Deadline: 15 December 2016
The European Fund for the Balkans (EFB) is seeking applications for its “Flagship Fellowship Programme for Government Officials”. It is a one-year practice-oriented educational programme which is supporting the Western Balkans’ administrations by educating and motivating the public officials to practice and advocate the European principles of public administration.
The core purpose of the programme is to give impetus to the EU integration-driven reforms of the Western Balkans’ administrations, through building the capacities of individuals who are acting as the agents of change.
It is targeting the government officials from the Western Balkans who are eager to spend a three-month fellowship traineeship in the EU government institutions in Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
Objectives
- To develop the capacities of a selected category of public officials who want to shape regional and European collaboration, by targeting national actors important for European integration.
- To enable a good environment for supporting motivated government officials in acquiring knowledge and skills regarding European principles of administration, and transferring know-how within their departments of work.
Funding Information
Up to 20 scholarships will be available for civil servants in the 2016/2017 programme cycle. The support granted to the Fellow by the EFB is as follows:
- Language training – The EFB will directly pay costs of language training in the home country before the start of the Introduction Seminar. The fellows are responsible for selecting a language training provider and organising his/her language lessons. In total, up to € 1,000.00 of language training costs can be paid by EFB.
- Introduction and Final seminar – The EFB will cover travel expenses between the location of the fellow’s placement and the location where seminars start and end.
- Practice phase – The EFB will cover round-trip travel expenses between the fellow’s residence and the host location. EFB shall assume relocation costs of € 500.00.
Eligibility Criteria
The Programme is specifically designed for civil servants from the eligible central government institutions in the Western Balkans 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.
- national of one of the Western Balkan countries
- employed as a government official in one of the eligible central government institution
- maximum age of 40
- at least 3 (ideally 5) years of professional experience upon completing studies
- at least 2 years as a civil servant for state authority
- initial managerial experience or prospects of assuming leadership responsibilities
- excellent academic qualifications
- very good knowledge of English
- ideally basic knowledge of the language of the host country
- sound knowledge of national and international politics and economics
- strong interest in the political development of Europe
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted online via given website.
Eligible Countries: Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia and Albania.
For more information, please visit this link.