This fall, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the School of Public Policy (SPP) at Central European University will organize two four-day intensive training courses for young policy advisers from the Eastern part of Europe - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.

Read the course brochure here.

2015 Policy Advisers course cohort

The two trainings seek to contribute to building democratic institutions where junior foreign policy professionals of today will play a crucial role in defining the future trajectory of their nation. Overall, the courses aim to contribute to a better understanding of the role of political advisers and tasks that are at the heart of deliberating, shaping and implementing policy.

They will focus on developing practical skills in a number of areas such as

• the role of the political adviser (core functions and giving good advice);
• shaping complex political environments (devising and implementing strategies; analyzing and understanding the internal and external political context; making decisions with limited information; forecasting and scenario-planning);
• conducting inclusive policy analysis; engaging internal & external stakeholders; building and sustaining relationships and networks; negotiating effectively with respect for mutual interests;
• mastering communication and advocacy (policy writing, speech writing, devising communication strategies; public diplomacy; working with media outlets; communicating effectively).

The courses will build on the training methodology tested in the successful 2014, 2015 and 2016 editions of the course that have so far taken place in Sandö, Budapest, Chisinau, Tunis and Bishkek. The trainings – which will again be taught by exceptional trainers with extensive professional experience in foreign affairs – will require active participation and engagement and will include writing speeches, talking points and briefing materials. Participants will be challenged to participate in negotiation simulations, and to talk to the press corps in front of a camera.

Read more about the 2015 course here.

In the video below, Eteri Buziashvili from Georgia, Oleg Naumenko from Ukraine and Oxana Paierele from Moldova tell mentor Karin Limdal about their reasons for applying, their expectations, and their reflections from the first day of the 2015 course in Budapest.

Target audience
Each course will be comprised of 25 young policy professionals under the age of 35 who work as political/policy advisers in ministries, presidential administrations as well as in parliaments in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.

Course fee
The course fee, including tuition, course material, full board accommodation as well as the cost for airfare will be covered by the course organizers.

Course location
The 7 – 11 November 2016 course will be organized in Warsaw. The second (and identical) course will be held on 5 – 9 December 2016 on the premises of the Folke Bernadotte Academy in Sandö, Sweden. The trainings will be organised subject to the availability of funding. While participants will be able to state their first and second course choice, the final determination will be made by the organisers.

How to apply
The course will be conducted in English. The selection of participants will be based on the pre-determined criteria and seeking balance regarding overall background, experience and suitability, age, gender, and nationality.

The application form is available here. Deadline for applications is Sunday, 11 September 2016.

For further information and queries, please contact us at [email protected].