30 participants from Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Kosovo, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Turkey have been selected among some 500 applications and are currently taking part in the fourth edition of the ‘Southeast Europe and the EU – Leadership Development Programme’ (2009/2010).

As previous generations, this year’s participants first attended a two-week Summer Academy in Germany from 29 August to 12 September 2009. Both in Berlin and in Neuhardenberg castle, they were able to discuss with and learn from prominent experts in their respective fields, from the EU and from Southeast Europe. The EU and its role in Southeast Europe were at stake in most of the issues debated. Moreover, participants had the chance to enhance their professional skills thanks to different practical workshops. They had also the opportunity to attend a discussion with Ivan Krastev, from the Centre for Liberal Studies in Sofia. That year again, the Summer Academy included a cultural programme with, amongst others, a rally and a sightseeing tour in Berlin, a visit to Frankfurt (Oder), as well as an intercultural evening and a cinema event featuring a documentary by a director from the region.

Back in their home countries, the participants are working in small cross-border groups to implement joint activities on EU-relevant topics in Southeast Europe from November 2009 to March 2010. For more information, please visit the Joint Activities Page).

The final event of the Programme – a five-day seminar – is organised in Belgium, both in Brussels and in Bruges. As the previous editions of the programme, during this workshop the participants have the opportunity to meet policy-makers from the EU and NATO and discuss with them, in the institutions’ premises, a number of issues that concern Southeast Europe and its future. This five-day seminar also includes a day at the College of Europe in Bruges, as well as a panel discussion with Brussels-based think tanks.

Group Pic 2009/2010	Group Pic 2008/2009	Group Pic 2007/2008	Group Pic 2006/2007
2009/2010 Extranet	2008/2009 Extranet