Each year, more than 1500 students from the Western Balkans complete one of the SPARK-initiated summer universities in Macedonia, Pristina and Mitrovica. This year, 2009, we have started 2 new summer universities in Palestine and Liberia. This is a brief overview of the different summer universities:


Pilot Liberia Faculty Enrichment Programme (LFEP)

This year, SPARK's recognised Summer University Project expanded to Liberia. The pilot edition of the Liberia Faculty Enrichment Programme (LFEP), organised by SPARK together with the Association of Liberian Universities (ALU) and the Ministry of Education, was held between 6 and 17 July and focused primarily on faculty development. The project is aimed at enabling senior undergraduate students and teaching faculty to improve their writing, teaching, research and business development skills. Read more about the project.






Pilot Nablus Summer Academy (NSA) 2009

SPARK together with the An-Najah National University in Nablus, Palestina, organised the pilot edition of the Nablus Summer Academy (NSA) this July. This project is aimed at the improvement and internationalisation of higher education, as being of general need in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. In the NSA, courses were offered in the field of International Human Rights Law, Public International Law, and International Humanitarian Law, in which regional and international students could participate. In addition, public debates on related topics, workshops and recreational events such as films and excursions were organised. Read more about the project.




Mitrovica Summer University (MSU)

Since 2006, in cooperation with the University and our local partner organisations, SPARK organises the Mitrovica Youth Programme, consisting of an intensive two-week Summer University (MSU, formerly Mitrovica Summer Courses), a Regional Conference on "Access to Higher Education", Student Trainings and a Module on European Integration. 

We also organised a Mitrovica Winter University for the first time in 2010 which took place from 23 January till 5 Fabruary.A 2 week academic event with courses on Environmental Protection, Economy/Entrepreneurship, Peace Building/Conflict Studies/Diplomacy, Comparative Study of Balkan Countries and EU Integration, Cultural Heritage and Web Design. Read more about the project.




International Pristina Summer University (PSU)

The Pristina Summer University (PSU), has been organised annually since 2001 and until now brought together over 300 professors and 3,000 students from Kosovo, South East Europe and the rest of the world. The Summer Universities have accelerated the ongoing reform process and assisted the University in meeting the high standards of the Bologna Declaration. The University of Pristina is responsible for the implementation of the programme, with limited assistance from SPARK in 2009.

Read more about previous editions of PSU.










International Summer University Macedonia (ISUM) - Finished project

The project International Summer University Macedonia (ISUM) has ended. In the last four years, SPARK together with the Universities of Bitola, Skopje, Tetovo and the SEE University organised 4 successful editions of ISUM, attracting students from the Western Balkans and all over Europe. Courses on topics such as Law, Economics, Business, Gender and Education were offered as well as workshops and study visits to local faculties. SPARK would like to thank all professors and participants that lectured and participated in previous editions.

Read more about previous editions of ISUM.