Capacity building training aimed at modernisation of Higher Education within the WB region

The training has successfully gathered 33 highly motivated WBAA members and young activists from the entire region, with the principal aim to increase their skills regarding Strategic and Action Planning and Writing Public Policies, as a Mechanism of Public Advocacy. The training was held between 03-06 March 2022, in Pancevo, Serbia.

During this 4-day project, which gathered more than 30 WBAA members from all over the region, we tried to face one common issue present in our region, and it is a lack of understanding and practice regarding initial research, preparation and implementation of strategic planning and action planning, alongside with preparation of grassroots policy papers aimed at modernisation of Higher Education.

Training of Strategic and Action Planning, and Writing Public Policies, as a Mechanism of Public Advocacy has achieved its main and specific goals with the full participation of the WBAA members. The overall goal was to introduce and expand on the knowledge and skill of strategic and action thinking and planning and public advocacy; with two specific goals: implementing these skills to concrete public advocacy campaigns; and acquainting each other with the specific current situation and needs in the field of higher education.

The emphasis was on concrete examples and specific approach to each one of those examples. This was conducted by applying the given theoretical knowledge to a particular situation with hands on approach, and with each group being able to learn with additional mentoring from the trainer. Additional emphasis was on the legislative conditions which have to be followed and fulfilled in order for the strategic plans to be implemented in real-live public advocacy campaigns. Thus, the additional end goal was for all the participants to be able to connect all the mentioned processes into a toolkit for change - and further achievement of this goal will additionally be monitored in the future projects submitted by the WBAA group.

Additionally, participants had the opportunity to hear about mobility opportunities within the new 2021-2027 Erasmus+ programme from the ESN Serbia representatives, enjoy Pancevo and Belgrade city tours and network by creating a great impact on regional interaction and connectivity and leading to better utilization of WBAA resources.

Milan Stojanovic, Project coordinator

04.05.2022