GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The purpose of the “Summer Academy on OSCE” is to expand and deepen the knowledge about the OSCE and to contribute to its various activities. The courses and special events are designed to provide diplomats who are going to work with OSCE delegations and institutions, and other individuals (scholars, NGO representatives, etc.) intending to work in the areas of fact-finding, human-rights, election monitoring, peaceful settlement of disputes, and other types of international diplomatic and civilian missions with the following:

Furthermore, the Summer Academy will provide opportunities to explore ways for the OSCE to enhance its existing, or to develop new capabilities in preventive diplomacy, peace-making, peace-keeping and peace-building.

The Academy will be officially independent of the OSCE, but OSCE institutions and diplomatic missions will actively participate on a voluntary basis in the Academy’s activities. OSCE participation will include providing guest speakers, participating in workshops and simulations as well as seconding the participants with an interest in working with the OSCE. Students will be instructed by leading scholars in OSCE studies, senior diplomats with experience in OSCE activities and OSCE inter-state diplomacy, international NGO trainers with long-term experience in the field, and international lawyers active in promoting OSCE-NGO co-operation, particularly in the areas of human rights and democratisation.

The student body will include diplomats, graduate students, NGO trainers and practitioners professionally active in NGOs that want to work more effectively with OSCE states, institutions, and other NGOs co-operating with the OSCE. Participants are expected to come from the OSCE participating States.

The Summer Academy takes place at the Conference Center in Burg Schlaining and participants are accommodated in the Hotel Burg Schlaining.