RAUN 2014-2015 Training the next generation of internationalists! The Regional Academy on the United Nations is a valuable multicultural educational initiative to train an emerging generation of young scholars in issues of importance to the United Nations. With its program of meetings in several countries, and its flexible multi-national teams of students working together to address challenges for global governance, the Regional Academy offers a model of how to encourage collective solutions to world problems. I congratulate the founders and the participants of the RAUN for their efforts. I hope to see many of them taking on important roles for international cooperation in their future careers. Jan Eliasson, UN Deputy Secretary General
1. General description The Regional Academy on the United Nations RAUN launched in January 2012, RAUN was established by the Academic Council on United Nations System ACUNS in close collaboration with United Nations Information Service (UNIS) Vienna, the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), Czech United Nations Association, and partner universities University of Economics Prague, University of Szeged. Other ppartner universities include University of Vienna, Diplomatic Academy Vienna, Webster University Vienna, Faculty of Law of the University of Belgrade in Serbia, and University of Silesia in Poland. RAUN was endorsed by the United Nations Secretariat through the Deputy Secretary General, Jan Eliasson in December 2013. 2. Aim In the framework of empowering youth around the world, RAUN aims to train and equip the next generation of Internationalists with the necessary knowledge to provide solutions to contemporary global challenges. In the form of practical lectures and workshops conducted by experts and high level UN and government officials, participants of RAUN get a unique opportunity to learn firsthand, about the work and values of the United Nations which enables them to drive the change process and prepare for future services in their own societies. Through group work and social events, participants are also able to create strong networks with their peers and an environment that allows for cultural learning and understanding. 3. Structure RAUN is a mobile academy with three sessions per year program that take place in the Czech Republic, Serbia and Austria. The program offers students from participating countries the
possibility to attend lectures covering the wide range of United Nations activities, held by high-ranking experts and practitioners, who share their rich experience. It is organized in form of international lecture sessions for students in participating countries and in addition, students make field trips to the United Nations institutions in Vienna. This unique opportunity enables them to talk to well-known experts and practitioners directly collaborating with the United Nations. Throughout the project participants work in groups of different nationalities on given topics of their interest ranging from human rights, international security, international development, nuclear issues among others. At the last session which takes place at the UN Offices in Vienna, participants present the outcome of their research projects, including recommendations, to a group of experts who evaluate the content of the topics. 4. Key facts Tentative dates: May 2014; September 2014; January 2015 Venues: Prague; Belgrade; Vienna Target group: Master and last year bachelor students ( see 7. About participants) Deadline for applications: 28 th of February 2014, 00:00 CET 5. Main project themes During the project, students will research on the following main categories which will be shaped to suit their interest: Nuclear-related issues (e.g.: nuclear safety and disarmament); International security (e.g.: terrorism, civil war etc.); Human rights (e.g.: refugees and migrations, rights of minorities; human trafficking); International development (e.g.: development in post-conflict societies, MDGs and SDGs); the UN in the 21 st century (e.g.: UN Security Council deadlock, R2P). The academy s last session will take place in Vienna in January 2015, where the outcome of the research projects will be presented in front of experts at the UN Offices in Vienna as one of the requirements to receive a certificate of a successful completion of the academy.
6. Preliminary program (to be confirmed) The following sessions will take place in three of the following countries: Czech Republic, Serbia, and Austria. Session one: 4-7 May, 2014 Prague, Czech Republic o Multilateral Diplomacy and Global Governance o United Nations in 21 st Century o Distribution of research topics and guidelines o Research writing Session two: 16-20 September, 2014 Belgrade, Serbia The Belgrade session will focus on the following topics under the main theme of The role of UN Agencies in the Promotion of Human Rights : o Strengthening the capacity of the Parliament to deal with child rights o Migration flows and the training of officials dealing with migrants o Good asylum system as a prerequisite for the refugee protection o The influence of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights o The importance of universal periodic report and reporting under the UN treaty body mechanisms o Advancing Women's Rights, particularly in the security sector o The role of the Committee on the Promotion of Rights of People with Disabilities and Current Challenges Session three (final session): 12-16 January, 2015 Vienna, Austria Note: The final session of the RAUN will be part of the UN-ACUNS Annual Conference o Post-2015 Development Goals and Vienna based Agencies o Research presentations
7. About participants The program is open for Bachelor (final year) and Master students of international relations, law, economics, environment, and related fields. Applicants to the program will be selected based on their knowledge and interest in the United Nations. Six to eight students from each country (Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Serbia) will be chosen to participate in the program. After completing the program, students will be awarded a certificate of successful completion. Those who bring an outstanding contribution increase their chances to get internships at the UN Office in Vienna, as well as the possibility to publish their research projects. 8. Eligibility and required documents for participants Participants are required to fulfil the following criteria: Be enrolled in the final year of Bachelor or any level of Masters or PhD studies in RAUN-related fields Have at least basic knowledge of and interest in the UN system and topics of the RAUN program Be able and willing to work and learn in a multicultural group Have at least basic knowledge of writing academic papers Be between 21 and 32 years of age Come from or study in one of the partner countries (AT, CZ, SK, HU, SR, PL) Be able to combine the Academy s requirements with their studies BE ABLE TO ATTEND ALL THREE SESSIONS. All participants are required to send the following documents when applying
Latest CV with photo in English Motivation letter in English Completed expression of interest form Sample of the latest written paper. This could be a BA thesis, a module paper, a paper submitted for a conference, a proposal for a MA thesis, etc. Latest univerity grades 9. Costs of the program Participants of the program need to cover all their costs of transportation, accommodation and meals. However the sending institutions might provide funding for some or all the costs. The organizers of each session will organize budget accommodation and meals to participants. 10. Graduation and awards At the end of the program, all students who have fulfilled the requirements receive certificates of successful completion. Additionally, the following awards will be presented to the best performing students: The overall best student will be recognized as the RAUN Best Student of the Year. The best student from a particular country will be recognized as the RAUN National Student of the Year. The best research in each theme will be recognized as the RAUN Research of the Year. 11. Selection procedure The selection process will be conducted in the following steps: Step one: applicants send the documents required for application as listed in point 8 to the national Coordinator of their country Step two: criteria-matching of applicants is conducted Step two and a half: those who do not fulfill the criteria are informed Step three: those who fulfill the criteria are invited for a personal interview Step four: final selection is conducted and the best qualified applicants are chosen
Step five: the ones who were selected are informed and invited for an information session in which RAUN and its requirements are explained. 12. Contact information For more information about the academy and how to take part please visit http://acuns.org/raun/ or http://unstudies.org/about-unsa/regional-youth-academy-unitednations-raun and contact the organizers. Austria: Michael Platzer, ACUNS Vienna Representative: michaelplatzer.acuns.vienna@gmail.com Billy Batware, RAUN Program Coordinator: b.batware@hotmail.com Czech Republic: Radim Srsen, RAUN Organizer in the Czech Republic: radimbz@seznam.cz Alzbeta Kucharova, RAUN Coordinator in the Czech Republic: betka.kucharova@gmail.com Hungary: Aniko Szalai, RAUN Organizer in Hungary: szalaianiko@juris.u-szeged.hu Serbia: Ivana Krstic, RAUN Facilitator in Serbia: ikrstic@ius.bg.ac.rs Mako Novakovic, RAUN Coordinator in Serbia: marko.novakovic@aol.com Poland: Leszek Wieczorek, RAUN Organizer in Poland: wieczorekleszek@op.pl Slovakia Martina Nagyova, RAUN Facilitator in Slovakia: martina680@gmail.com