Month: <span>March 2026</span>

Digital participation should go beyond access and technical skills. The key democratic question is whether young people are meaningfully involved in shaping the rules that govern the digital space.

As a partner in the EYDR – Youth Participation in Digital Democracy project, CCIS contributed to strengthening youth agency in digital democracy across Albania, Montenegro, Serbia and Spain. Over two years, the project combined research, capacity building and cross-border cooperation to support young people in moving from digital engagement to policy influence.

Through mapping research, the Youth Digital Democracy Accelerator Programme and international exchanges in Belgrade and Oviedo, the initiative helped translate lived digital experiences into structured democratic participation and policy-relevant advocacy.

EYDR demonstrates that digital transformation must be accompanied by democratic safeguards, rights-based governance and meaningful youth inclusion.

Read the full EYDR Project Summary Report here:

EYDR Project Summary Report

On this International Women’s Day, CCIS celebrates the contributions, leadership, and resilience of women everywhere.

Through its projects, initiatives, research, and partnerships, CCIS is committed to promoting women’s participation, supporting gender equality, and amplifying women’s voices in society. By fostering dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and inclusive policymaking, we aim to contribute to a future where women and girls have equal opportunities to lead, innovate, and shape sustainable and inclusive communities.

Today, we celebrate the achievements of women and reaffirm our commitment to advancing equality and empowerment for women everywhere!

Over the past two years, young people from Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Italy have gone from observers to advocates researching youth employment, mental health, and civic participation, and bringing their findings directly to policymakers.

Through the Erasmus+ project “Y-O MODEL,” Youth Observers co-led consultations, organized policy roundtables, and met with parliaments, mayors, and government agencies across the region. The final event in Tirana brought it all together, presenting the developed policy papers and strengthening connections with Agjencia Kombëtare e Rinisë, showing that youth policy must be rooted in meaningful inclusion.

Their message is clear: youth policy should be built with young people, not just for them! And the journey doesn’t end here! Youth Observer networks will continue driving informed, youth-led policy recommendations across the region, supported by project partners.ℹ️ “A Cross Regional Predictive Model for Youth Policy Shaping – Youth Observers” is funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Youth Programme.

HUMAN-IT – COST Action 24167 Launching Networking Activities & Grant Opportunities!

As the Grant-Holding Institution of CA24167, CCIS Albania is proud to support the launch of networking activities and grant opportunities designed to foster mobility, scientific exchange, visibility, and capacity building across our three Working Groups!

Open on a rolling basis:
Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSM): Research visits to advance collaboration across COST countries.
Young Researchers & Innovators (YRI) Conference Grant: Support to attend and present at high-level conferences.
Dissemination & Conference Grant: Promote visibility and share HUMAN-IT research results internationally.

Applications will be evaluated on scientific quality, contribution to Action deliverables, interdisciplinarity, inclusiveness, and the potential to strengthen collaboration within the HUMAN-IT network.

Early-career researchers are particularly encouraged to apply via e-COST.
Learn more & apply: https://lnkd.in/eTwRXyua