16th CEI International Summer School of Cervia
"Beyond Enlargement.
The Wider Europe and the New Neighbourhood"

The Background

The CEI International Summer School of Cervia "Beyond Enlargement. The Wider Europe and the New Neighbourhood" will take place in Cervia, from Sunday 5th to Saturday 18th September 2010

Since 1995 the “Europe and the Balkans International Network - Centre for Eastern European and Balkan Studies”, established by the University of Bologna, has been organising a yearly Summer School for post-graduate students from Eastern Europe and from the European Union. Up to the ninth edition, held in 2003, the School was entitled “Post-Communist Transition and European Integration Processes". Starting from 2004 the School has the title: "Beyond Enlargement. The Wider Europe and the New Neighbourhood". This title change is explained by the enlargement of the EU towards ten East European Countries in 2004, seven of them belonging to the CEI area that represents the conclusion of the so called "post-communist transition", at least for this part of Eastern Europe. The recent policy of the EU on “Greater Europe and the new neighbourhood” offers new rooms for an interaction between the CEI and the EU strategic goals, and this will be taken into serious consideration in the School programmes as well as in the selection of the students.

The School Offer

The School offers its students a unique international arena where the problems of the Enlarged Europe can be analysed in depth through the active participation of a prominent and well experienced International Faculty and a select, widely differentiated group of students from various countries. Thanks to its scientific and methodological approach, tested during the past fifteenth editions, the School contributes in creating strong roots for high standards of self-understanding and tolerance, looked upon as basic values for the advancing of the civil societies, for the consolidation of political institutions in South-Eastern Europe, Caucasus and CIS, and the overcoming of conflicts in these Regions. Indeed, these are the basic prerequisites for the integration of this Area inside the EU in the next future, or for the establishment of a good neighbourhood.

At the same time, the young generations coming form these areas are expected to become members of the new leadership, supporters of democratic principles, human rights values and free market economies. These generations could also become able to create, in their own countries, positive expectations from economic and democratic integration in Europe or from a strong cooperation with the EU, reversing the current trends, particularly in South East and CIS Europe, where strong national confrontations and ethnic contrasts are often considered as values.

Both the high quality of the Faculty and the trans-European character of the School provide the students with an ideal environment for the development of interpersonal and intercultural relationships between East and West Europeans and for the shared learning about political questions of common concern. The School is, in this sense, a good opportunity to foster a cultural rehabilitation of young generations coming from countries involved in nationalistic tensions and, sometimes, in war activities.

Taking into account this consideration, the goal of the School deals with the post-Cold War challenges, designed in particular to help the South-East Europe and CIS students to learn about democratic development, human rights, peace and security issues, European integration, and to look into emerging patterns of economic growth and commerce based on new technologies, institutions and work practices, as well as on integration factors and the new policies of EU neighbourhood.

The School offers 2 different courses, corresponding to 2 main study areas:

• Diversity Management, Governance and Civil Society (Course A)
• Sustainable Development, Green Economy and Civil Society (Course B)

The students will attend the courses split in two groups, one per area.

Courses will be held in Cervia (Ravenna), Italy, and will include 70 hours of lectures, seminars and workshops. Moreover, both courses will be supplemented by some interdisciplinary events, scheduled inside the courses calendar. The subjects of these meetings will concern topics of politics, international dimension and the role of the European Institutions, potential cooperation with New Neighbourhood Eastwards and inter-regional relations in South East Europe.

Considering particularly the target countries selected for this School, the courses intend to make acquainted young generations about new forms of decision making process in pluralistic and complex contemporary societies, where the legitimacy depends on the presence of a robust civil society and a vibrant public sphere of participation. As a result, the School will give emphasis, among other aspects, to deliberation – as a method of work – since the outcome of a deliberative decision making process should be a more consensual policy, namely more respondent to participant actors’ interests and, therefore, a more rational and sustainable one. Particularly in societies where a common sense of belonging is weak or contested, or identities represent a divisive factor, great challenges (as sustainable development, climate change, environmental protections) require a joint effort: deliberation and empathy may contribute in giving new impetus to a democratic governance within the existing societies and in strong cooperation with the surrounding world, especially in the perspective of the European integration processes.

Diversity Management, Governance and Civil Society (Course A) represents one of the most significant challenges for democracy in the diverse and increasingly integrated world of today is diversity management. Originally, the notion has been referred to enterprises and labour organization while dealing with transnational corporation businesses. However, we believe that diversity represents today a great challenge for the development of Democracy and modern Governance, involving institutions, local authorities and the organizations of the civil society (CSOs). Actually, diversity can result in diverse, possibly conflicting interests and gaps that need to be managed in order to avoid escalation of tensions and hatred as well as strengthen coexistence and stability, becoming a powerful tool for conflict resolution. In this sense CSOs can act as peace enforcers and shape policy making processes. The recognition, respect, and the acceptance of otherness do not represent only crucial components of any democratic political strategy that aims at social peace and stability, justice and social development. All contemporary societies need to be aware of that and, consequently, scholars, governance and, most importantly, civil society should pay adequate attention to diversity management. It is for this reason that a strategy of active diversity management in the Western Balkans, capable of channelling existing grievances to arenas less prone to violent conflict (such as politics, education, culture, mass media) but still able to spark one off, is essential in preserving the still fragile stability we witness today especially considering the current global economic crisis. CSOs should be the principal catalyst and sustainable multipliers of these strategies.

Consequently the Sustainable Development, Green Economy and Civil Society (Course B) is essential in order to deepen the study of the new scenarios of sustainable development, as a new approach to economic and social issues. This implies a specific care to the environment protection and to alternative technologies for energy. The growing relevance of these topics is related both to the need of relaunching the European economy under new basis and to guarantee peace in terms of access to resources: actually, the exploitation of existing energy sources has to cope with their increasing scarcity while the claims for their exploitation are dramatically broadening. The debate that took place in Copenhagen and its modest results have contribute however to spread the awareness of these challenges in the CSOs which claim their active participation in the decision making process in order to assure a more assertive and proactive consensus as well as a social cohesion and well being to the new social and economic transformation. Therefore the EU approach to these issues will be in depth presented and analyzed during the classes by focussing on the Implementation of Sustainable Development Practices in the EU strategy, on the Indicators of Sustainable Development, on the role of civil societies in the Ethics and Economics in a Process towards Sustainable Development as well as in the Ethical Bases for Environmental law.

Consistently, the civil society role will represent a specific focus during the seminars and lectures that will take place during the implementation of the project. In particular, the participants will be invited to consider what is the role of deliberative forums involving civil society organisations in supporting democratic stability, gender equality, intercultural interaction, the sustainability of development and the democratic access to resources. In other words, the lectures will address the issue how deliberative forums work, when they exist, in different parts of Europe and specifically what is or it might be their role in divided societies, in order to support democratic stability and prevent the desegregation of society.

This outcome can be achieved by combining seminars with round tables and simulation exercises. The School actually can rely on prominent scholars (with an in-depth knowledge of the Balkan and East European countries) that are usually examining interethnic relations, consensual policies, gender, migrations, environment under the lens of institutional changes and the expansion of the public sphere of participation. Moreover, CSOs of young immigrant will be invited to participate to a specific round table on their own role in their new country. Similarly, the School will invite representatives of CSOs from the Balkans to discuss with them their own contribution and strategies for dialogue and transnational cooperation. Furthermore, a specific session/panel will be devoted to the role of deliberative practices in supporting democratic stability through the involvement of civil society in decision-making processes, with a special focus on divided societies in Europe and its neighbours. In a comparative perspective, experiences coming from different European regions will be analysed together with the participants.

Requirements

Prerequisites for admission: the minimum qualification required is a bachelor's degree. Candidates: students with a background in Politics, Economics, Law, Philosophy, Social Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Literature and Communication Sciences. Priority requirement is to collaborate with Civil Society Organisation (please provide a letter of endorsement from your CSO).

Scholarships and Fees

Scholarships: only participants from Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Ukraine, Turkey, Kosovo, Russia are eligible for scholarships that cover both the course fees and the board and lodging (in double or triple rooms). The candidates with citizenships from abovementioned countries will be considered automatically for scholarships.

Please note: the scholarship covers only costs starting from the dinner of September 5th to the breakfast of September 18th included. Additional overnight stays or additional meals must be paid directly by the participants.

As for the travel expenses a contribution may be offered.

Fees: for students from the EU and Overseas: 950 €. The fee includes: board and lodging expenses in Cervia (from dinner in the evening of September 5th to the breakfast of September 18th), didactic materials, tuition, and free access to Internet after the lectures. Please note that the travel expenses are to be covered separately by the admitted students themselves.

Application Form and Deadline

Deadline for application: 20th June 2010 is the strict deadline set for receiving the properly completed:

1. application form,
2. curriculum vitae,
3. recommendation letter.

Incomplete applications and /or applications received after this deadline will not be considered for the selection.

Applicants must download the application form and send it duely filled in along with their curriculum vitae and a recommendation letter by one of the professors of the university attended, by e-mail to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dessislava Krasteva
Centro per l’Europa Centro-Orientale e Balcanica
CEI International Summer School of Cervia

via San Giovanni Bosco, 1, Faenza, Italy
Phone: +39 0544 937 950
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Scientific Board

• Peter Atanasov (Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje)
• Anton K. Berishaj (University of Priština)
• Camelia Beciu (National School of Political Sciences and Public Administration, Bucharest)
• Vladimir Bryushinkin (Russian State Immanuel Kant University, Kaliningrad)
• Srđan Darmanović (University of Podgorica)
• Vitalie Diaconu (Moldovan Ministry of Reintegration)
• Zdravko Grebo (University of Sarajevo)
• Damir Grubisa(University of Zagreb)
• Dušan Janjić (Forum for Ethnic Relations, Belgrade)
• Anna Krasteva (New Bulgarian University, Sofia)
• Yusuf Ziya Irbeç(Turkish Grand National Assembly, Ankara)
• Fatmir Memaj (University of Tirana)
• Valerij I. Mikhailenko (Ural State University, Yekaterinburg)
• Anatoly Mikhailov (European Humanities University, Vilnius)
• Julie Mostov (Drexel University, Philadelphia)
• Laszlo Nyusztay (Budapest Business School)
• Francesco Privitera (University of Bologna, Forlì Campus)
• Rudolf M. Rizman (University of Ljubljana)
• Mykola Ryabchuk (University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”, Kiev)
• Vesna Stojanova (Integrated Business Faculty, Skopje)
• György Schöpflin (European Parliament)
• Andrea Segrè (University of Bologna)
• Boris Tihi (University of Sarajevo)

Assistance and Information

Dessislava Krasteva – project coordinator
Centro per l’Europa Centro-Orientale e Balcanica
16th CEI International Summer School of Cervia
"Beyond Enlargement. The Wider Europe and the New Neighbourhood "

Via S. Marchesi, 12
47121 Forlì (FC), Italy
Phone: +39 0544 937 950
Fax: +39 0546 372045
e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Alumni

Special attention is dedicated to maintaining contacts with former students, as these can potentially take on positions of responsibility in their countries' institutions and become privileged interlocutors for the European Union. Many of them are already employed by their country's governments, or by international institutions.

The Certificate

The students whose overall performance is positively evaluated by their tutors will receive a certificate endorsed by the University of Bologna, with 6 ECTS credits.

The Location

The site of Cervia (Link al sito del commune): The history of Cervia is strictly connected with the production of salt. A city of ancient origins, probably Greek, Cervia (Ficocle in the past) was placed near the present seaside, in little valleys, suited to canalising the sea water and creating the conditions for natural salt pans. Ficocle was destroyed by Exarch Teodoro in 709 BC. It was later rebuilt and became an important economic centre because of its salt production. Salt was a precious basic commodity, especially for the preservation of foods. That is why Cervia was a bone of contention for the rulers of the time. Very important were the relationships with Venice and with the powerful Lords of Malatesta and De Polenta, before it fell under the dominion of the Papal State -from 1509 to 1859.

The city was transformed again from 1697 to 1714, during which period were built the great “Magazzini del Sale”, the San Michele Tower and the historical city, within the boundaries marked by the quadrilateral formed by the Salinari's Houses. There was a large central square surrounded by the Cathedral, the Bishop's Palace, the Town Hall and the Mansions of the most powerful families. Nowadays Cervia is one of the best-known European tourist resorts, with nine kilometres of soft sandy beach skirting the sea-resorts of Cervia, Milano Marittima, Pinarella, and Tagliata. The green pinewoods and shady roads along the seafront ensure that the air is fresh, pure and rich of iodine. The ancient salt-city, the old fishing village, the large and ancient pinewood have turned, over the course of the last few decades, into a well developed tourist-centre, with the original environment still untouched, which gave a decisive impulse to the birth of the so called "Garden city". Cervia is also well-known thanks to its thermal Baths, open from May to October.

The Accommodation: link EMME Hotels Cervia Genzianella, opposite the beach and close to the historical centre of Cervia, has been the chosen location since 1996. Functional facilities, which include well-furnished classrooms, seminar rooms, reading lounges, and computer laboratories, are available for the use of both teachers and students.

Travel and Medical Insurances

Travel Insurance: It is essential that all visitors take out travel insurance before leaving for Cervia, so as to cover for any expenses incurred as a result of lost or stolen property, as well as late arrival or early departure due to unforeseen circumstances. Cancelled bookings are subject to the Cancellation Policy above given in detail.

Medical Insurance: Your country may have a reciprocal arrangement with Italy so that medical care is free. If not, it is essential for participants to take out medical insurance for the duration of their stay. This is especially important if participants have particular medical problems that may require attending to during their stay.