The Budapest Balkans Forum is the flagship conference of the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs (HIIA). Drawing on the success of the previous years’ Budapest Balkans YOUTH Forum (BBYF) side-event, we invite applicants–university students and young professionals–from countries of the Three Seas Initiative and the Western Balkans to attend our 5-day spring school in the Hungarian capital.
The aim of the BBYF is to create a platform for young minds to explore avenues for advancing infrastructure development and fostering regional cooperation across Central and Southeast Europe, participate in a day-long simulation, professional sessions (including argumentation, rhetoric, communications, etc.), to partake in the Budapest Balkans Forum and to explore the Hungarian capital through cultural programs.
The BBYF will be held in Budapest between 9-14 March, 2025.
Travel and accommodation expenses will be covered by the organizers.
The completion of the spring school will be recognized by an official certificate issued by HIIA.
Program structure
| 9 March | Arrival of participants, welcome event |
| 10 March | Training day 1. |
| 11 March | Training day 2. |
| 12 March | Day-long simulation |
| 13 March | Budapest Balkans Forum |
| 14 March | Budapest Balkans Forum, departure of participants |
ELIGIBILITY
- The BBYF event is open to university students (MA and PhD students), recent graduates and young professionals under the age of 30.
- Candidates must hold citizenship of the following states: Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia. Applications outside of these countries will be considered in extraordinary cases.
- Demonstrated interest in social and political sciences, including the connectivity and regional cooperation opportunities of Central and Southeast Europe (i.e., infrastructure development within a framework of V4-SEE6 or 3SI-SEE6 cooperation).
- High-level command of written and spoken English is required.
APPLICATION:
Applicants are required to submit, in .pdf format as a single document:
- a professional CV;
- short (0.5 page/question) opinion pieces, answering to both questions:
- Where have you, in your professional or private life, experienced the significance/lack of good infrastructural connectivity?
- How would you evaluate the political-economic impact of the Central European countries in the Western Balkans?
Complete application packages should be uploaded to THIS form or just click the button on the top!
Application deadline is 5 February. Results of the selection procedure will be communicated to all applicants by 14 February.