Center for European Perspective from Slovenia (CEP) in cooperation with partners: Center for Monitoring and Research (CeMI), Art Communications, University of Donja Gorica (UDG) from Podgorica and Center for International Studies from Croatia (CMS) organized a study visit to Slovenia with the thematic background entitled "Informal education system for young people in Slovenia", in the period from 19th to 28th of June 2017.
The study visit was opened by Dr. Gorazd Justinek, Executive Director of CEP, at Lichtenberg Hall, in Castle Jable, after which the participants, during the ten-day stay in Slovenia, had the opportunity to attend lectures of eminent experts in the field of education.
During the study visit, the participants had the opportunity to learn about Slovenia's experience in implementing reforms in their educational system, which is the best way of organizing and planning educational activities for fostering individual and social intellectual development, what are the experiences regarding the EU youth program and within Youth pass Program, which envisaged visions and policies within the Action Plan of the Youth Strategy in the European Union, as well as the importance of non-formal education for the labor market. In addition, the participants actively participated in workshops, preparing for a debate defending attitudes towards and against non-formal education, as well as for the simulation of the session at which they voted for the adoption of the non-formal education document.
During the ten-day stay in Slovenia, participants were able to visit institutions important for non-formal education, such as: Youth Center Kotlovnica, a youth organization dedicated to strengthening active life and offering space for the free exchange of ideas, knowledge and culture. Also, the attendees visited the Management School IEDC-Bled, one of the leading international development institutions in Europe, where they attended the lecture of Drikus Kriek, Vice-Dean for Pedagogy and Executive Director of the Doctoral Program. In addition, the participants visited the iEMUNI University in Piran, as well as the Faculty of Social Sciences and the House of the European Union in Ljubljana. There, they attended the interactive exhibition," Experience Europe." The visit to the Slovenian Ethnographic Museum was also one of the activities of the participants. They also had the opportunity to see an exhibition entitled "Afghanistan - Slovenian Views", which pervades new views on the country of Afghanistan, its rich cultural history and heritage.
On the last day of the study visit, a ceremony was held in honor of the participants, when the mayor of Ljubljana, Zoran Jankovic, addressed the participants of the study visit. The ceremony was also hosted by the Ambassador of Montenegro in Slovenia, Miomir Mugoša, who awarded participants with a diploma on successful completion of the study visit.
Study visit to Slovenia is part of the project entitled "Be Ready for EU Values" supported by the European Commission under the Erasmus plus program (call for "Building for Youth in WB 2015").