South East European Research Centre (SEERC)

1. South East European Research Centre (SEERC) www.seerc.org

2. WHAT IS SEERC A non profit organisation established by the University of Sheffield and CITY Liberal Studies. An interdisciplinary Research Centre designed to extend South East Europe’s research capacity and role in the European Knowledge Society. MISSION STATEMENT: SEERC’s mission is to support the sustainable, long-term political, economic, and social development of South East Europe (SEE) by conducting pure and applied research and policy analysis in and for the region.

3. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES (1/2) To contribute to the growing research capacity of the region by advancing the means of research within SEE countries and by fortifying cooperation between public and private entities. To prepare and carry out Research funded by European, National and International bodies. To provide a rich research environment for Doctoral Candidates who aspire to become researchers in the region. To initiate common research by the University of Sheffield, CITY College and other institutions in the SEE region

4. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES (2/2) To strengthen policy making as a basis for the healthy development of SEE countries. To become a research hub assisting the setting of policy making targets. Exchange of scientific staff between academic and research institutions

5. AREAS OF RESEARCH Education, e-Learning. Economics, Development, Poverty (transitional economies – privatization) Social Policy, Multi-level Governance, Policy Transfer Migration Infrastructure and Urban Development Research Health Policy, Public Health, Populations Information Technology and IT Policy IT and Telecommunications Development Services for Citizens (e-Europe) Institutional Relations (legal environment, crime-corruption)

6. SEERC OPERATION SEERC has four (4) broad Research Tracks, that cover a largenumber of core disciplines and support an additional number of related or crossover disciplines. These are: • Enterprise, Innovation & Development • Information & Communication Technologies • Governance, Politics & Society • Risk and Well-being

7. SEERC RESEARCH STRUCTURE

8. SEERC ACTIVITIES RESEARCH NETWORKING ▫Conduct Applied & Policy – relevant research ▫ Act as a “Hub” for the region ▫ Undertake Research projects of importance for the region ▫ Develop regional expertise and promote regional scientific synergies ▫ Build & Develop international multidisciplinary research groups SEERC CONFERENCES WORKSHOPS PUBLISHING DOCTORAL PROGRAMME ▫ To increase the number of highly trained researchers in the region ▫ Promote independent objective analysis and public discussion ▫ Disseminate findings to policy makers, NGO and INGO leaders, scientific community, general public ▫ UoS Scholarships

9. SEERC TODAY • Has built and developed 9 Research Clusters • 32 Doctoral students • Undertook 10 projects • Funded from EU, FCO, ILO, Westminster Foundation for Democracy, World Bank etc. • Organized 15 Conferences & Workshops in the whole region • Produced a number of important publications

10. THE DOCTORAL PROGRAMME Total Current Students: 32 Full-time: 16Part-time: 16 Full-time students are qualified at Master’s level with a distinction degree; they have some professional experience and are dedicated to becoming academicians. Part-time students are mid-career professionals with senior positions (in Government, International Agencies and Companies, Media) in South East European countries who aspire to become researchers in the region.

11. INDICATIVE LIST OF PhD TOPICS • Balkan Politics • Health Risk Behaviours • Migration & Identity • Social Policy • Cross-border Cooperation • Supply Chains • Media • Balkan Film • Formal Methods • Education, e-Learning • Macroeconomics • Economic development • Foreign investment • SMEs • Innovation & Entrepreneurship • GIS • Health Informatics

12. SEERC Publications 1/2 (Indicative) • BOOKS: • Democratisation in Southeast Europe: An Introduction to Election Issues, Dusan Pavlovic, Goran Petrov, Despina Syrri, David A. Stone (eds.)Thessaloniki: SEERC, 2005, ISBN: 960-87859-4-0. • Financial Sector Reform in South East Europe, Georgios Anastasiadis (ed.), Thessaloniki: SEERC, 2005, ISBN: 960-87869-3-2. • 1 st South-East European Workshop on Formal Methods: Agile Formal Methods:Practical, Rigorous Methods for a Changing World, Dimitris Dranidis & Kalliopi Tigka (eds.) Thessaloniki: SEERC, 2004, ISBN: 960-87869-1-6. • Integrating the Western Balkans Into Europe: The Aftermath of the Greek EU Presidency, David A. Stone & Despina Syrri (eds.) Thessaloniki: SEERC, 2003 ISBN 9060-87869-0-8. COUNTRY REPORTS: • Romania, Country Background, April 2004, Business Research Unit. • Bulgaria, Country Background, 2004, Business Research Unit. • F.Y.R. Macedonia, Country Background, 2004, Business Research Unit.

13. SEERC Publications 2/2 (Indicative) • Proceedings: • Proceedings: 10 th International Symposium on Health Information Management Research, Panagiotis D. Bamidis, Peter Bath, Barry Eaglestone, Anna Sotiriadou (eds.) Thessaloniki: SEERC, 2005, ISBN: 960-87869- 5-9. • Proceedings: 3 rd International Workshop on Supply Chain Management & Information Systems, Panagiotis Ketikidis, Lenny Koh (eds.) Thessaloniki: SEERC, 2005, ISBN: 9060-87869-0-8.

14. SEERC Selected Projects • J-WEB: Collaboration environment for Judicial European network in Western Balkans • Multi-level Governance in South East Europe – Institutional Innovation and adaptation in Croatia, Greece, FYROM and Slovenia (funded by the UK Economics and Social Research Council/ESRC) • EPOS: e-Procurement Optimised System for the Healthcare Marketplace (eTen). • FUSION: Business Process FUSION based on Semantically-enabled Service-Oriented Business Applications. • MIRIAD: Managing and Infusing Research Investment and Development. • Infusing Knowledge into South East European SMEs: Establishing a Platform for Developing Business Alliances, Supply Chains and SME-Research Community Interaction (funded by the British Foreign ad Commonwealth Office).

15. SEERC Selected Projects • QF Embodiment: The exchange of experiences during the creation and testing of sectorial qualification frameworks and their drawing near to each other, in the light of EQF (funded by the Leonardo Da Vinci programme, DG Education and Training). • Embedding Standards: Embedding ICT/Multimedia Standardisation Initiatives into European Vocational Training Development Strategies (funded by the Leonardo Da Vinci programme, DG Education and Training)

16. QF Embodiment The Greek Educational & Training System in brief: • Formal Education • Vocational Training (Initial [formal] and Continuing [non-formal]) • Informal Education a. FORMAL EDUCATION • General Education (primary, secondary, tertiary) • Technical Vocational Education (@ secondary & tertiary level, Technical Vocational Schools [TEE], VT combined with employment [OAED-Labour Force Employment Organisation], Vocational Training Institutes [KEK]) initial

17. QF Embodiment B. NON-FORMAL EDUCATION [continuing] • General Secretariat for Adult Education • Labour Force Employment Organisation • Ministries (Health & Welfare, Agriculture, Public Administration) • Centres for Vocational Training • Private educational centres C. INFORMAL EDUCATION Any acquisition of knowledge and skills in any subject area even without prior formal or non-formal vocational training. Usually such qualifications are not recognised by any body. Exception: The Industrial and Commercial Chamber of Athens has established a professional competency certification system for accounting office employees and IT employees. Also, the Computer and IT Experts Association certifies individuals with skills in IT.

18. QF EmbodimentOur interest in the project: • The NQF in Greece has focused on the acquisition of accredited qualifications via the formal education process. • In the past years, VET development has led to the accreditation of qualifications for a lot of technical mainly specialisations not covered by tertiary education. • Certification of K, S and Q, acquired by formal or informal or non-formal training is provided by various training bodies and not by a specific national agency. Lack of a specific vocational qualifications certification system. • Until 1992 social actors did not play a role in VET development (Labour Institute of the General Confederation of Greek Workers, Association of Greek Industries); this created problems in the recording of market needs. • Non-acknowledgement of informal training discourages employees from participating in life-long training courses. • Various bodies which lack coordination, overlapping-fragmentation of activities, lack of information networks (Ministry of Education & Religious affairs, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs) • There is no record of professional profiles and the process is just starting through the EKEPIS. [some piloted through EU projects] • For EQF Application: first effort to certify all types of offered education and then to match these to EQF. • Socially, VET is the last resort after failure to enter the formal education system. • SEERC to utilise the project experiences for contact with relevant authorities.

19. Contact SOUTH EAST EUROPEAN RESEARCH CENTRE Christina MIARITI Research Development Coordinator 17, Mitropoleos street 546 24 Thessaloniki Greece Tel.: +30-2310-253477/8 Fax: ext. 115 E-mail: cmiariti@seerc.org www.seerc.org