Background and history
beeEFB Network (The European Fund for the Balkans (EFB) Alumni Network) is an informal and voluntary network of alumni of EFB flagship programs. The initiative to launch the Network in its current form came from a group of alumni and builds upon long-lasting efforts by the EFB Secretariat aimed at fostering cross-border, cross-sector and cross-programme cooperation of its alumni. Its mission is to establish a vibrant community that connects, transforms and impacts its members and their respective societies and communities to grow and to create.
Our values, mission and strategic objectives
Moving force towards societies committed to sustainable growth.
EFB Alumni Network's mission is a vibrant hive that connects, transforms and impacts its members and their respective societies and communities to grow and create.
The above mentioned overall vision of the beeEFB will be achieved through set of interventions shaped around three strategic objectives, which were co-created by the initial nexus of interested and passionate alumni: beeEFB aim to increase its membership collaboration (1), strengthen the Network’s sustainability by revitalizing its membership (2), and to develop MEL system which will enable it to adapt its programs and external communication to achieving highest possible impact.
All this is to be achieved with the Alumni members that abide by the simple, yet powerful set of values: belonging, commitment, passion and growth. Being part of the Network means living these values throughout our work within and for it.
beeEFB members
beeEFB is an alumni network - mostly composed of former participants of European Fund for the Balkans’ flagship programmes - Leadership Development Programme (implemented with College of Europe and TRANSFUSE), Fellowship Programme for Government Officials from the Western Balkans and more recently - Western Balkans Fellowship at the Austrian Parliament. Every person who has participated in and completed one or more of them (and has not been excluded from community for not abiding to its values) is a beeEFB alumni Network member. Today, the Network is a group of 400+ midcareer and senior professionals, shaping a strong expert and practitioner community, covering a range of disciplines, sectors and backgrounds, with varying experience, knowledge and worldviews, but with one strong common feature - passion to change and impact our societies.
beeEFB activities
There are a number of beeEFB activities, clustered in accordance with their overall goals, ways, as well as means of implementation: mini hives, national meet-ups, the beeEffect program and beeEFB joint initiatives.
- The beeEffect programme, is the beeEFB flagship programme, aiming to equip the new generation of professionals with know-how, skills and experience that will support their own professional development and their further contribution or creating impact in their respective communities.
- Mini hives aim to gather the alumni members around a certain topic, goal or idea and to provide them the platform to exchange views and organize themselves around any topic/theme which falls under the beeEFB Development Strategy and is aligned with the beeEFB values.
- Joint initiatives are activities/projects/campaigns which are designed and implemented by beeEFB members, supported financially by the EFB.
- National meetups are in-person or (in specific times) online gatherings of beeEFB members from the same country, aiming to spark further interest and engagement of the alumni with beeEFB. They aim to further connect the alumni and facilitate their collaboration and exchange of experience.
beeEFB members platform
beeEFB members have their own platform for collaboration, which enables immersive experience for its community and is being hosted at the wider platform of Bosch Alumni Network. It is the group’s main communication platform for all activities, news and other social activities. beeEFB members are automatically members of the Bosch Alumni Network, which provides access to a community of 8000+ and numerous opportunities for learning, collaborations, funding for activities, etc.
beeEFB Board
Every group of people with a shared mission, vision and goals benefits from having a governing structure, let alone a group of 400+ strong individuals. BeeEFB Board provides both strategic and operational governance of the Network and is comprised of 7 alumni members serving 2-year mandates.
Their work is shaped by the Network’s Charter and they are responsible for creation and delivery of strategy and its annual action plans.
Current Board members of the beeEFB are:
Armela Maxhelaku, Armin Šepić, Konstantina Karydi, Meg Kalthi Karaj, Sofjan Jaupaj, and Sinem Bagce.
May the Hive bee with you!
