Western Balkans – Launch of the Superschools 3rd Open Call on 7th of May, followed by series of info sessions in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, marks the beginning of a new phase of RYCO flagship program that brings opportunities for high school students and teachers in Wester Balkans region to connect and implement joint activities through the unique exchange scheme, and thus contribute to peacebuilding and reconciliation processes and enhancement of regional cooperation. Continuing to cherish values of diversity, inclusion, and a no-harm approach, this new edition aims to further expand both direct and indirect involvement through local community engagement and cooperation with high school unions, enhancing the quality of capacity building efforts in youth participation and engagement.
Until 28th of June, all interested schools have a chance to apply for the exchange program by registering and creating a profile on the Superschools platform and finding a partner school from a different part of the Western Balkans region. If selected, schools will have a chance to implement school-to-school exchanges and to participate in activities dedicated to their capacity building, and networking.
Schools and partnerships that have never been selected, nor funded under the Superschools exchange scheme are strongly encouraged to apply in this Call. However, schools that participated in the previous cycle also have an opportunity to apply and find a new partner school, or to continue collaboration by implementing new activities with the school they partnered with before.
The new program cycle brings several novelties compared to 1st and 2nd Call implemented from 2021 to 2024. Main novelty is anticipated increase in number of participants- from 77 supported bilateral partnerships and facilitated exchanges of 1840 high school students in a previous period, 3rd and 4th Open Call will bring together 2600 young people and support 90 Superschools bilateral partnerships. Furthermore, exchanges will be carried out by 360 teachers with strengthened capacities to design and implement program, compared to number of 308 teachers in a previous program cycle. Age eligibility is also expanded from 15-17 in previous, to 14-19 years in new project cycle, providing more flexibility for participants.
Another news is introduction of Superschools Champions, program dimension that will recognize efforts of 26 teachers engaged through 1st and 2nd Open Call and provide them with opportunity to further build their capacities and engage in the promotion of the Superschools project and RYCO values.
Based on three main pillars- intercultural learning, local community engagement and meaningful youth participation and co-ownership, special focus of Superschools 2024-2026 will be on providing youth with a genuine and impactful role in shaping their non-formal educational experience through activities’ planning and application design, emphasizing the cooperation with representative student bodies, such as student parliaments and inclusion of vulnerable youth groups. Homestay concept focused on staying in hosting school student’s family will be strengthened as well, as it showed to be an added value that creates more space for intercultural learning and local experience that build stronger bonds between participants.
About the Program
Superschools program is part of a multi donor project co-financed by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) together with the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO).
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.