"Promoting the stability, prosperity and European perspective of the Western Balkans region"; this is the core premise and foundation of the pilot training kicking off this week at the School of Transnational (STG).
The training, carried out in cooperation with the Hertie School Berlin, is designed for policy makers and public servants operating in the Western Balkans in different sectors of national and sub-national administrations, regulators, legislative and political organisations, and political officers. It comprises six interactive online sessions on the general aspects of finding, assessing and using evidence, and the practical implementation of this knowledge in the context of the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia).
The initiative follows the call of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC) and builds on the pilot project "Science meets Parliaments/Science meets Regions", endorsed by the European Parliament and implemented by the JRC in close consultation with the Committee of the Regions, with the aim of promoting a culture of evidence-based policy making (EIPM) across the EU.
Numerous high-level policy makers from across the Western Balkans have confirmed their participation and will receive a profound introduction to the challenges and opportunities of using scientific evidence in the design, implementation and assessment of public policies.
Instructors include academics and policy experts from both Schools; in addition, there will be a special intervention by Mr Miroslav Lajčák on 8 July. Mr. Lajčák is the EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkans regional issues, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic and President of the United Nations General Assembly for the 72nd session.
Mr Lajčák will join the STG as part-time Professor in September.
Take a look at the full training programme.