Starting on July 1, 2025,
and lasting for one year.
Free of Charge – all costs of travel
and other activities are covered
As the next generation of public administrators and policy makers in the Western Balkans, selected candidates will enhance their knowledge and experience in the leadership topics and the EU accession process. This acquired expertise will empower them to take charge of the accession process and effectively drive and lead future changes in their societies.
The WeLead project is designed for young professionals aged 35 or younger who are public officials from the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia). It targets the next generation of leaders and policymakers working in key areas related to EU accession and public administration reform (PAR). If you are part of the public administration at any government level—such as European integration ministries, ministries for public administration, ministries of finance, line ministries, tax administrations, central banks, or subnational governments—we encourage you to apply.
The project will enhance professional network among young professionals and their administrations via regional activities and mentoring. It will build on improving knowledge and experience of the EU accession process acquired by alumni, the next generation of public administrators and policymakers in the Western Balkans.
The working language for both oral and written communication within the project is English. This includes written materials for the learning events. Candidates are required proficiency in English at least at B level.
Eligibility criteria
Successful candidates will be selected for participation in the WeLead project based on their eligibility, skills, and competencies. To be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be a public official from the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia).
- Be aged 35 or younger.
- Have a minimum B-level proficiency in English.
The project’s Steering Committee will focus on six key topics, which will be addressed through six distinct learning initiatives:
- 3 face-to-face activities: These will be available exclusively for participants of the WeLearn component. Each face-to-face activity will last 2.5 days.
- 3 online activities: These will be conducted through the CEF Online Learning Campus (OLC) and are open to all participants of the WeLead project, regardless of which component they are part of. Each online activity will span 2 weeks, with only a few hours of engagement per day (totaling 2.5 learning days).
- Additional two self-paced courses.
These initiatives are designed to offer a mix of in-person and online learning opportunities, catering to diverse learning needs and preferences.
Watch the VIDEO for impressions from participants
1. Innovations and Service Delivery
2. Public Institutions as Learning Organizations
3. Participative Governance and Listening at a Bigger Scale
4. Policy Cycles and Reforms in the Public Finance Sector
5. Managerial Accountability and Professional and Personal Integrity
6. Digital Transformation and its Interrelation with Public Financial Management (PFM) and Public Administration Reform (PAR)
- Study visits will be organised and include cultural component
- 1 study visit to the EU
- 2 study visits to Western Balkan institutions
- All three study visits will last up to 3 days each.
The activities under this component will focus on:
- Learning about policy analysis
- Communication and writing policy notes
- Working with a mentor
- Participating in webinars and face-to-face meetings
Duration:
- 4 webinars
- 3 face-to-face meetings
- Individual work and bilateral sessions with a mentor
Networking activities will include:
- Jumbo Meeting: 1.5 days in Ljubljana
- Access to Self-Paced Online Courses on the CEF OLC
- Connection between Alumni and Active Participants through a mentoring scheme
Coaching sessions for participants and alumni will be provided by a CEF internal certified coach as well as external certified coaches.
Duration of this activity:
- 1 introductory session
- 6-10 coaching sessions, each lasting 1 hour
Establishing a learning and knowledge sharing community between all the participants. Activities include:
- knowledge exchange sessions integrated within learning initiatives
- LinkedIn closed group
- Webinar
- Knowledge sharing diary
- Reflection summit (0,5 day)
Important notice
