Centre for Education Policy (Serbia) and the Science and Innovation for Development Centre (Albania) are launching a Call for Participation in the Regional Youth Leadership Mobility Programme (RYL-MP).

The Programme is open to youth representatives (21-30 years old) from academia and civil society organizations interested in developing capacities in the field of leadership, research, and intercultural competencies, and in strengthening regional relations between Serbia and Albania.

Candidates shall apply with their individual research proposals focusing on one of the topics: (a) Digital Transformation in education OR (b) Youth Participation. Selected participants will benefit from the financial support of the by Open Society Foundation (hereinafter “OSF”) offices in Albania and Serbia to complete their research project in the other country. The research mobility must be carried out during the period February – May 2022 and must culminate in the publication of a research report/policy brief. The working language of all activities will be English.

Deadline for applications: 06 December 2021

Deadline extended: 17 December 2021

Regional Youth Leadership Mobility Programme (RYL-MP) was designed by Centre for Education Policies (CEP), Serbia, and Centre Science and Innovation for Development (SCiDEV), Albania, as an answer to the OSF initiative of creating a platform for regional cooperation of strategic priorities.

The OSF Strategy aims to respond to multiple challenges, ranging from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic to climate change and the seemingly inevitable economic and social crises that are likely to ensue. To that end, one of the pillars of OSF’s work in the region is Economic and Social Justice. Increased bilateral cooperation between Albania and Serbia, including the establishment of the Youth Leadership Mobility Platform, feeds precisely into this goal. OSF Albania also had envisaged similar actions in their action plan i.e. bilateral project with Serbia.

Regional Youth Leadership Mobility Programme (RYL-MP) specifically targets Master or PhD students, recently graduated students, youth researchers, young professionals, and/or youth activists from Albania and Serbia with research interest and background in the above-mentioned topics that have the capacity to work and present their research in English (both orally and in writing) and are keen in participation in regional cooperation as well as be engaged in decision-making processes through evidence-based activism and participation.

The selected participants will be offered tailored capacity development activities through e-learning and mentoring with the aim to further improve their skills and knowledge on how to produce high-quality research with impact on activism and decision-making and to facilitate effective collaboration between youth in Albania and Serbia. They will also have an opportunity to spend up to one month in Albania or Serbia (Serbian participants will go to Albania and vice versa) and do part of their research there. During this time, participants will work with designated mentors that will support them through the process and with the selected topic. This is intended to not only expand the participants’ research capabilities and subject matter knowledge but also to improve their advocacy skills and engage in evidence-based activism. The programme will organize different dissemination activities as well as two joint events, one in Belgrade and one in Tirana to discuss and promote the findings of the final research report/policy brief to be prepared by the participants.

The programme is open to 10 candidates, 5 from Albania and 5 from Serbia, which meet the eligibility criteria listed below and have their research proposal evaluated as satisfactory by a Selection Committee.

Following candidates are eligible for participation:

  • Appropriate age (21-30 years old);
  • Citizenship (Albanian OR Serbian), with a residence within the territory of the country of citizenship;
  • Willingness to work on strengthening regional cooperation;
  • Background (one of the listed):
    • Master or PhD students
    • Recently graduated students
    • Youth researchers
    • Young professionals from civil society organizations,
    • Youth activists.

Candidates’ affiliation to an organization active in the field of education research, youth participation, regional cooperation, or digital transformation will be considered an asset.

The application process has two steps:

  1. Interested candidates should fill in the Application Form; and
  2. Interested candidates should download and complete the Research Proposal Template and send it via email to (rylmp2021@gmail.com) together with Curriculum Vitae and Letter of Recommendation including the contact of a referee.

Only fully-completed applications (Step 1 and 2) will be processed.

Read FULL CALL FOR APPLICATIONS – REGIONAL YOUTH LEADERSHIP MOBILITY PROGRAMME
Fill in the ONLINE APPLICATION FORM
Download RESEARCH PROPOSAL TEMPLATE
INFO SESSION 26 November 2021

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