The Council of Europe schools of political studies were established to train future generations of political, economic, social and cultural leaders in countries in transition. With the participation of national and international experts, they run annual series of seminars and conferences on topics such as European integration, democracy, human rights, the rule of law and globalisation. The first School of Political Studies was created in Moscow in 1992 by a group of civil society activists seeking to promote democratic values. Since then, 15 other schools have been set up along the same lines; a genuine network now covering the whole of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. Moreover, it is planned to extend the network of Schools to additional countries, in particular in the Southern Mediterranean region. (Read more)

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The Moscow School of Political Studies celebrates its 20th anniversary

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the Moscow School of Political Studies is organising the seminar "Moscow School: 20 years", which will take place on 25-27 April 2013 in Golitsyno near Moscow. 20 years ago, on 4 April 1993, the Moscow School of Political Studies held its first seminar on "Politics, economics and national relationships". For the past two decades, the School has contributed to the objective of transforming Russia into a truly open and democratic civil society which functions effectively. The School’s seminars, which focus on the most important and complex problems of modern times, offer young leaders a unique platform for open debates and free-thinking. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the Moscow School of Political Studies invites its Alumni from all over Russia to the seminar "Moscow School: 20 years", which will take place on 25-27 April 2013 in Golitsyno near Moscow. The connection between power and society, power and personality as well as the question of morality in politics will be the key topics of the event. The School’s Alumni will debate with prominent national and international personalities. Catherine Lalumière, President of the European Association of Schools of Political Studies of the Council of Europe, will deliver a speech on "Power, Personality and Political Institutions". For more information and the programme, please visit the website of the Moscow School.

Watch interview by Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland

Launching Conference for the School of Political Studies of Morocco

The inauguration of the Moroccan School of Political Studies took place on 14 March 2013 in Rabat. Mr Pietro MARCENARO, Chairperson of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Mr Eneko LANDABURU, European Union Ambassador to Morocco, as well as Mr Zoltán TAUBNER, Director of External Relations of the Council of Europe took part in the ceremony. The inauguration ceremony was followed by a conference on the theme “Challenges and limits of deliberative democracy”. The School of Political Studies of Morocco, the second such School in a non-member State of the Council of Europe, was created with the financial support of the EU/CoE Joint Programme “Strengthening democratic reform in the southern Neighbourhood” and the Norwegian Government.

Draft Programme (French only)

The launch Event for the Tunisian School had taken place in January 2013. Both Schools are being set up in the framework of the Council of Europe new neighbourhood policy. Independent NGOs like the sixteen existing Schools in Central and Eastern Europe, the new Schools’ objective will be to train new generations of political, economic, social and cultural leaders. Through annual series of seminars related to democracy, human rights and the rule of law, the new Schools will make a concrete contribution to the ongoing transitional processes in their countries.

Julian Popov appointed Minister of Environment in Bulgaria

Julian Popov was appointed Minister of Environment and Water in the Caretaker government of Bulgaria. Mr Popov, Chairman of the Board of the Bulgarian School of Politics, is a renowned expert and journalist, who published numerous articles in Bulgarian and European media on European policy, EU enlargement, energy, sustainable development and low carbon economy. For almost twenty years, Mr Popov has been working as an advisor in institutional development, public relations and educational policy for a number of prestigious organisations such as European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Commission, the British Open University and the European Association of Distance Learning Universities. Mr Popov’s recent projects have included work on a “Quality and impact assessment manual for the Schools of Political Studies”, aiming to facilitate knowledge sharing on training methods between Schools and to enhance their capacity to build new partnerships.

The second edition of the Newsletter is now available.

This quarterly Newsletter will provide up-to-date information on the activities of the Network of the Schools of Political Studies. It should serve as a tool for the Schools themselves, but also provide useful information to friends and supporters of the Schools. It forms an element of the Council of the Europe Strategy for the Schools of Political Studies which aims to reinforce their visibility and their impact.
See first edition (November 2012)

Inauguration of the Tunisian School of Politics (Tunis, 8 January 2013)

The Inauguration of the Tunisian School of Politics took place on 8 January 2013 in Tunis, in the presence of the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, who delivered a speech on this occasion. The inauguration followed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding about the Council of Europe’s presence in Tunisia by the Council of Europe and the Tunisian authorities.

Meetings of the Network of the Schools

Meetings of Directors

The next meeting of the Directors of the Schools will take place on 14 June 2013 in Strasbourg.

Seminars organised by the Schools in April and May 2013:

Albania:

Seminar on "Freedom of expression and the role of media", Tirana ; 6 April
National course on Leadership, active citizenship and political communication, Gjirokaster, 12-14 April
Seminar on Governance, development and globalisation, Tirana, 20 April
Seminar on the global financial crisis, Tirana, 27 April
National course on 'The EU and the integration process. Perspectives for WB countries and Albania',Voskopoje 10-12 May

Belarus:

Alumni conference of the East European School of Political Studies, Lviv, Ukraine, 25-27 April
Round Table “Belarus in New Economic and Political Situation: Possible Scenarios of Transformation”, Minsk, Belarus, April
First session of the East European School of Political Studies, Lviv, Ukraine, 27-29 April

Bosnia: First national seminar 2013 on "Challenges for democratic functioning of public institutions: state-society relations', Pristina, Bosnia andd Herzegevona, 1-3 March

Bulgaria:

National seminar "Bulgaria and Europe, Democratic sustainability and Principles of Good Governance", Pravets, 12-17 March
Workshop for Bulgarian School alumni, April, Sofia, Bulgaria

Georgia: "Towards a Democratic Culture of Elections", 16-18 May

Kosovo: 2nd national seminar 2013 on "Poliltical parties: between old models and new realities", 26-28 April, Pristina, Kosovo

Montenegro

Workshop on energy efficiency with Union of Municipalities, April, Podgorica, Montenegro
Seminar on "Leadership skills", 11-18 May, Lillehammer, Norway,
Seminar (Public Dialogue on Energy Efficiency in Montenegro), May, Budva, Montenegro
Annual Forum for network members of School of Democratic Leadership, May, Podgorica, Montenegro

Moldova: Seminar Two: Effective Democracy, Efficient Governance, and Functional Market Economy – The Outcomes of Successful Transition, 26-28 April 2013, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova

Romania:

Public debate on “What Electoral System Best Serves Democracy in Romania?”, 11 April,Bucharest, Romania
Second national seminar “Communication in the Public Space”, 16-19 May, Slanic-Moldova, Romania

Serbia:

Green Parliamentary Group Project, second one-day capacity building seminar, April,Belgrade, Serbia
Second seminar of Regional Academy for Democracy (RAD) – ‘Combating Organised Crime and Corruption – A Regional Challenge’, mid-April 2013, Montenegro
Third national seminar,25-28 April 2013, Palic, Serbia Women for Democracy and Equality, third capacity building seminar ‘The Role of Regulatory Bodies in the Protection of Human Rights and Implementation of Equal Opportunities Policies”, April 2013,Nis, Serbia
Women for Democracy and Equality - second public hearing, April 2013, Belgrade, Serbia
Regional conference on UNSCR 1325, 11-13 May, Ohrid, “The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: Second seminar – East Serbia Region
European Integration and Local Development – Toward Successful Strategies and Good Governance, 17-19 May, Serbia
Public Dialogue Initiative, debate with stake-holders, March 2013, Belgrade, Serbia Women for Democracy and Equality, study visit to Finland, May 2013, Helsinki, Finland
Third national seminar for the 10th generation of Annual Seminar, Subotica, Serbia
First seminar of Local Networking for Sustainable Development, 31 May - 2 June, Serbia

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"

First 2013 seminar on "Multiculturalism and identity politics", 12-14 April 2013, Ohrid, 'the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia'
First session of the East European School of Political Studies, Lviv, Ukraine, 27-29 April

Ukraine: First 2013 Seminar, Kyiv, Ukraine, 25-28 April

The Schools of Political Studies at the World Forum for Democracy (5-11 October 2012)

Ceremony - Certificates handed to Schools Directors by Secretary General
In a lively and moving ceremony, on October 10, Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland handed certificates to the Directors of the 16 Council of Europe Schools of Political Studies for the participants of their Schools who had successfully completed the 2012 cycle.

All the participants warmly welcomed the directors and other representatives from the newly established Schools of Political Studies in Tunisia and Morocco.

On the same day, Secretary General Torbjørn Jagland declared at the meeting of the Ministers' Deputies: “Yesterday [9 October], I had a meeting with the Directors of our 16 Schools of Political Studies. I must say that I am very impressed by the activities of many of our schools. They are a very important asset for our Organisation. They engage in a broad range of activities, and no doubt make a real contribution to fostering a democratic culture throughout Europe. I also found it encouraging to meet the new Directors for our two new schools from both Morocco and Tunisia. I see absolutely no reason not to expand this unique network of political schools also to other parts of Europe, including Western-Europe.”

Photo gallery

Schools' participation at the World Forum

The participants of the 16 existing Schools of Political Studies of the Council of Europe chosen for the 2012 annual cycle as well as representatives of the two newly created Schools (Tunisia, Morrocco) participated in the first World Forum for Democracy.

In bringing together high-ranking political officials, leading public figures, Nobel Peace Prize winners and civil society activists, the World Forum allowed for an exchange of experiences and perceptions and helped identify risks as well as possible answers to today’s societal challenges. Read more

In addition to their attending the different events of the Forum, the School participants exchanged views with their peers in regional meetings of Schools and met the judges of the European Court of Human rights from their countries.

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In the margins of the Forum, Schools participants were invited to review the Forum. They also commented on the role and value of their respective School:

Lya Petkova, Bulgaria Anastasya Raditya-Lezaic, Croatia podcast Georgia

Bulgarian School (Lya Petkova,university lecturer and Bulgarian politician)

Croatian School (Anastasya Raditya-Ležaić, environmental economics researcher)

Georgian School (Teona Lebanidze NGO Deputy executive Director, David Tsintskaladze)

Schools Strategy for 2012 and beyond

The Schools have adopted their Strategy for 2012 and Beyond. The Ministers; Deputies took note of the Strategy in 2 May 2012.

The Strategy aims to build a strategic vision for the Schools of Political Studies; to foster a close partnership between the Schools and Council of Europe's operational work; to expand the Network of the Schools of Political Studies; to develop new partnerships with potential donors and with formal or non-formal educational establishments

The Strategy is now being promoted among Council of Europe bodies and other institutions and tools (fundraising impact measurement and marketing presentation, onine newsletter) for that purpose are being prepared.

Past Events

6th Summer University for Democracy (Strasbourg, 27-29 June 2011)

Around 500 participants from the network of Schools of Political Studies of the Council of Europe, as well as experts and personalities from around the world attended the 6th edition of the Summer University for Democracy, which addressed the issue of "Ethics and Politics".
Programme
Proceedings

European Association of the Schools of Political Studies

In 2008, the Directors of the Schools of Political Studies founded the European Association of Schools of Political Studies to strengthen ties, foster their development and support the Council of Europe’s activities to promote the schools’ network.

The association is non-profit-making and has no political or religious aims. It is governed by a Board made up of the Directors of schools of political studies and three to ten members elected by the General Assembly for four years. Catherine Lalumière, former Secretary General of the Council of Europe, was elected Chair of the association.

Launch of the European Association of the Schools of Political Studies
Contacts
Link to the Association website: www.schoolsofpoliticalstudies.eu

* "All reference to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo."

Council of Europe

Policy Planning