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Swedish Institute Academy for Young Professionals

Lund University has carried out training programmes within the framework of the Swedish Institute Academy for Young Professionals (SAYP) since 2014. The programmes are aimed at young policymakers, public servants and civil society actors from selected countries in the Baltic Sea Region, the EU’s Eastern Partnership and the Western Balkans and serve as a platform for sharing experiences, building knowledge and networking on public governance issues.

Course participants standing outside talking. Photo.
Participants at the Swedish Institute Academy for Young Professionals (SAYP). Photo: Johan Persson.

Programmes offered in 2024

In 2024, Lund University offers three different SAYP programmes: 

  • Perspectives on Multi-level governance, Decentralisation and Human Rights (Western Balkans)
  • Perspectives on Multi-level governance, Decentralisation and Human Rights (Baltic Sea Region and EU Eastern Partnership countries)
  • Green Transition for Low-Carbon and Resilient Societies (Baltic Sea Region and EU Eastern Partnership countries)

These are just a few of the many capacity-building programmes we can offer. Contact us for more information at contact [at] education [dot] lu [dot] se (contact[at]education[dot]lu[dot]se).

Perspectives on Multi-level governance, Decentralisation and Human Rights

The programmes in Perspectives on Multi-level Governance, Decentralisation and Human Rights are offered for the Western Balkans as well as the Baltic Sea Region and EU Eastern Partnership countries. They are carried out by Lund University School of Economics and Management and The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, in cooperation with Lund University Department of Commissioned Education (LUCE).

The programmes focus on what role decentralisation plays in democratic processes and power distribution in society. The objective of the programmes is to support young professionals by creating a forum, led by experienced and knowledgeable lecturers, where these issues are discussed and linked to the participant's own context by drawing on experiences from different participating countries both within and outside the EU. 

Please note that these programmes include several group work sessions, and require active participation, critical thinking and analysis, and experience sharing. You will find more information about each programme below.

Western Balkans

  • Premodule (independent studies online): 15 May–9 June 2024
  • On-site in Lund: 10–20 June 2024
  • Follow-up workshop TBA: 22–24 October 2024

The programme is open to applicants from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

Apply for Multi-level Governance (Western Balkans) at dinkurs.se

The deadline to apply is 5 April 2024.

When applying to the programme Perspectives on Multi-level Governance, Decentralisation and Human Rights for the Western Balkans, please use the following templates and note that you must not change the file name.

Baltic Sea Region/EU Eastern Partnership

  • Premodule (independent studies online): 15 August–20 September 2024
  • On-site in Lund: 23 September –3 October 2024
  • Follow-up workshop (location TBD): 18–20 March 2025

The programme is open to applicants from Armenia, *Belarus (more information below), Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Sweden and **Ukraine (more information below)

*Due to the current situation in Belarus, SI took the decision that, as of 1 October 2020, financial support will not be provided to Belarusian state employees for on-site activities within SAYP. As a consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Belarus’ active cooperation in it, it is no longer possible for state employees from Belarus to participate in the online activities within SAYP either.

**Applicants from Ukraine do not need to currently reside in Ukraine in order to apply to the programme.

Apply for Multi-level Governance (Baltic Sea Region/EU Eastern Partnership Countries) at dinkurs.se

The deadline to apply is 5 April 2024.

When applying for the programme “Perspectives on Multi-level Governance, Decentralisation and Human Rights” for the Baltic Sea Region/EU Eastern Partnership, please use the following templates and note that you must not change the file name.

Green Transition for Low-Carbon and Resilient Societies 

This programme is offered for the Baltic Sea Region and EU Eastern Partnership countries and is led by the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE) in cooperation with Lund University Department of Commissioned Education (LUCE). Its aim and purpose is to increase and strengthen the competence of young professionals from the public and private sectors in Eastern Europe to drive a green transition towards a low-carbon and sustainable future.

  • Premodule (independent studies online): 15 May –14 September 2024 
  • On-site in Lund: 17–25 September
  • Online Follow-up module: 1 October 2024–30 May 2025

The programme is open to applicants from Armenia, *Belarus (more information below), Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Sweden and **Ukraine (more information below) 

*Due to the current situation in Belarus, SI took the decision that, as of 1 October 2020, financial support will not be provided to Belarusian state employees for on-site activities within SAYP. As a consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Belarus’ active cooperation in it, it is no longer possible for state employees from Belarus to participate in the online activities within SAYP either. 

**Applicants from Ukraine do not need to currently reside in Ukraine in order to apply to the programme. 

Apply for Green Transition for Low-Carbon and Resilient Societies at dinkurs.se

The deadline to apply is 5 April 2024.

When applying to the programme “Green Transition for Low-Carbon and Resilient Societies” for the Baltic Sea Region/EU Eastern Partnership, please use the following templates and note that you must not change the file name.

You can only be admitted to one programme within SAYP

Please note, that there are different programmes at different universities within SAYP. You can apply to more than one. However, it is recommended that you apply to a maximum of two programmes/universities. You can only be admitted to one. Read more about this on the Swedish Institute’s website.

Student and staff testimonials

The Swedish Institute and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute have conducted interviews with some participants and staff of the SAYP programmes. You can choose to watch video clips on youtube.com or read the testimonials on si.se:

SAYP in practice

Learn about how some SAYP participants applied their gained knowledge and skills in practice at the Raul Wallenberg Institute website.

Contact information

Project team at Lund University Commissioned Education
contact [at] education [dot] lu [dot] se (contact[at]education[dot]lu[dot]se)

One of the SAYP participants. Screenshot from YouTube.

Testimonials from participants

Watch videos on Youtube where participants of the SAYP programmes share their experiences: