officials from the Western Balkans - Supporting Excellence and Leadership in Governance is an EFB programme dedicated to the development of effective and efficient state administrations in the region by offering a tailor-made fellowship and training programme for highly qualified young professionals from the central government (including entity and cantonal level government in Bosnia-Herzegovina and regional level government of Vojvodina in Serbia) of the countries of the Western Balkans.
The Programme is specifically designed for civil servants from the central government (including entity and cantonal level government in Bosnia-Herzegovina and regional level government of Vojvodina in Serbia) who have several years of professional experience in public administration and have already assumed initial managerial responsibilities or are preparing for a position of leadership. Basic knowledge of the workings of the European Union is required and personal enthusiasm for the European idea is essential.
For more information please visit FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME
For more information please visit FELLOWSHIP PREGRAMME 2011/2012
