ERMA, European Regional Master's Programme in Democracy and Human Rights in South East Europe
Structure and Content
The GC SEE/ERMA Programme is a highly intensive one-year master, implemented from November until the end of the October. To obtain the degree, students are required to attend and actively participate in all of the academic and practical activities. It consists of two semesters, divided into three terms.
Term I – University of Sarajevo
From November to Mid-June (30 ECTS)
The Term I takes place at the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies of the University of Sarajevo from November to mid-June. Students are taught by ERMA academic tutors and lecturers from the 11 participating universities, as well as experts from IGOs and NGOs. The term is structured in six educational clusters and three elective courses, together awarding 30 ECTS. The structure of the lectures and the research dimension are shaped in such a way to emphasize a shared consciousness among students about the democratic development and the human rights promotion, as well as their protection and implementation in the SEE region. Alongside the lectures, students visit state institutions, intergovernmental organizations, and NGOs active in the field of human rights and democracy in Sarajevo and other cities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, such as Mostar and Srebrenica.
Thematic clusters
- Cluster 1: FOUNDATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY
- Cluster 2: NATIONALISM, IDENTITY AND CONFLICT
- Cluster 3: DEMOCRATISATION AND EU INTEGRATION
- Cluster 4: INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS NORMS AND STANDARDS
- Cluster 5: MECHANISMS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION AND IMPLEMENTATION
- Cluster 6: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Field trips
- Mostar
- Srebrenica
Term II – Internship period, South East European Region
From Mid-June to the end of July (10 ECTS)
The Term II is designated for students to acquire working experience in the field of human rights and democracy throughout the SEE, boosting their mobility and international experience, and most importantly, conducting their research and data gathering related to the MA thesis topic.
In this framework, from mid-June to the end of July, students take up six-week internships at selected IGOs, NGOs, think-tanks, and research institutes across the region. Over the years, more than 100 partner organizations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia hosted and trained our students as their interns. The internship awards 10 ECTS.
Internship partner organizations
- Institute for Democracy “Societas Civilis” Skopje
- Institute for Ethnic Studies, Ljubljana
- Institute for Social Research in Zagreb
- Slovenian Migration Institute, Ljubljana
- Directorate for European Integration, Sarajevo
- YIHR, Serbia
- PROMENTE, Sarajevo
- Youth Initiative for Human Rights, Zagreb
- Islamic Community in Croatia, Zagreb
- Center for Women’s Studies, Belgrade
- Center for Philosophy and Theology, Trebinje
- Center for Non-Violent Action, Belgrade
- Humanity in Action, Sarajevo
- Društvo Kulture “Avlija”, Rozaje
- Kulturno Društvo Gmajna, Ljubljana
- Institute for Democracy “Societas Civilis”, Skopje
- Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade,
- Ombudsman Institution BiH, Sarajevo
- Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation, Sofia
- UNICEF, Sofia
- Vijeće Bošnjačke Nacionalne Manjine U Splitsko-Dalmatinskoj Županiji, Split
- Aarhus Centar, Sarajevo
- Crvena, Sarajevo
- Documenta, Zagreb
- Srpsko Nacionalno Vijeće, Zagreb
- Center for Research and Policy Making, Skopje
- UNHCR, Sarajevo
- TPO Fondacija, Sarajevo
- Serb National Council, Požega
- International Educational Center, Zagreb
Term III - Mobility period, University of Bologna
From September to beginning of October (20 ECTS)
ERMA students spend the Third Term of the Programme, from September to beginning of October, at the University of Bologna (UNIBO), one of the 200 top universities in the world, and the leading university in Europe for international mobility. During this time students focus on the finalization of their Master’s theses, attend short seminars and lectures, enjoy living together, and also travel around Italy for short excursions and field visits. This term is compulsory and awards 20 ECTS.
For 4 weeks they are accommodated at the Bologna's University Residential Center of Bertinoro (CEUB) and provided with study rooms, computer labs, library facilities and access to the University of Bologna student services. The University of Bologna Residential Centre is located in a picturesque medieval town of Bertinoro, Emilia-Romagna, rich in history and popular traditions, situated in Central Italy.