ReSPA launched today the “Preparatory and Induction Day” of the Western Balkans Regional Mobility Programme, carefully tailored with the strong support of numerous prominent institutions & organizations as well as lectures from EU Member States. The Regional Mobility Programme promises to be a transformative experience for more than 25 public servants from the Western Balkans, offering invaluable insights and forging lasting connections with renowned lecturers and experts, officials of EU institutions and officers of various regional organizations.

The programme, which will be kicked off in April 2024, encompasses several phases:

• Executive education on topics such as EU integration and regional cooperation, Strategic policy development, EU financial management and budget analysis; Public administration and government reforms, Communication skills, etc. The programme will be delivered in partnership with the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium;

• The study visits the EU institutions in Brussels, Belgium, such as The European Commission, the European Parliament, the Committee of the Regions, the Council of the EU, etc.

• Job shadowing in regional organisations in the Western Balkans, where participants will be hosted for a whole working week in one of the organizations active in the Western Balkans.

• The Closing workshop which will bring together the participants to discuss its added value and the integration of the acquired knowledge to strengthen governance in the Western Balkans.

The whole initiative is expected to be finalized by the end of the year.

ReSPA Programme Coordinator Genti Xhaxhiu called participants to be proactive during all the phases of the programme, highlighting the critical importance of discussing and sharing experiences among them and with the lecturers and EU officials on various topics. Participants also provided their expectations from the programme, highlighting relevant topics that they would appreciate tackling during the programme.