Programme aims
The TRAIN Programme (Think Tanks providing Research and Advice through Interaction and Networking) seeks to foster a fruitful policy dialogue between think tanks and political actors in the EU candidate countries and potential candidate countries of the Western Balkans (i.e. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia). Especially with a view to the European integration process, the voice of the think tanks of the region and their impact upon national policy-making must be strengthened and their visibility and credibility vis-à-vis EU actors enhanced. In order to build the necessary institutional capacity in the countries concerned and to support networking within the region as well as in Brussels, the programme focuses on four areas:
- Training to build upon and enhance existing capacities
- Regional co-operation to exchange good practices
- Interaction with national political actors to influence policy debates
- Networking with EU actors to increase visibility on the Brussels stage
Target group and thematic focus
The TRAIN Programme aims to support think tanks with a clear policy-oriented approach that focus on national, regional and/or international politics. Key aspects for the selection of participating institutes will be:
- Centrality of EU integration and related issues to the work of the think tank
- Research capacity and professionalism as demonstrated through regular publications containing specific policy recommendations to
decision-makers
- Experience in communicating results of their research to relevant actors such as national parliaments, national media, and political
parties
The TRAIN Programme 2014 is open to twelve researchers from different think tanks across the Western Balkans region (with the participation of one or maximum two researchers per think tank).
Each participating researcher will be expected to draft a policy paper dealing with a topic which is relevant to the EU integration process of his/her respective country or the region as a whole and closely related to the overarching theme of rule of law.
The thematic focus of the TRAIN Programme 2014 is the rule of law in the EU candidate countries and potential candidate countries of the Western Balkans.
Deadline: 20 February 2014
For more info click here