VSPS + Balkans was an extension of the Visegrad School of Political Studies (VSPS), promoting the experiences of the V4 democratic transitions, as well as European integration and cooperation to young political, social and governmental leaders from Western Balkan countries. The VSPS + Balkans consisted of one 3 day session, addressed to 16 participants from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. The VSPS + Balkans continued the Visegrad School of Political Studies efforts of promoting V4 cooperation to the Western Balkan region and investing in human capital under the framework of CoE’s Schools of Political Studies that recruit young high potential leaders from media, public administration, political parties and civil society activists from V4 and Western Balkans.
The sessions were organized by the EAD, Antall Jozsef Centre, the Slovak Atlantic Commission, Diplomatic Academy of Prague, with promotion, recruitment and methodological support from the Academy of Political Studies in Albania, School of Political Studies Bosnia and Herzegovina, Academy for Political Development in Croatia, Pristina Institute for Political Studies, School of Democratic Leadership in Montenegro, Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence and the School of Public Policy in Macedonia.
The VSPS + Balkans was divided into 2 thematic blocks. The first block covered the V4 democratic transition and experiences of European integration. The second block focused on current democratic transition processes undergoing in Western Balkans countries, thus allowing participants to develop a deeper understanding of both regions’ experiences and challenges and the extent the V4 experiences can be applied in Western Balkans.
The VSPS Western Balkans Program attracted young professionals from civic and non-governmental organizations, public administration, and media from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. The program targeted equal representation of female participants.
The program was a scholarship initiative covering all costs except for visa (if applicable) and travel to Warsaw.
The session took place in Warsaw, 20 – 22 October 2015.
