1st European Youth Conference: Strengthening the Recognition of Non-Formal Education in European Youth Work

Youth organization CULTURE GOES EUROPE (CGE) – Soziokulturelle Initiative Erfurt e.V. is looking for participants all over Europe for its “1st European Youth Conference: Strengthening the Recognition of Non-Formal Education in European Youth Work” to be held in Cracow, Poland, on 19th – 25th March 2013. 

One of the main challenges of European youth work is the recognition of the value of youth work as non-formal learning among public and private institutions as well as among the general population on one hand and the recognition of learning outcomes of youth participating in youth work activities on the other hand. Facing the challenges of the new EU program “Erasmus for all” the requested project proposal therefore focuses on the two interlinked processes of formal/political as well as social recognition of youth work and non-formal learning. 

The objectives of the project are:

• To facilitate the communication between the involved stakeholders

• To foster the transfer of knowledge within the EU27

• To increase the transparency and quality of YW and NFL activities

The participants of the Youth Conference (YC) will join an intense week working on sharing their experiences:

• How to facilitate the communication between the involved stakeholders

• How to foster the transfer of knowledge within EU27

• How to increase the transparency and quality of YW and NFL activities

The activities are based on principles & practice of non-formal learning including various activities as open space, lectures/speeches/inputs, floors include. exercises, simulations, which are creating situations for deeper personal reflection, followed by concentrated debriefing, work in small mixed groups, inputs, presentations & discussion of results, e.g. through fishbowl-method, field trips, meetings & roundtables, workshops, free time activities & intercultural activities. The methods are based on a learning process & stimulating creativity, active participation and initiative. Last but not least is to get connected and finding synergy-effects between us and new projects under the umbrella of YiA Programme of the European Commission.

You are interested to participate?

We launched an open call for participants. Nevertheless priority is given to participants who are applying via the official project partners.

The following organisations are involved in the project:

• ECEPAA – European Centre for Economic and Policy Affairs – Belgium

• Youth for Better Europe – Bulgaria

• International Initiatives for Cooperation – Bulgaria

• Municipality of Aradippou – Cyprus

• International Movement Youth Time – Czech Republic

• Be International, o.s. – Czech Republic

• Association Migration Solidarité et Echanges pour le Développement – France

• CGE Erfurt e.V. – Germany

• ELIX – Conservation Volunteers Greece – Greece

• Comune di Tortona – Italy

• SkillMaker – Latvia

• Youth center “Baze” –

• Kaunas Union of Youth NGOs ‘Round Table’ – Lithuania

• Strategies of Interactive Training Foundation – Malta

• DINAMO – Portugal

• Associação para a Formação e Desenvolvimento do Montijo – CMM – Portugal

• Team for Youth Association – Romania

• Zavod Nefiks – Slovenia

• Društvo mladinski ceh – Slovenia

• Gaziantep Youth and Culture Association – Turkey

• Çanakkale Koza Gençlik Derneği – Turkey

This Youth Conference is for 50 participants and recommended for youth workers, trainers, youth leaders, project managers, youth policy makers.

Participants from the following countries are eligible: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey.

Your profile:

• you’re head over heels for non-formal education

• you’re familiar with non-formal learning methods

• you took part at least at one Youth in Action activities

• you’re an active member of a NGO or youth organization

• you’re able to participate active at the Youth Conference

• you’re not a Youth in Action tourist

• you love to share your experiences, ideas and passion

A participation fee in the amount of 75 EUR per person is taken to cover expenses which are not covered by the YiA grant. The participants are accommodated in a Hotel. There the participants will receive breakfast, lunch and dinner. The kitchen is used to cook also vegetarian and vegan food. We will reimburse 70% of the travel costs for the YC on the basis of the cheapest possibilities.

A comprehensive guide with further information is available here.

Or apply directly via:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dExOMVpLY3BRTXM5MGt3Q3IyRG1vbGc6MQ#gid=0

In case you cannot access the given information/links/documents please contact us directly via: recognitionnfe@gmail.com

 

Please apply online till the 22.02.2013.

The project is funded by the Youth in Action programme of the European Union.

PhD Fellowships in Economics at Vienna Graduate School of Economics

The Vienna Graduate School of Economics (VGSE) offers a unique opportunity to study at a PhD program with a world-class faculty located in the center of the “number 1 quality of living city worldwide”. Apply now and benefit from our attractive fellowships! The Vienna Graduate School of Economics is a collaboration of the University of Vienna and the Institute for Advanced Studies. It offers a broad three-year PhD program in economics focusing on specialized field courses, research seminars, and intensively supervised research time. One year is allocated to course work and research training; two years to research. The school is financed by the Austrian Science Foundation (FWF). The program is entirely run in English.

Eligibility

Applicants at VGSE must have completed a master program in economics or related fields with advanced courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics. As a VGSE PhD student you work on your own research in the VGSE office and contribute to a lively research environment. You follow courses, conduct your dissertation research, meet your supervisors, discuss with fellow students and faculty members, and present your ongoing research in the research seminars. Moreover you travel to conferences, summer schools, or go on extended research visits abroad.

Fellowship

• Full fellowship: employment at the University of Vienna (Euro 26.580 gross/year)
• Limited fellowship: paid by the Institute for Advanced Studies (Euro 10.200 net/year)
• No fellowship: place to study and a research grant to attend conferences

All students receive:

• Research grant to attend conferences, summer schools, or go on extended research visits abroad
• Exemption from tuition fees
• Fully equipped workplace

Application procedure

There are two independent application deadlines for the academic year 2013/2014 (program start October 2013). Most fellowships are allocated in the first application round. The first application period lasts from December 1st, 2012 to January 31st, 2013. During these two months applications for the first deadline will be received. The second deadline is 30 April 2013. The application process consists of the application package and a personal interview with the shortlisted candidates.

Application Package:
- Application form
- Two recommendation letters sent to application@vgse.at by the referees directly
- Your Application documents (one pdf file) uploaded to the application form in this order:

1. CV (max. 2 pages)
2. Motivation letter (1 page)
3. Research proposal (1 page)
4. BSc or Magister certificate
5. MSc or Magister certificate (finished at the start of the program only)
6. Transcript of grades of your MSc or Magister studies
7. Reading lists or syllabi (content and literature) for MSc level courses in: Microeconomics/Macroeconomics/Econometrics
8. GRE test result (DI Code 6733)
9. English test result (TOEFL Code Number 6757, or IELTS test, or waiver request)

Personal Interviews may be held face-to-face, via telephone, or via Skype.

Contacts

Verena Konrad
Vienna Graduate School of Economics
Maria Theresien Strasse 3, Top 18, 3rd floor
A-1090 Vienna
Tel: +43-(0)1-4277-37422
Fax: +43-(0)1-4277-37492
E-mail: info@vgse.at
Skype: VGSEconomics

Official Website

World Perspectives: Minority Voices

World Perspectives: Minority Voices – a conference for young media makers that will take place in Budapest, Hungary, on 22-28 April, 2013 – will bring together 26 young media makers, from across Europe, to study how the international news media portrays issues affecting minorities, migrants and refugees. Participants will learn through practice based training, to critically analyse different forms of news media and also to further develop their own skills to more effectively participate in the creation of responsible media. In particular, the study session will motivate and enable young media makers to develop strategies to ensure minorities, migrants and refugees are themselves able to influence how issues affecting them are portrayed in the news.

Project Aim

The project aims to support civil society in the participants’ countries by raising their awareness about biased information presented in mass media and developing their competences as young media makers.

After the study session, participants will:

• Have greater awareness of issues affecting minorities, migrants and refugees in Europe.
• Know how to recognise and quantify biases that appear in the media and in political discourse.
• Be able to apply improved media and journalistic skills to develop responsible and balanced news media.
• Be able to develop improved strategies to ensure the participation of minority, migrant and refugee communities within mainstream media.

The study session will also seek to work with participants to establish a platform for young media makers in Europe, working on issues relating to minorities. As well as develop networking opportunities between young media makers.

Participant Profile

The study session is planned for 26 participants. This call is open to legal residents in countries which are members of the Council of Europe. We aim to give priority to participants from the following countries: Belarus, Belgium, Cyprus, France, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and Ukraine. Young media makers of minority backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply. Participants should be between 18-30 years old. Participants should be active or able to show a demonstrated interest in any of the following; journalism and media, working with young people, human rights, issues relating to minority, migrant and refugee communities and also the Middle East and North Africa. These can include, for example:

• Young journalists and media makers, working in the field of news media
• Representatives of civil society and youth organisations, working to involve young people in different forms of media
• Representatives of civil society organisations working on human rights issues, especially those related to minority, migrant and refugee rights
• Young leaders from minority, migrant and refugee communities, who wish to learn how to better represent their community in the media

Priority will be given to those applications from participants, who, as well as showing an active commitment to the study sessions topics, can demonstrate they are able to act as multipliers and are able to develop effective strategies to share their learning with the organisations and communities they represent.

Selection of participants will take into account both geographical and gender balance, and will seek to ensure a diverse range of participants. We actively encourage applications from participants from minority, migrant and refugee communities, in particular those from Middle East and North African backgrounds.

The language of the study session will be English; therefore participants should feel confident in working in English, including drafting articles and other media.

Financial Information

The study session is supported financially by the Council of Europe and will be held at the European Youth Centre in Budapest. International travel costs will be covered 100% and reimbursed to participants during the training. Accommodation, all meals and local transport will also be provided for in Budapest.

A 50-Euro participation fee will be charged by the European Youth Centre and will be deducted from the participant travel reimbursements. Although travel costs will be reimbursed, participants will be expected to make and book their own travel arrangements.

Application and Deadline

Deadline: February 3rd, 2013, 24:00.

Please submit the following:

• Your CV
• 2 media clips (of any type) (media clips that are not in English should have an English summary).

to Katarzyna Mortoń at k.morton@youthpress.org 

The study session is organised by European Youth Press - www.youthpress.org, Minority Rights Group Europe – www.minorityrights.org, and Concordia International in cooperation with the Youth Department of the Council of Europe.

Study Grants at University of Bologna

The University of Bologna offers study grants to deserving international students who wish to register for first cycle, second cycle or single cycle Degree Programmes at the University of Bologna for A.Y. 2013-2014 (15 study grants for students registering in First Cycle and Single Cycle degree programmes; 30 study grants for students registering in Second Cycle degree programmes.)

 

If you are an international student of any nationality in possession of (or about to obtain) a qualification from an institute outside of the Italian system, you may apply for an annual study grant of €11,000 gross (Unibo Action 2).

For students enrolling in First Cycle and Single Cycle degree programmes: the study grants are awarded on the basis of the SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) test results. For students enrolling in Second Cycle degree programmes: the study grants are awarded on the basis of the GRE (Revised General Test) test results. The lists are drawn up by a board which may give different weightings to the different sections of the tests according to the subject area of the candidates’ chosen degree programme. The achievement of a minimum score is not required.

Timing:

Deadline for first session 

• Presentation of applications: 30 January 2013 
• Evaluation of candidatures: February 2013 
• Publication of results: March 2013

Deadline for second session 

• Presentation of applications: March 2013
• Evaluation of candidatures: April 2013 
• Publication of results: May 2013

Eligibility

Application is open exclusively to candidates who are in possession of all the following requirements:

1. the qualifications for admission to the chosen First or Second Cycle degree programme were obtained in an institution outside of the Italian education system, whatever their citizenship. Qualifications issued by institutions of the Republic of San Marino do not satisfy this condition.
2. they fulfill the access requirements foreseen for the chosen degree programme or will fulfill such requirements at the time of enrollment

Application

Applications must be made using the application form on the official website no later than 30 January 2013 at 11.15 am (Italian date and time), by: fax to number +39 0512099590 or, alternatively, by hand to the International Students Desk, via Filippo Re 4, Bologna, Italy, during the following open hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday: from 9.00 to 11.15 am; Tuesday and Thursday from 2.30 to 3.30 pm.

Applicants must obligatorily specify in their application:

1. surname and name, date and place of birth and nationality;
2. e-mail address for all communications concerning the application;
3. the chosen degree programme (students may indicate only one choice).

Applicants must obligatorily attach with their application:

1. copy of their passport. EU citizens can attach copy of their identity document;
2. copy of the score report of the SAT test (for students registering for First Cycle or Single Cycle degrees) or GRE test (for students registering for Second Cycle degrees). The SAT or GRE tests must have been sat by the final date for receipt of applications and not earlier than 5 years before it. Next to this, it is mandatory for applicants to send official score reports through the organizations in charge of the tests (CollegeBoard and ETS). In order to send official score reports, applicants must use the recipient codes of the University of Bologna: – for SAT: 6993; for GRE: 7850
3. certificate confirming the qualifications suitable for admission to the chosen degree programme, with an indication of the exams passed and relative grades. Students who by the deadline for presentation of applications have not completed their qualifications may present a certificate of registration indicating the exams passed to date and relative grades. The award of the study grant is subject to the effective completion of the qualification prior to enrolment in A.Y. 2013-2014.

The documents presented by the applicants must be written in English or Italian. If the documents are written in any language other than Italian or English, they must be supported by a translation into English or Italian on unstamped paper. The translation may be done directly by the candidate.

For further information please contact:

The International Students Desk of the Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, Via Filippo Re 4, Tel. +39 0512099529 – +39 0512099507 – +39 0512099510 – +39 0512099291. Fax . +39 0512099590.

Email: internationaldesk@unibo.it

To learn more and apply, please visit the official website

 

HiOA International Summer School 2013 in Oslo

The annual International Summer School at Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences (HiOA) will be arranged on 02 - 19 July 2013.

The International Summer Programme at HiOA will be a meeting place for students from all over the world. In addition to the courses, we will arrange social and cultural events, excursions, and field trips. Most of the students will be accommodated in centrally located student villages.

All students with at least one year of university education and proficiency in English are welcome to apply. Although the majority of the participants will be international, Norwegian students are more than welcome to apply. We hope to create a global campus, with high academic standard, as well as the possibility to experience Norway.

For the summer of 2013, we offer the following courses:

• Philosophy in Preschool and School
• International Public Health
• Network and System Administration
• Universal Design of ICT

Accommodation

All students at the International Summer School at HiOA may be accommodated in student residencies close to campus Pilestredet and the city centre. You will have your own furnished room (student standard) with internet access. Kitchen and bathroom facilities will be shared with 15 other students.

Making your own housing arrangement is also possible.

Social and Cultural Activities

During summer school in Oslo we would like you to participate in a variety of social and cultural activities in order to get the most out of your stay. This is an integrated part of the summer programme.

We will offer:

• Guided tours to some of our popular museums, for example Nobel Peace Centre, Munch, The Ski museum/Holmenkollen, the Folk museum and many more.
• Guided tours in Oslo
• Trips to both the islands and the surrounding woods.
• Barbecues
• any even more fun. Just wait and see
  

Summer School Fees

The application fee is 800 NOK (approximately 100 EUR), it is non-refundable, and should be paid before 1 March 2013 to this bank account:

Bank name: DnB NOR
Bank address: Stranden 21, N-0021 Oslo, Norway
IBAN: NO12 7694 0514 963
BIC (SWIFT) code:  DNBANOKKXXX
Recipient/beneficiary:
Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences (HiOA)
Pb 4 St. Olavs plass
N-0130 Oslo, Norway

The Summer School does not charge any course fees, but we charge 6000 NOK (approx. 775EUR/1070USD) for accommodation, extracurricular activities, excursions and administrative costs. If you would like to arrange your own accommodation you only pay 3000 NOK for the Summer School.

Payment instructions for the fee will be given in the formal  Letter of Acceptance. These fees are due 1 June 2013. After 1 June no fees are refundable. Fees paid for one summer session can't be transferred to the following year.

HiOA Summer School does not offer scholarships.

Application 

Application deadline is March 1st, 2013. We recommend that you apply as soon as possible if you are a citizen of a country that requires a visa to visit Norway.

More about the application process  

Contacts 

Ivalu Greig at International Office is coordinator of the Summer School 2013.

E-mail: summer@hioa.no

Civil Society Transformations on the Way to the European Union

The general objective of the project Technical Assistance for Civil Society Organisations (TACSO) is to strengthen the civil society within a participative democracy, to stimulate a civil society-friendly environment and culture, as well as to strengthen the overall capacities and accountability of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) within the IPA beneficiaries (Western Balkans and Turkey - WBT), to guarantee the quality of service of CSOs and a sustainable role of CSOs in the democratic process.

An important cross-cutting component of the project is to contribute to strengthening the civil society of the WBT within the EU accession process and on this occasion TACSO Croatia, in cooperation with other TACSO offices, is organising an international conference: Civil Society Transformations on the Way to the European Union: Looking at the past, present and future of civil society in Western Balkans and Turkey to be held in Zagreb, Croatia, on 17-19 April 2013.

Objectives and Focus 

The EU enlargement processes considerably influenced the development of CSOs in the Western Balkans and Turkey. The aim of this conference is to identify the key challenges faced by the CSOs in the framework of the EU enlargement process and to present the changes that CSOs and other actors in the field went through during that process. 

The main objective is to articulate the lessons learned in the course of the accession process, especially during the four years of TACSO’s presence in the region, and to assist CSOs in the Western Balkans and Turkey to cope with the challenges ahead.

The conference will bring together civil society entrepreneurs, activists and researchers to discuss, learn and reflect on the following issues:

· What is the impact of the EU accession process on civil society in the WBT?

· Is there an impact, and what it is, of civil society on the EU accession process?

· What to expect from the process and what are the lessons learnt from the accession to the EU?

· What is the future for the civil society from the WBT?

Who Can Apply? 

Representatives of CSOs and CSO networks, including independent civil society experts and researchers, based in IPA countriesand involved with the EU enlargement issues. The applicants need to be fluent in English to the extent that they can actively participate in the conference. 

Each country will be represented by 5 participants (4 CSO representatives, including 1 representative of the TACSO Local Advisory Group, and 1 media representative), except for Croatia. Since the concept of the conference puts Croatia in the focus, it is expected that participation of Croatian CSOs will be greater than of CSOs from other IPA countries. 

Application Procedure 

Interested applicants are requested to submit:

·  Short bio note

· Motivation letter in which they describe their expectations from the conference, what specific knowledge and experience they will share with other participants, how will their organisation and the civil society sector at large benefit from their participation in the conference. The letter should also clearly state how is the applicant’s organisation involved in EU enlargement issues.

·  Application form

The completed application needs to be sent to the e-mail address of your national TACSO office (contact details for all TACSO countries listed below) by 21 January 2013with the subject heading: CONFERENCE - Civil Society Transformations. The selection process should be completed by 31 January 2013. Please note that only selected applicants will be contacted.

For selected participants, the organiser will provide travel costs (including cost of visa, if applicable), accommodation, meals and refreshments during the conference.  Further information can be obtained from the TACSO website (http://www.tacso.org/news/training-opp/?id=8440). 

If you have any additional questions on the conference, please contact the local TACSO offices.

TACSO local contacts:

Albania - info.al@tacso.org ­| info.albania@tacso.org

Bosnia and Herzegovina - info.ba@tacso.org

Croatia - info.hr@tacso.org

Kosovo - info.ko@tacso.org

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - info.mk@tacso.org

Montenegro - info.me@tacso.org

Serbia - info.rs@tacso.org

Turkey - info.tr@tacso.org

CEU Summer University 2013

The Summer University (SUN) is an academic program for courses for graduate students, university teachers, researchers and professionals in the social sciences and humanities. In 2013, the summer program (June 3 – July 26, 2013) offers a series of intensive one- and two-week courses in the social sciences and humanities to encourage and promote regional academic co-operation and curriculum development by drawing together young faculty in lectures, seminars and workshops. The language of instruction is English.

Financial aid / scholarsips are available. Applications should be received no later than February 15, 2013.

 In 2013 we offer the following courses:

Research-Intensive courses

- Adaptation Governance: Spatial, Temporal, and Cultural Constraints and Opportunities

- Comparative Regionalisms: Changing Forms of Governance in Asia, Africa and the Americas and the Effects on the World Order

- Constitution-building in Africa

- Documentary Cinema in the Digital Century

- Justice: Theory and Applications

- Medieval Codicology and Palaeography

- Moral Intuitionism: Epistemological and Ethical Aspects

- Reading Old Bodies: New directions in the bio-archaeological heritage

- Religion and Realism in Political Thought - Historical Perspectives and Recent Developments

- The Politics of Citizenship

Policy and Training courses

- Drug Policy and Human Rights

- Green Industry: Pathways Towards the Industry of the Future

- Innovative Financing for Education: Arguments, Options and Implications

- Internet Governance, Civil Society and Public Policy Advocacy

- LMI-Integrity Education: Teaching Integrity and Improving the Integrity of Higher Education

- LMI-SME’s and Social Enterprises - Doing Business with Integrity in Emerging Markets

- Mediation and Other Methods to Foster Democratic Dialogue

- Mental Disability Law in Practice

- Strategic Human Rights Litigation

- Sustainable Human Development: From International Frameworks to Regional Policies

For further information applicants can contact the SUN office (summeru@ceu.hu), or visit the SUN website (www.summer.ceu.hu) where they can find the description of each course and apply. 

Applicants are encouraged to apply online at https://apply.embark.com/NonDegree/CEU/13  and submit the attachments by the mentioned deadline.

"Change the Change" Seminar

There are times when we are not happy with the current situation - either in our closest environment or even at an international level. We have not managed to prevent it but we can still do something about. Bringing about change is a process that can go variuos ways. How to do it in a constructive, effective and peacefull way?

This seminar will develop new and fine-tune already existing tools on human rights education to empower participation of young people in decision making on local, regional, national and international level.

The seminar will be held in Tartu, Estonia, on 24.-30.03.2013. The seminar is financially supported by European Youth Foundation.

The last day for sign up is 15th of January 2013.

Who Can Apply?

• The seminar is open to participants from European countries. Participants from the other parts of the world are welcomed, but the organizers cannot cover the costs of travel.
• Participants should be between 15 and 30 years old.

Participation Costs

• 130 Euro for members from Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Faroe Islands, Finland, Great Britain,
• 30 Euro for members from Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Turkey, Romania, Moldova, Poland
• participation fee covers full travel reimbursement (one plane/train/bus ticket in both directions).
• 200 Euro for Participants from non-member organisations
• food and accommodation costs are covered by the organizers

Check the member organisations here.

Sign up here