Students gain first-hand experience at the Kosovo Assembly
"We want future deputies to be better than us," says Teuta Sahatqija, who chairs the Reformist Party ORA Parliamentary Group, "so we are offering them the chance to gain practical knowledge and a better understanding of how laws are created."
The project began in June 2005 with 14 interns affiliated to political parties. "They saw it as a window of opportunity to get directly involved in politics," says Nadia Cannata, Democratization Programme Officer at the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.
During their six-month placements, students also provide extra help for the Assembly's parliamentary groups. They help prepare meetings and plenary sessions, and build contacts with representatives from political parties, government institutions, municipalities and civil society.
More than theory
In February 2007, the fourth group - 16 students of law, political science and social studies - began their internships. Each of the eight parliamentary groups will host two interns.
"Until the end of July," says Cannata, "they will be carrying out research, helping to organize conferences and preparing briefings on media coverage."
Rrezarta Ahmeti, an undergraduate law student and an intern with the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Parliamentary Group, says she has already learned a lot. "The best experience so far has been organizing a conference on higher education and having direct contact with academics and representatives from educational institutions.
"At school, I learned the theory behind all the things I do here, but through the internship I am learning how things work in practice, from drafting to approving laws."
As Sahatqija points out, "It is also very important for students to get to know current policy-makers, political party initiatives and parliamentary procedures, groups and individuals."
The experience will help many of the interns develop political careers. "Three of our four former interns are already employed by our party," says Sahatqija.
Training for a smooth start
To help these future politicians and civil servants prepare for their tasks at the Assembly, the OSCE Mission organizes a training course for each group of interns. The course focuses on building skills to organize conferences and write reports, speeches and press releases.
In addition to the course, the OSCE also helps the students financially with activities such as holding conferences and printing promotional material.
In 2008, after more than three years of hosting interns, the Assembly is expected to take over the project and continue offering students the chance to learn about its work first-hand.
"I think every young person that comes in to do an internship at the Assembly comes out a winner," says Sahatqija.