Call for Applications for the Straniak Academy for Democracy and Human Rights 2019 in Ulcinj, Montenegro

The Call for Applications for this year's Straniak Academy for Democracy and Human Rights in Ulcinj, Montenegro (1-14 September 2019) is open!

The Straniak Academy for Democracy and Human Rights was established in 2013 by the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights – Research Association based in Vienna. Currently, cooperation partners of the Academy are the Bundeswehr University Munich and the Faculties of Law of the Universities of Vienna and Ljubljana.

The main facilitator of the Academy is the Hermann und Marianne Straniak Foundation, Sarnen (Switzerland). The Foundation contributes, inter alia, to the promotion of the goals, ideas and values of the European Convention on Human Rights, in particular in East and Southeast European countries. This year, the Academy is also supported by the Bundeswehr University Munich and various companies and law firms from Austria and Germany. Furthermore, the Austrian Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs provides support.

Aim and concept of the Academy

The goal of the Academy is to promote academic education on democracy, the rule of law and human rights in the Western Balkans, which is the regional focus of the Academy. The Academy establishes a link connecting theory and practice, promoted through an interdisciplinary and interactive format. To keep up with political, legal and social changes and to ensure the Academy’s continuous relevance for future professionals, one part of the Programme sets its focus on current topics of European and international importance.

Who teaches?

Lecturers of the Straniak Academy are experienced professors, regional and international experts and practitioners with various academic backgrounds. Many lectures are held by two lecturers, one from an EU Member State and one from the Western Balkan region or other countries. Through this concept of “tandem teaching” the lecturers elaborate a topic from different perspectives and approaches, and this way provide a wider and differentiated understanding. The students will not only have the opportunity to listen to presentations, but also be actively involved in the lectures and invited to participate in discussions, working groups, round tables and a role play on an actual and challenging topic. In addition, the students will get insights into the every-day work of practitioners and experts, lawyers, diplomats and representatives of the civil society.

Who is eligible to apply?

The Straniak Academy is open to advanced students and new graduates with different academic backgrounds who are especially interested in democracy, the rule of law and human rights. The target group are in particular students and recent graduates from the Western Balkan region (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia), Slovenia and Austria. Students coming from other countries (in particular the Black Sea and the Caucasus region) and other EU States are also welcome to apply, however preference will be given to applicants from the above-mentioned focus region.

Programme and schedule

The intense two-week programme offers a wide range of lectures and workshops on the most important topics in the field of democracy, the rule of law and human rights. The first week concentrates on the core concepts and instruments to ensuring these fundamental principles and values. The second week deals with specific issues.

Certificates and credits

The Straniak Academy is an intense academic programme. At the end of the second week, the students take an obligatory final exam in order to receive a diploma. The preconditions for a positive evaluation are to reach more than 50% of the maximum points for the exam (multiple choice questions and short open questions) and to participate actively during the two weeks.

The ECTS points depend on the plan and programme of the students’ respective faculties and universities. Students will have to inform themselves on the necessary procedures and documents at their faculties. In Austria, the recognition of ECTS varies from faculty to faculty (from 6 to 11 ECTS). The Straniak Academy team will provide in that regard all necessary support in organisational and administrative matters to the students.

Please find more information on the Straniak Academy, the preliminary programme, the application form and the poster in the attachment.

Application deadline is July 21st, 2019!