Master degree in Democracy and Human Rights in South East Europe – ERMA

Application deadline: September 9, 2014
Open to: applicants from the Western Balkans, EU, Russia and the Caucasus
Scholarship: secured for all students (30)

ERMA is an intensive one-year Master program established through the joint efforts of the participating Universities and coordinated by the University of Bologna - IECOB Institute for Central Eastern and Balkan Europe, University of Sarajevo - CIS Center for Interdisciplinary Studies. At present it is in its thirteenth year of implementation. The Program is co-financed by the European Commission through the Global Campus of Regional Master programs and Diplomas managed by the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratization and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Italy through its UTL/DGCS offices.

It is a double degree MA program: one diploma is issued by the University of Sarajevo and one by the University of Bologna. Each academic year the Program enrolls 30 students from the countries of South East Europe, the European Union, Russia and the Caucasus.

The Master Program awards 60ECTS and is structured in three terms/two semesters – I) November 2014 – June 2015: Lecturing period at the University of Sarajevo (semester I); II) June – July 2015: Internship work across South East Europe and III) September – October 2015: Master’s Theses writing-up period at the University of Bologna (semester II).

This Master Program is an educational activity intended for students that would combine practical experience in human rights issues with further academic study. After recognizing that human rights go across the disciplines of study, as political science, law, sociology, philosophy and social sciences in general, the Program has adopted an interdisciplinary approach.

ERMA is open to candidates who hold a high standard university degree in disciplines relevant to human rights, in particular law, social and political sciences and humanities from an accredited university. The university degree of the applicants must be earned during studies lasting either 4 or 5 years within the former undergraduate studies provisions, or 5 years (3+2) within I and I cycle studies provisions in accordance with the Bologna process. Please note that accepted candidates must undergo a diploma recognition process by the University of Sarajevo before arrival to Sarajevo.
Fluency in English is a necessary prerequisite for admission, as the Program language is English. Therefore the students must have sufficient language skills and provide evidence for their proficiency. The Master Program recognizes the following international English Language proficiency certificates:

The tuition fee is determined for each academic year by the Executive Board of the program. In the academic year 2013/2014, the tuition fee is 1000 EURO.
The full tuition fee waiver is applied for the citizens of the countries of South East Europe involved in the program (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo). The students from the EU, Caucasus and Russia are not offered tuition fee waiver.

The students from the SEE countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo) as well as the EU, Caucasus and Russian citizens receive students’ maintenance grants in the amount 500€ per month TBC (taxable) for the first and second term while the third term is covered by the Program.
For the non – EU and non – SEE students unfortunately the Program cannot offer any financial support - scholarship nor tuition fee waiver. Such students must cover all program and personal expenses in Sarajevo (First Term), during the internship period (Second Term), and the Third Term in Italy. Accommodation and food expenses for the Third Term amount to approximately 3150 EURO.

There selection is application based thus all candidates are encouraged to fully complete the application package.
The selection of candidates will be performed by the Executive Board of this Master Program on the basis of submitted applications and required documents in English (filled in application form, university diploma-certified copy; academic record/transcripts-original or certified copy; documentary evidence (certificate of proficiency etc.) of the knowledge of the English language; passport photocopy; certificate of citizenship; birth certificate; Curriculum Vitae (CV) in English, and two recommendation letters (to be submitted in sealed envelopes in English).
The deadline to apply is 9 September 2014.

Mariana Hadžijusufović
ERMA Coordinator
e-mail: mariana.hadzijusufovic@cips.unsa.ba

Adriano Remiddi
ERMA Academic Tutor
e-mail: adriano.remiddi@cips.unsa.ba