The European Fund for the Balkans is pleased to announce the 12 organizations that were selected for the fifth edition of the Think & Link Programme.
- Albanian Institute for International Studies – Albania
- Association for Development Initiatives - Zenith-Macedonia
- Belgrade Open School (BOS) – Serbia
- Center for Advanced Economic Studies (CEVES) - Serbia
- Center for Democratic Transition (CDT) - Montenegro
- Center for Ecology and Sustainable Development (CEKOR) - Serbia
- Centre for Economic Development and Research – CEDAR – Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Community Research and Development Association WIN-WIN INSTITUTE - Macedonia
- Institute for Rural Development and Ecology - Croatia
- Institute for Strategic Studies and Prognoses - Montenegro
- KIPRED – Kosovo
- Network for Affirmation of NGO Sector – MANS – Montenegro
The independent selection committee had a difficult job to chose among the 130 think tanks, policy oriented NGO’s, independent policy institutes and policy relevant research groups which applied for the participation in the programme cycle (capacity building, networking seminars and mentoring) and for conducting a research project which will analyse the in-country policies against the needs and requirements derived from the EU acquis, necessary to ensure effective and complete compliance and based on their research to develop concrete policy proposals, policy advice or policy alternatives. The first activity for selected organizations is the Capacity Building Seminar set up for May 10-12, 2013 in Bečići, Montenegro. The selected organizations met the evaluation criteria based upon:
- relevance of the research to national policy in relation with the EU acquis and its potential to informand improve policy making;
- likelihood that the finding will be useful to policy makers and other stakeholders;
- soundness of the project’s conceptual framework (the ideas, concepts, theories and bodies ofknowledge informing the proposed approach) and methodology;
- feasibility of the research;
- capability of the applicant organisation/institution/research group to undertake and complete theproject on schedule and its research record;
- soundness of the dissemination strategy;
- readiness and level of motivation of the applicant organisation/institution to actively participate in thewhole programme cycle (including seminars, networking and outreach activities);
“THINK AND LINK” is region-wide policy programme by the European Fund for the Balkans In order to encourage various debates on the challenges, costs and opportunities of building a genuine EU member- state. It is directed towards emerging think tanks, policy oriented NGO’s, independent policy institutes, and policy relevant research groups from the Western Balkans whose activity is focused on political and social issues and interested in the process of EU integration. The programme seeks to foster inclusive and evidence-based policy making in the Western Balkans by initiating research projects which are relevant from the perspective of the Copenhagen criteria, embedded in a regional capacity building and networking programme cycle. This programme aims to:
- inspire analysis and case studies of important aspects of member-state building in the Western Balkanssocieties;
- support comparative and evidence-based policy-making;
- foster broad and informed public debates;
- overcome the gap between technical and political debate;
- build up research capacities and support constant learning;
- enhance intellectual regional co-operation, exchange of experience and networking;
- contribute to the transfer of know-how and the exchange of experience with previous EU candidates.
