InTER selected to participate at the TRAIN programme

InTER has been successfully awarded to participate at the TRAIN programme (Think Tanks providing Research and Advice through Interaction and Networking) that seeks to foster fruitful policy dialogue between think tanks and political actors in the Western Balkans (i.e. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia).

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 programme is open to the participation of two researchers from each selected think tank. The programme activities are divided into four key stages:
-     An introductory regional seminar that will be organised with selected think tanks in Belgrade, 22-25 March 2012. The aim of the seminar is dedicated to the drafting of policy papers and to the discussion and elaboration of the selected proposed research topic;
-     A mid-term seminar in Berlin, 11-15 June 2012, with the aim of reviewing the draft policy papers and discussion with relevant actors from the German policy scene on the chosen topics. Participants will receive feedback on both the content and structure of their papers and will be able to discuss regional best practices.
-     A wrap-up seminar in Brussels, 16-20 September 2012, where think tanks will be invited to present their findings to EU decision-makers and thus to establish contacts with relevant Brussels actors. They will discuss their policy papers with actors from different EU institutions (European Commission, European Parliament and Council of Ministers) and Brussels-based organisations and receive input in view of the dissemination of their results to national policy-makers.
-     The final stage of the programme is dissemination of the policy papers to the key national decision-makers from the Parliament, line ministries and relevant agencies.

InTER will participate in the TRAIN programme with two researchers, Mr. Dragisa Mijacic and Ms. Vesela Curkovic, who will jointly conduct a research on the impact assessment of the EU development support to economic development in the Republic of Serbia.