The Capacity Building Seminar “Strengthening the Role of Evidence-Based Policy in the Western Balkans” for the selected organisations of the Think and Link - Regional Policy Programme will this year take place in Becici, Budva, Montenegro, on 3-5 May, 2012. The seminar is part of the Think and Link - Regional Policy Programme and is designed to foster different debates on the challenges, costs and opportunities of EU member-state building of the Western Balkans countries, by supporting and promoting inclusive and evidence-based policy making. The capacity-building seminar will address the needs of 12 selected organisations within the Call for Applications of the Think and Link Programme. It aims to improve their skills through training, networking, exchange of information, as well as presenting the work of relevant EU-based think tanks. A fact-based policy debate needs to shift from the ongoing political debate, and move to a more practical and empirical level. In this respect, policy makers should look for advice from independent policy centres, think tanks, and civil society organisations in their respective areas of expertise. This also creates space for an open and participatory policy process and can help the societies of the Western Balkans become more democratic and open. The seminar is split into two levels: On the first day participants will have a day-long seminar with thematic panels focusing on EU enlargement, the financial crisis, the democratization process, and other contextual issues. Afterwards, there will be two days of workshops with groups focussing on ‘policy relevance’ and policy impact (media, civil society organisations, etc.). The last day of the seminar is dedicated to the developing of policy impact plans. Representatives of EU-based think tanks will assist in a wider debate on societies of the Western Balkans on their European path by offering peer-to-peer learning opportunities to their colleagues from the Western Balkans region, providing insight into relevant work experiences with a focus on how independent policy making is designed in EU countries. Balkan participants will learn from their European colleagues (members of think tank and civil society organisations) the way these organisations bridge the gap between research and policy; and how they manage to influence the mainstream decision-making process in their countries and in the wider EU. “THINK AND LINK” is a region-wide policy programme under the aegis of the European Fund for the Balkans whose purpose is to encourage debate on the challenges, costs and opportunities of building a genuine EU member state. It is directed towards emerging think tanks, policy-oriented NGOs, independent policy institutes, and policy-relevant research groups from the Western Balkans whose activity is focused on political and social issues and whose interest is 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 relevant from the perspective of the Copenhagen criteria, embedded in a regional capacity building and networking programme cycle. For more information about the programme please visit THINK & LINK - Regional Policy Programme More about THINK & LINK 2011/2012
