| Selections 2011 - Round VIII |
YCS Round VIII: Final Rankings - Lists of Grantees and Reserves (12/4/2011)The YCS interviews for Round VIII selections were held on Wednesday 6 th, Thursday 7th, and Friday 8th April 2011, at KIPA premises in Pristina. A total of 116 candidates were invited to take the interviews. 5 candidates didn’t come on the day of interviews (3 in the sector of Hard Sciences and 2 in the sector of General Economics). Out of the 111 interviewed, a total of 40 grants were awarded and 6 candidates were retained as reserve. For each sector, the following decisions were taken by the Panels Members, inclusive of the YCS Scholarship’s stakeholders (ECLO and Government of Kosovo): - for EU Law 10 grants were awarded, and no candidate was retained as reserve; - for General Economics 14 grants were awarded, and 6 candidates were retained as reserve. Reserve candidates were retained only in this sector due to the overall good performance of applicants in General Economics, and they will receive a grant where and if grantees in any of the 4 sectors will withdraw; - for Econometrics 4 grants were awarded, and no candidate was retained as reserve; - for Hard Sciences – Technical Sector 12 grants were awarded, and no candidate was retained as reserve.
All candidates who took the interviews and who were not awarded a grant can come to the YCS office to be shown the “consensus minutes” relating to their own interview, and to receive feedback on their performance, between 12:00 to 14:00, everyday from Thursday 14th April and until Thursday 21st April inclusive, at the YCS Secretariat office in the Government Building, Room 108.
YCS Round VIII: Timetable Interviews 6, 7 and 8 April (26/3/2011) You can download here the TIMETABLE FOR THE INTERVIEWS ON 6, 7 AND 8 APRIL 2011 YCS Round VIII: Results Written Exams (26/3/2011) The results of the written exams and the list of candidates invited to the interviews is being published today (download below). The answer sheets filled in by the candidates during the exams were placed in sealed envelopes, signed by the YCS Secretariat Staff and Ministry for European Integration’s (MEI) Representatives present in the room where the exams took place. On Monday 14th March all sealed envelopes were sent, at the presence of both European Commission (EC) and MEI representatives, to the University of Louvain la Neuve, in Belgium, to be correct by optical marker reading. As established by the Rules, all participating candidates are welcomed to control by themselves their own results in case they believe there has been a mistake in marking their tests. Candidates can come to the premises of the YCS Secretariat, located in the Government Building, Room 108, in Pristina, to control their results from 14:00 until 16:45 on Monday 28th March, and from 10:00 to 16:45 everyday (Sat. and Sun. excluded) from Tuesday 29th March until Monday 4th April. (please note that access to our office will be possible only and exclusively in these days and working hours).
As already published on 21st March, a total of 330 applicants were invited to the written tests, and 282 candidates completed all the tests, divided in the following sectors: - EU Law: 45 - General Economics: 158 - Econometrics: 8 - Hard Sciences: 71
Of those who completed the tests, there were a number of applicants who had been conditionally invited to the written exams, pending completion of their applications, which were missing documents like copy of ID, original or certified copies of transcripts, copy of diploma/certificates, or self-declarations. A total of 13 applicants amongst those who completed the written tests failed to produce the required documents by the deadline of Friday 18th March (1 in EU Law, 8 in General Economics and 4 in Hard Sciences). Therefore, as already communicated on 21st March, their applications have been rejected as incomplete, and their results in the written exams will not be disclosed.
The results published are divided per sector, as the ranking order of candidates is established sector by sector – based on the points scored in the Verbal and Numerical Reasoning test & the EU General Knowledge Test or the Verbal and Numerical Reasoning test & the Econometrics Numerical Test (only for Econometrics).
Only candidates who have passed the established English thresholds have been considered in the ranking order, and their results in all tests are shown. For those who have not passed the English threshold only the performance in the 3 English language tests are shown.
The Rules of Procedures set the following English thresholds (pag. 14): - Normal English threshold: at least 65% of correct answers in the 3 combined English tests; - Reserve English threshold: at least 60% of correct answers in the 3 combined English tests; - Special English threshold: at least 50% of correct answers in the 3 combined English tests (applicable only to the sector of Hard Science, pag. 7 of the Rules)
As per the Rules of Procedure, the Reserve and the Special English Thresholds (respectively pag.14 and 7 of the Rules) apply, at the discretion of EC and MEI, only where and if in a given sector there are not enough candidates who have passed the Normal English threshold of 65% of correct answers.
The overall results in the 3 combined English tests were the following: - EU Law: 20 candidates passed the Normal 65% threshold, 4 passed the Reserve 60% threshold, 20 scored less than 60%; - General Economics: 82 candidates passed the Normal 65% threshold, 13 candidates passed the Reserve 60% threshold, the remaining 55 scored below 60%. - Econometrics: 5 candidates passed the Normal 65% threshold, while the remaining 3 scored below 60%; - Hard Sciences – Technical Sector: 33 candidates passed the Normal 65% threshold, 10 candidates passed the Reserve 60% threshold, 7 candidates passed the Special 50% threshold, the remaining 17 scored below 50%.
The Rules of Procedure established to invite to the interviews up to 100 candidates, divided by Sectors in the following manner: - for EU Law- up to 30 applicants - for General Economics - up to 25 applicants - for Econometrics - up to 15 applicants - for Hard Sciences - up to 30 applicants
The above numbers were established as long as a sufficient number of suitable candidates would have emerged from the written exams in each of the specific sector.
Confronted with the results mentioned above, EC and MEI decided to change the number of candidates invited to the interviews, as per the Rules of Procedure: "(…) If not enough suitable candidates are found within individual sectors as indicated in the call for application then candidates invited to the interviews may be recruited from the other lists, if there are enough suitable candidates. Accordingly, and dependant on the written tests results, EC and MEI may also decide to either increase or decrease the number of available scholarships per individual sectors, or alternatively to reduce the overall number of available scholarships and invite to the interviews fewer candidates than initially planned, and/or they may propose a change of sector for suitable candidates. (Rules of procedure, pag.14)"
Accordingly, EC and MEI also decided to reallocate some of the available scholarships within the sectors in order not to change the overall number of scholarships available (ie, 40). This is the new allocation of scholarships within the 4 sectors: - EU Law: up to 10 scholarships available (it was 12); - General Economics: up to 13 scholarships available (it was 10) - Econometrics: up to 5 scholarships available (it was 6) - Hard Sciences: up to 12 scholarships available (no changes)
Furthermore, considering in particular the results in the EU Law sector, where applicants' performance at the written test was less satisfactory than in the other sectors and not enough candidates met the required 65% threshold in English, EC and MEI decided to use the Reserve English Threshold (ie, 60% of correct answers) as minimum English threshold to establish the list of candidates invited to the interviews for EU Law.
For the other Sectors only candidates who passed the 65% English threshold have been invited.
Considering the excellent performance in the English test of candidates in Econometrics, and the sheer need of experts in this field for the Kosovo Public Administration, EC and MEI have decided to award up to 5 scholarships in this sector, depending on the outcome of the interviews of this group. In case interviews with candidates in Econometrics would not be satisfactory, Scholarships allocated to this sector may be used in other sectors, in particular for General Economics or Hard Sciences.
Considering also the overall very good performance of candidates in the sector of General Economics, EC and MEI decided to allocate 3 additional scholarships to this sector.
In line with the above, it was also decided to interview as many candidates as possible within those who passed the English thresholds in each sector, and considering that two panels will interview candidates during 3 days it was fixed at 116 the number of applicants invited to the interviews. Panel A, composed by professors in Law, Engineering, Agronomy and other relevant technical subjects, will interview candidates in EU Law and in Hard Sciences. Panel B, composed by professors in Economics, will interview instead candidates in Econometrics and in General Economics.
The following number of candidates is therefore invited to the interviews: Panel A (57 candidates interviewed): - EU Law: all 24 applicants who passed at least the Reserve English threshold of 60%; - Hard Sciences: all 33 applicants who passed the Normal English Threshold of 65%; Panel B (59 candidates interviewed): - Econometrics: all 5 applicants who passed the Normal English threshold of 65%; - General Economics: the first 52 applicants in the rankings (ie for a total of 54 applicants actually invited as at the 52nd place there is a tie between 3 applicants) who passed the Normal English Threshold of 65%.
The results of the written exams can be downloaded below, divided per sectors: HARD SCIENCES – TECHNICAL SECTOR
YCS Round VIII: Update on Applicants (21/3/2011) The Results of the written exams will be made public no later than Monday 28th March, as in the official calendar for Round VIII Selections (page 8-9 of the Rules of Procedure).
This is an update on the numbers of applicants still competing for Round VIII Selections, after the written exams and the deadline last Friday, 18th March, to provide the missing documents for those applicants “conditionally invited” to the exams.
As already published, 376 applications were received for Round VIII Selections.
42 applicants were originally rejected, and other 30 applicants were required to agree to a change of Sector by the 10th March, as though having a degree eligible under one of the 4 Sectors advertised this year, they had originally applied for a Sector where they were not eligible. Following a complaint, the file of one of the 42 candidates was re-examined by the Scholarships stakeholders (ECLO and MEI), and as the complaint was considered well grounded, the candidate was re-admitted to the selections. Details of this case are enclosed within the lists that can be downloaded below.
Furthermore, out of the group of 30 applicants who applied for a sector where their degree was not eligible, even if it would have been eligible under a different sector, 25 applicants confirmed by the deadline of 10th March their agreement to compete for a different sector. The 5 applicants who did not confirm their agreement were instead rejected.
In total 330 applicants introduced eligible applications and they were invited to sit the written tests on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th March, held in Grand Hotel Pristina. On Saturday 12th, there were 168 candidates expected to sit the exams and on Sunday 13th there were 162 candidates expected. The 330 candidates invited to sit the exams were divided in the following sectors: - EU Law: 53 - General Economics: 190 - Econometrics: 8 - Hard Sciences: 79
On Saturday 12th we registered 19 no show, and a total of 149 candidates took the exam on that day. On Sunday 13t we registered 26 no show plus 3 candidates who arrived late for the last test of the day and who were eventually not allowed to enter the room, for a final total of 133 candidates who completed the tests. The overall total of candidates taking the test has therefore been of 282, divided in the following sectors: - EU Law: 45 (no show: 8 applicants, 4 on Sat. and 4 on Sun.) - General Economics: 158 (no show: 32 applicants, 12 on Sat. and 20 on Sun.) - Econometrics: 8 - Hard Sciences: 71 (no show: 8 applicants, 3 on Sat. and 5 on Sun.)
- Candidates Rejected at pre-selections; - Candidates Rejected for missing 10th March deadline (change of sector); - Candidates Rejected because of No Show at the written exams; - Candidates Rejected for missing 18th March deadline (conditionally invited candidates)
YCS Round VIII: List of Conditionally Invited Applicants (7/3/2011) As announced on the 5th March, the List of Applicants Conditionally Invited to the Written Exams is now published. You can download the document by clicking on the link below. APPLICANTS CONDITIONALLY INVITED TO THE WRITTEN EXAMS YCS Round VIII: Pre-Selection Stage Results (5/3/2011) The Pre-Selection stage for Round VIII Selection Procedure are now over, and the lists of those rejected as well as of those retained and of applicants invited to the Written Exams can be downloaded here: APPLICANTS INVITED TO THE WRITTEN EXAMS ON SATURDAY 12 MARCH APPLICANTS INVITED TO THE WRITTEN EXAMS ON SUNDAY 13 MARCH RULES TO BE OBSERVED DURING THE WRITTEN EXAMS
We have received a total of 376 applications. Out of these applications, 42 have been rejected and 334 applicants are invited to the written tests. Applicants have been rejected either because ineligible under the Rules of Procedure (because of age, or because of ineligibility of the degree under any sector for this year’s Selections), or because their applications were substantially incomplete (ie, missing the YCS Application Form or missing the Letter of Motivation in English or missing the CV in English). Of the 334 applicants invited to the Written exams, however only 194 have presented a complete application as required by the Rules of Procedure. The YCS Round VIII Selection Committee, taking into consideration the above numbers, instead of inviting only those 194 applicants with complete applications, has decided to “conditionally invite” also the other 140 applicants in order not to reduce the number of scholarships available (see YCS Rules of Procedure, pages 8-10). The 140 “conditionally invited” applicants who have presented applications that are formally not complete are required to complete their applications from 15th to 18th March 2011 by bringing to the YCS office in the Government Building the missing documents. These 140 applicants are “conditionally” invited to the written exams. The “condition” is that these 140 applicants complete their application before 18th March at 16h45. In almost all cases the application is incomplete because the copies of the Transcripts (which were required from ALL applicants) have not been enclosed as originals or as certified copies, but simply as a xerox copy. If you are one of these 140 applicants you will receive a separate email no later than Monday 7th March requiring the missing documents and explaining which documents need to be produced. Even if these 140 applicants are invited to the written exams it does not mean that their written exam will be taken into consideration. These 140 applicants must complete their application by 18th March 2011 otherwise they will be rejected and eliminated from the Selection, no matter the results of the written exams. If you are one of these 140 applicants you will receive a separate email on Monday 7th March. Furthermore, during the Pre-Selection Stage it was raised the issue of the accreditation by the Kosovo Accreditation Agency (KAA) of several degrees obtained from Private Academic Institutions here in Kosovo. Applicants whose degrees do not seem to have been accredited by the KAA will be contacted directly by email and they will be required to provide proof of the accreditation of their degrees, failing which they will be eliminated from the Selections. Finally, 30 candidates with degrees eligible under one of the four Sectors for this year selections have been directly contacted by email on Friday 4th March since they applied for a Sector where their degree was not actually eligible. In these cases, to avoid rejection of the applicant, the YCS Stakeholders gave the option to the applicants to re-qualify their application under a sector where their degrees are actually eligible. This group of 30 applicants has time until Thursday 10th of March to confirm they agree to compete in a different Sector than the one they indicated in their YCS Application Form. In case they will not agree with the proposed change of Sector their applications will be rejected as non-eligible.
YCS Round VIII: Applications are now closed (28/2/2011, 17h00) Applications to Round VIII have now been closed. A total of 376 applications has been received. Further information about sectors of applicants and their gender will be published by 5th of March, together with the lists of those invited to the written exams. Rules of Procedure can still be downloaded here. YCS Round VIII: Important News for Applicants (23/2/2011) For the EU LAW Sector: ECLO and the Ministry for European Integration have agreed to include under the EU LAW sector the eligibility of candidates having an undergraduate degree in Criminology. This means that also graduate in Criminology can apply under the EU LAW Sector. In case they will be awarded a scholarship they must apply for either LLM programmes in EU Law or for Master programmes in Criminology provided by a Faculty of Law, as already written in the RUles of Procedure. For the ECONOMETRICS Sector: Applicants in this sector are informed that the YCS Secretariat is negotiating with different Universities (ie, Sussex University and Staffordshire University in the UK and Central European University in Budapest) a group application for all 6 available scholarships. In case an agreement will be reached with any of these 3 Universities for the whole group of 6, grantees in ECONOMETRIS will be awarded a grant to attend the University where the agreement has been reached. YCS Round VIII: Info-Day on 15 February 2011 (8/2/2011) A 2 hours information session is being organised on Tuesday, 15th February at 12:00. Please click here to download more information about this. YCS Round VIII: Info-Day on 31 January 2011 (20/1/2011) A 2 hours information session is being organised on Monday, 31st January at 12:00. Please click here to download more information about this. YCS Round VIII: Applications Are Now Open (14/1/2011) The European Commission Liaison Office to Kosovo and the Ministry for European Integration, announce the opening of the 8th Round of applications to the Young Cell Scheme, the EU post-graduate scholarships programme for Kosovo, which is currently implemented by SOFRECO SA. Applications are open from Friday 14th January and until Monday 28th February 2011 and successful applicants will be offered the opportunity to study in a Master’s programme at Universities in the EU Member States. The Scholarship Programme, whose working language is only English, will offer up to 40 full grants (the actual number of grants awarded may also be less depending on suitability of candidates and availability of funding). This call is open to graduates in law, economics, business management, political sciences, engineering, geology, veterinary, statistics, mathematics and other academic backgrounds (as specified by the Rules of Procedures that can be downloaded here by leaving your email and contacts details - NB: this link has been discontinued as the applications to Round VIII are now closed (28/02/2011, 17h00).) in line with the following sectors of specialisation: 1) EU Law – up to 12 scholarships available 2) General Economics - up to 10 scholarships available 3) Econometrics – up to 6 scholarships available 4) Hard Sciences – Technical Sector – up to 12 scholarships available
DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT OF FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT HERE IN THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGES NB: the above link has been discontinued as the applications to Round VIII are now closed (28/02/2011, 17h00). FOR APPLICANTS IN 1) EU LAW, 2) GENERAL ECONOMICS and 4) HARD SCIENCES - TECHNICAL SECTOR: FOR APPLICANTS IN 3) ECONOMETRICS To prepare yourself to one part of the written exams, the Econometrics Numerical Test, you need to prepare yourself on general mathematics and quantitative tests. There are no general guidebooks that can be advised as the test will be designed specifically for Round VIII selections, however it can be helpful to look into the "math and quantitative" sections of any general preparation book for exams like GMAT or GRE.
YCS Round VIII: Pre-Notice Announcement Published (30/12/2010) The European Commission Liaison Office to Kosovo and the Ministry for European Integration, announce the forthcoming opening of the 8th Round of applications to the Young Cell Scheme, the EU post-graduate scholarships programme for Kosovo, which is currently implemented by SOFRECO SA. Applications will be open from 14th January 2011 and until 28th February 2011. Successful applicants will be offered the opportunity to study in a Master’s programme at Universities in the EU Member States. The Scholarship Programme, whose working language is only English, will offer up to 40 full grants (the actual number of grants awarded may also be less depending on suitability of candidates and availability of funding).. This call is open to graduates in law, economics, business management, political science, engineering, geology, veterinary, statistics, mathematics and other academic backgrounds (as specified in the Rules of Procedures to be published on 14 January 2011) in line with the following sectors of specialisation:
- EU Law - General Economics - Econometrics - Hard Sciences - Technical Sector
NB: the above link has been discontinued as the applications to Round VIII are now closed (28/02/2011, 17h00). |
