Twenty-five young civil servants from Bosnia and Herzegovina will attend online training in European integrations for the next two months, covering topics such as “Understanding EU dynamics”, “BiH and the politics of expansion”, “Managing change for better efficiency of public service” and “From forming politics to evaluation.” Lectures will be led by the prestigious College of Europe institute in Bruges. Today in Sarajevo, introductory lectures were helf for the “EU Scheme for Young Professionals in BiH” project, which provides professional development for civil servants in the process of EU integrations. The project is financed by the European Union and implemented by the British Council in BiH.
Head of Operations Section for Justice and Home Affairs and Public Administration Reform of the Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nicolas Bizel, emphasized that civil service reform, as part of the accession process, is of vital importance for strengthening services in all levels of government and improving the quality and responsibility of civil service.“This is why this project is exceptionally important because it offers participants not only theoretical, but practical knowledge as well, using positive examples from practice. It is only through the education of people who will directly work on the EU accession process that Bosnia and Herzegovina can readily face the great challenge ahead,” Bizel stated.
Director of the EU SchemeAmila Lagumdzija underlined that this project is an excellent chance for further networking and gaining direct insight into how different levels of government manage the process of public administration. „Mutual learning and cooperation on questions of EU accession are key elements of this training. The training will provide young civil servants with the chance to learn and develop their skills by visiting civil service institutions in other parts of BiH and Western Balkans, by learning from their colleagues and working in a different context from their own level of government,” noted Lagumdzija.
“The next two months will give us an opportunity for intensive training and acquisition of knowledge which will considerably help us to readily face the process of EU integrations ahead of us. This programme is also very important because we have a chance to meet our colleagues from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as from varying levels of government. It is exactly this different perspective which will help expand our horizons and obtain a comprehensive education”, said Demir Hadzimuratovic, Expert Asssociate for credit insurance in the Export Credit Agency BiH and a participant in the programme.
The EU Scheme for Young Professionals in BiH is a two-year programme, a continuation of a successful regional project. As part of the programme, young civil servants will have the chance to participate in a modified four-week training project, led by College of Europe in Belgium, covering key areas of public administration and fields relevant to the EU integrations process. A one-week mobility programme within countries of the Western Balkans and a two-week exchange within BiH will allow candidates to spend time in a civil service institution at a level different from the one they work in with the aim of sharing good practice, connecting and mutual professional development.
