REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
AUTONOMOUS PROVINCE OF VOJVODINA
PROVINCIAL SECRETARIAT FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT,
INTER-REGIONAL COOPERATION AND LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT
Assistant Provincial Secretary for Regional Development, Interregional Cooperation and Local Self-Government, Nebojša Drakulić, has today awarded diplomas to 42 sixth generation students who had successfully completed the modules of the Specialist Programme “Management of Regional Development through EU Funds”, which has been implemented by the European Affairs Fund of the AP Vojvodina in cooperation with Edukons University and with the assistance of the Provincial Government.
Welcoming the students, Drakulić expressed his satisfaction that the cooperation of the provincial institutions, primarily the one between the European Affairs Fund and Edukons University, has been at the high level, as the number of those interested in this education programme has constantly being increasing and thematically enriched.
– We now already have a sixth generation of students who have successfully passed all the modules in the structure of this training, which is very important considering the readiness of our country to respond to all EU requirements in the process of European integration, in which the function of local and regional development has been particularly emphasized – said Drakulić .
He emphasized that this training programme was a visible expression of the intention to improve the knowledge of employees in project management within the public sector, in order to have as many successfully implemented projects as possible, and to achieve the best results verified by European partners.
– In order to achieve this goal, we must have as many well-trained persons as possible to participate in the project cycles, and we will see the justification and importance of the programme once an opportunity is presented to us to use much larger funds from the EU structural and investment funds – concluded Assistant Secretary Nebojša Drakulić.
Addressing the course participants, István Pásztor, President of the Assembly of the AP Vojvodina, emphasized that he was very proud of the success and long duration of the project, and that as a President of the Managing Board of the European Affairs Fund he was pleased to say that it was an important education, as well as a creation of a network of people who could properly handle the European integration process.
– We now have almost 250 people from all over the AP Vojvodina who have completed this specialist programme and acquired the appropriate knowledge and skills that can contribute to the development of their communities through EU programmes. There have not been too many such programmes so far, but there will be more of them as we move forward on the path to European integration, and it is very important that we have trained staff who are competent to handle this process well – said President Pásztor.
For the sixth consecutive year, the Specialist Programme “Management of regional development” includes a number of modules through which participants acquire relevant knowledge and skills aimed at initiating active participation in the European integration process with an emphasis on the process of managing EU funds, in the service of the overall development of the AP Vojvodina regional development.
The programme is attended annually by employees of provincial institutions, local self-governments, public utility companies, cultural institutions and members of civil society organisations in the territory of the AP Vojvodina.
The certificate awarding ceremony has been attended by Director of the European Affairs Fund Vidosava Enderić and Rector of Edukons University Aleksandar Andrejević.