Summer School of Economics

The Summer School of Economics was launched by Group 17 (NGO) in 1998. During the 1990s, in Serbia, the economic knowledge was in stagnation and even regressed. To contribute to the acquiring of knowledge in the area of economic freedoms and the development of democracy of future human resources at universities, in the public and private sector, including public administration, the summer school of economics was launched, as a form of additional education for the most gifted students of the final years of social sciences which they did not have opportunity to acquire within regular education system. In a relatively short period, the School earned very high rating and reputation in Serbia and in the region. The School is based on scientific and professional excellence and is guided by the criteria of professionalism in accordance with international standards. The 2010 Summer School is organized by the Institute of Economic Sciences from Belgrade.

The Summer School of Economics represents a unique opportunity for young professionals to increase their knowledge and broaden their perspective regarding the importance of the free market. The role of the School is to spread the ideas of individual freedoms, right to choice and individual responsibility, free market, entrepreneurship and limiting the interference of public administration. The School's goal is twofold: to provide additional education about modern economics and to establish durable links among young economists and likely future leaders (economic policy makers, businesspeople, etc.) in Southeast Europe.

The School applies interactive methods of education by combining lectures and debates. Emphasis is put on the active participation of students in the education process and students have opportunity to design themselves different activities or have debates on different topics. Also, the most gifted students are included in the work on projects in the area of economics and education in order to pass the acquired knowledge and experience to the next generations of participants.

Lecturers at the Summer School of Economics are distinguished international professors from well-known universities, as well as professors from the region and local economic policy makers who are implementing the process of transition in Serbia. Also, people from the practice/business (private sector and financial institutions) and from the international organizations (World Bank, OECD, IMF) participated as lecturers at the Summer Schools all these years. In addition, the research staff of local and European institutes provided the students with interesting lessons, mostly on transition experiences of the Central and Southeast Europe and the FSU countries. The students have opportunities to meet representatives of the diplomatic core and the international organizations in Serbia that usually teach the Summer School participants lessons on the democratization of the society and on the role of international organizations in Serbia and the region.