Energy Community Summer School 2016

Programme - aims and results

The main focus of the 2016 Summer School was energy sectors in transition, in particular in South Eastern and Eastern Europe. The programme was set to take into account the broader geographical context in Europe and to go beyond a mere training programme for energy-related topics. It aimed at allowing participants to understand the energy sectors in their full complexity and provide them a platform for exchange and contribution to shaping the sectors’ future.

The syllabus broke down in thematic days – scientific, legal, economic, cultural, political as well as technical aspects. On last day, the students took part to energy debates reflecting what they had learned during the course of the Summer School.  There were four different energy policy statements and two teams having the task to argue in favour or against the given statement. During the debates the students were also confronted with questions from the jury. After the debate, the jury announced the winning team. There also was an award for the best student of the 2016 Energy Community Summer School.

Participants

The 1^st Energy Community Summer School was organized in Tirana (Albania) with the participation of 39 postgraduate students and young professionals representing 26 nationalities. The participants were selected from a total of 262 on-line applications submitted to the Energy Community Secretariat (ECS) by 31 March 2016.  Out of 262, 142 applications from 29 countries were classified as successful. In June 2016, 40 candidates representing 27 different nationalities were offered to participate in the 2016 Energy Community Summer School: 18 participants were from the Contracting Parties; 3 from the Observers; 18 from the EU member states; 1 from Azerbaijan. 

Alumni

During the 2016 Energy Community Summer School, the students were asked to assess the speakers, reading materials, organisational matters and to give suggestions for the future. One of the most frequently repeated request  was to have a network enabling the students to stay in touch.

In response the Energy Community Summer School has established an Alumni Network open to graduates of the 2016 Energy Community Summer school and years to come. Like the Summer School itself, membership in the Alumni Network is free of charge. It is granted automatically upon request to the Coordinator.

The objective of the Alumni Network is  to remain affiliated with the Energy Community and to continue and expand the energy policy discussion in the members' home countries and at European Union level. At the same time, membership will allow graduates to stay in touch with each other, to create a personal network among themselves and to  increase thereby their career opportunities.  The members will also benefit from updates on future Summer Schools and have access to the corresponding course materials.

Members of the Alumni Network are encouraged to organize social and professional activities among themselves, be it at national or at regional level. This includes involvement in social media such as Facebook groups etc. The Energy Community Secretariat welcomes events organized by members of the Alumni Network and is willing to support such events eg. by sending its staff as guest speakers.

Whilst the Energy Community Secretariat will continue to host the Alumni Network, a closed network group in Facebook has also been established.