Lecturers at the Summer School were high level professionals and ReSPA experts from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and the EU academic institutions: College of Europe and EIPA. More than 30 participants of the Summer School came from all ReSPA Members and Kosovo*[1]. They were senior and middle level professionals actively taking part in the European integration processes, from central EU coordination institutions, ministries in charge of foreign affairs, justice, internal affairs, public administration, finance, offices of Prime Ministers, and from the offices of Chiefs of the SAA/Accession Negotiation Teams.

„When you are a civil servant, it is most important that you cultivate your critical mindset. The EU accession doesn't matter. What matters is the way towards accession. It is the effort that you are going to undertake and collective intelligence you are going to put in the process that will make you ready or not. The key for being ready is education, education, and education. It is not just acquiring new techniques, new technologies, new competencies; it’s far more than that. It is about making sense of ethics for participating in a collective effort, exchange with others, helping each other, living together despite racial, ethnic, religious differences... in an open and competitive society“, said Pierre Defraigne, Executive Director of the Madariaga - College of Europe Centre, in his keynote address to the Summer School participants.

According to the participants, the Summer School helped in gaining a deeper understanding of the processes of change in the EU, and their implications for the enlargement policy, as well as better understanding of the Chapters 23 and 24 on the basis of experiences of Croatia. Participants also learned about the current state of affairs regarding judiciary and fundamental rights, justice freedom and security, in each the of aspirants to EU Membership across the Western Balkans. Through discussions on common problems, they broadened their outlook of similar situations and challenges faced by their peers.