YCS Round XII: Final Announcement and Opening of Applications (12th November 2018)

The European Union Office in Kosovo and the Ministry of European Integration, announce the opening of the 12th Round of applications to the Young Cell Scheme, the EU post-graduate scholarships programme for Kosovo, which is currently implemented by the British Council. Applications are open from Monday, 12th November 2018 until Monday, 3rd December 2018. Successful applicants will be offered the opportunity to study in a one year Master’s programme at Universities in EU Member States. The Scholarship Programme, whose working language is only English, will offer up to 40 full grants, 10% of these grants are reserved to civil servants already employed in public administration (the actual number of grants awarded may vary, depending on suitability of candidates and availability of funding). This call is open to graduates in Law, Political Sciences, Economics, Business Management, Social Sciences, History, Humanities, International Relations, Diplomacy, Criminology and other academic backgrounds (as specified in the Rules of Procedures, which can be downloaded below) in line with the following sectors of specialisation: 

  • Law – up to 16 scholarships available
  • Public Administration – up to 8 scholarships available
  • Economics – up to 8 scholarships available
  • Culture and Health – up to 8 scholarships available

Additional information about this Call for applications (including the application form and the RXII Rules of Procedure) are available on the Young Cell Scheme official website.

Young Cell Scheme (Round XI-XII)

Public administration reform remains among the focal areas of EU’s assistance for Kosovo. Kosovo needs to put in place a depoliticised, professional, inclusive and effective public administration, capable of implementing EU legislation and managed in line with the best European practices in human resource management. This entails the establishment of effective structures organised in a manner that will allow for effective and efficient implementation of their respective competences. The EC’s 2016 Report on Kosovo states that, “In the coming year, Kosovo should in particular: review all independent bodies and start implementation of the recommendations of the review in order to enhance accountability, eliminate overlapping competencies and ensure a more streamlined public administration; [and] ensure that the planned legislative package covering civil service, salaries and organisation of state administration is prepared in a coordinated way in an inclusive and evidence-based process on the basis of concept notes agreed at the government level”. More specifically, the EC reiterated its concerns with regard to the non-merit based recruitment process of civil servants and continued politicisation of the public administration; the organisational fragmentation of the state administration; the absence of effective lines of accountability; the overlap of responsibilities of government agencies; the lack of professional human resource management due to politicisation and limited capacity; and the limited provision of training and opportunities for professional development available to all civil servants.

OVERALL OBJECTIVE

The overall objective of this program is to support the Government of Kosovo in building a professional, merit–based, accountable and apolitical Civil Service at all levels in Kosovo by supporting public administration through a scholarship programme that aims at improving the professional capacity of the civil service to better service Kosovo citizens and to eet the challenges and obligations arising from the SAA.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

The process of selection of candidates is inspired since its very beginning (pre-notice for the call for application) until its very end (publication of final results) to the principles of fairness, transparency and non-discrimination, avoiding any kind of a political approach or influence over the selection procedure. The Young Cell Scheme is open to all sectors of Kosovo society, and it has a non-discriminatory policy encouraging participation from minorities, women and people with disabilities, by ensuring that all special needs requirements are met. For more specific information please contact us with your request or question.