First step towards a successful career in public administration for almost 800 students of 5 public universities

In order to give students of 5 public universities an opportunity to take the first step towards a successful career in public administration, on 9 November the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government (MPALSG) organized, with the support of the European Union, 2nd Online Student Internships Fair.

The fair was organised as a hybrid online event through a virtual platform specially created for this occasion, which has the shape of the building of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia. At the Fair, 56 public administration bodies from the national and local levels (the number of bodies participating in the Fair was tripled compared to the previous year) offered 794 places for student internships in the academic year 2022/2023.

Previously, the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, also with EU support, launched a website of the virtual community of student internships as a meeting place for students, universities and public administration bodies and a central source of information about student internships in public administration. Already in the first two weeks of its existence, the website had 17,000 visitors and 54,000 views.

Student Internships Fair 2022/2023 was opened by Aleksandar Martinović, Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, and Plamena Halacheva, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia. During the Fair, Minister Martinović and representatives of 5 state universities signed the Cooperation Programme on organizing student internships in 2022/2023 academic year.

Visitors of the Fair had the opportunity to attend thematic debates and panel discussions on internships and employment in public administration bodies, and to visit the virtual stands of the bodies and universities where they attended their presentations. In the breaks between sessions and presentations, they had an opportunity to walk through the virtual space of the National Assembly House, learn about the history of this edifice and learn more about the halls, salons and the Library of the National Assembly.

The Fair platform, accessed through the virtual community website, had 14,000 views on the day of the Fair. 

You can see what the fair day itself looked like in a short video.

Although the Fair officially lasted only one day, all the Fair contents are still available on the platform and you can access them at any time by visiting the website of the virtual community of student internships.

EU Support

Through the project "EU for Visibility and Communication of Public Administration Reform" the EU has supported the MPALSG in the organization of this Fair for the second year in a row. The project experts helped the MPALSG in the promotion, design and implementation of this important event for public administration.

Student internships in public administration as part of PAR

Better positioning of the public administration in Serbia as a desirable employer is recognized and foreseen in the PAR Strategy for the period 2021 - 2030. Organizing student internships in public administration bodies is part of the activities aimed at attracting quality personnel to the public administration to help it become a modern and efficient service for citizens and the business sector.

Regional award for the Student Internships Fair (ReSPA Award)

Even after its first edition last year, the Student Internships Fair was noticed as an innovative and interesting example of the application of modern technologies in public administration, especially in the area of youth empowerment and employment and for retaining young talents. This is why, at a ceremony held in Skoplje in September 2022, the Regional School of Public Administration (ReSPA) presented a special regional award to MPALSG for organizing the Student Internships Fair and highlighted it as an example of good practice that can be replicated in other countries of the region.