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PROGRAM OVERVIEW

ACADEMIC PROGRAM

ABOUT BELGRADE

RECENT HISTORY

IMPRESSIONS ABOUT VISITING BELGRADE

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

This program is prepared, organized and led by Vladimir Matic, former diplomat and ambassador, in his old country. In 2006 he took there National Scholars on an educational enrichment trip and in 2007 a group of Political Science students for a month.

The program provides a unique opportunity to learn about the world and Europe - a troubled history and current developments, culture and most importantly about people - by living there submerged in a foreign yet safe and friendly environment. You will meet people from all strata of life. Instead of classroom lectures and reading textbooks you will absorb new knowledge by socializing with your peers and making friends and experiencing all aspects of life in one of the most vibrant and hospitable European capitals which never sleeps and where people live a rich social life in a poor country.

This is what students say: “amazing”, “best experience of my life”, “gave me a better understanding of international relations than all my previous studies combined”, “had so much fun”, “wish I could have stayed longer”.

A challenging and rewarding program (6 credit hours) includes:

Ø     Briefings by government and other officials, diplomats and journalists, sessions with representatives of nongovernmental organizations and students.

Ø     Meetings and discussions with faculty, students and young professionals arranged in collaboration with the School of Political Sciences, Diplomatic Academy, Students Union and Top Career Agency.

Ø     Visits to museums, historic monuments and churches, exhibitions, concerts and sightseeing as well as excursions to other cities.

The entire program will be conducted in English. 

The program recently has been profiled on Voice of America (VOA).  To see the story, check out the VOA News website (http://www.voanews.com/serbian/Studenti-univerziteta-Clemson-u-Srbiji.cfm)

Costs (mostly covered by tuition): 

Program fee $ 282–682 (will depend

on the number of participants) includes hotel accommodation, museum and events tickets, excursions, health insurance and transportation from & to the airport. Airfare (about $ 1,400) is not included. Neither is tuition.

Out of state and non-Clemson students pay the same amount.

NOTE: Space is limited - only 4 spots are left.  For more information, contact Professor Matic by email (vmatic@clemson.edu), by phone (656-6125), or in person (230 Brackett Hall)

ACADEMIC PROGRAM

The courses offered are PO SC 459: Ethnic Violence and PO SC 489/689: The Balkans and the International Community (one of these courses may be substituted with PO SC 410: Directed Study in International Affairs or PO SC 878: Selected Topics).

Monday through Friday program will be based on the following schedule:

• 9:00-10:30AM  Review and critical analysis of the program/meetings of the previous day followed by a lecture/presentation and discussion.

• 11:00AM-12:00PM Visits to museums, monuments, churches etc.

• 2:30-4:00PM Meetings with local representatives and conferences. 

• Also every week there will be a meeting with the students and faculty of the School of Political Sciences with presentations and discussion (topics will be proposed by both sides in advance).

You will learn and develop skills through interaction with Serbian students and faculty, young professionals and high ranking officials. After having spent a month there you’ll be enriched by an experience which will make you cosmopolitan in more ways than one. Your horizons will be broadened and you will be able to better understand developments in Europe and have your own opinion about major issues. Most importantly you will better understand your own country, its policy and culture and appreciate more its diversity and the core values it has been built around so you can carry on the torch successfully in the XXI century.

ABOUT BELGRADE

Belgrade, a jewel of European tourism is a city with almost two million people but its center - the old city - is small enough to get acquainted with in a few days only and start feeling at home.

          It is situated between northern and southern Europe, between East and West and Europe and Asia at crossroads where civilizations met and armies and empires clashed, where religions engaged in struggle for souls and cultures and ideas fused to create a new rich and unique environment which combines today European finesse and oriental refinement.

          Numerous museums provide vivid displays of Serbian rich cultural heritage both past masterpieces including frescos and contemporary art. Belgrade boasts some of the greatest night life to be found anywhere in Europe including world-class opera, ballet, concerts (classic & rock) and other performances. It is also famous for its restaurants and clubs, many with live music and all with cuisine combining best of the European and oriental.

          Most importantly visitors are spellbound by the atmosphere of this city and hospitality. Their enjoyment of its still inexpensive cultural events and delicious food is surpassed only by the joy of discovery of a new world and making new friends.

RECENT HISTORY & SERBIA TODAY

Former Yugoslavia was one of the pillars of European security structure throughout the Cold War and played an important role in international politics based on its strategic position and fiercely independent policy and exceeding by far its power and size. In early nineties this federation began unraveling and today there are six sovereign states in its place, Serbia being one of them. The process of disintegration was violent and heinous crimes were committed very often by nationalist paramilitary groups against civilian population in what was named ethnic cleansing – attempts to create ethnically pure national states.

There have been no military conflicts or violence since 1999 NATO bombing campaign against Serbia, but the disintegration process continued – Montenegro declared independence last May and the final status of the Serbian province of Kosovo, now under UN administration, has yet to be decided probably creating one more new state in the Balkans.

The international community remains heavily involved in the area with NATO forces providing security in Kosovo and UN administering it, EU forces and police in Bosnia and EU handling negotiation of the final status of Kosovo with the support of the United States and Russia.

In the past few years despite all odds Serbia has, assisted generously by the international community after the removal of Milosevic from power, achieved progress and its capital Belgrade (formerly capital of Yugoslavia) has become one of the most vibrant cities on the continent. 

IMPRESSIONS ABOUT VISITING BELGRADE

Study Abroad Program - June 2007

The first Study Abroad Program in Belgrade was organized in June of 2007 and eleven students participated. Most were seniors and juniors from Clemson, but we had also graduates and students from Berkeley in California and Boise State in Idaho. The program was designed to engage them as a group but also provided individual attention to satisfy their different academic needs.

All participants were delighted and the evaluation illustrates that quite vividly. Following are the quotes from the Student Assessment of Instructors:

·        “There is no other way to explain the Belgrade program than phenomenal.”

·        “This was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I was able to learn while having great time.”

·        “Without a doubt the best experience of my academic career.”

·        “Couldn’t have picked a better program, not only did I learn more in one month than I usually learn in a year, but had so much fun”.

·        “It gave me a really unique opportunity for hands on learning.”

·        “This program was well-organized and full of incredible conversations and interactions with major players in Serbia’s future. My eyes were opened up to an interesting and impressive culture with a lot to share with the rest of the world … a more meaningful experience than of fellow students participating the typical programs offered through Clemson.”

·        “The structure of the program was perfect… so many individuals of such a varied range of political occupations really gave me a priceless view of the political and social situation not only in Serbia but of countries in general … a better understanding of international politics than all my previous studies combined.”

·        “The program also gave me a really clear picture of the variety of opportunities within international relations and has absolutely confirmed my desires to pursue a career in this field.”

 In their journals the students elaborated impressions and their views of Belgrade and Serbia, and most importantly the people they were meeting:

Elizabeth Armstrong had chosen this particular program because she was looking for an experience unlike the usual program in super touristy areas of the world. After walking trough the fortress and streets of Belgrade the first day she realized this was exactly the trip she was looking for: “Great people, beautiful places, transitioning country… The excitement never died down. During the last week, I felt just as excited if not more about my trip as when I arrived.” She noticed that the young people have a strong sense of fashion with western influence and posh styles and felt like she was more at home than the urban Serbian city. “It blows my mind to walk through the streets and witness how relaxed the society can be-all day! … We sat down for iced coffee at what has become a favorite “tradition” of Serbia – the outside café … It was great!” She is hoping that her travels later in life will bring her back there, maybe for a longer time.

Kelly McDonough says that her experience in Belgrade changed her life and herperception on the world and sincerely hopes that the others may get the opportunity to study such a captivating place. Her “first impression was awe…outdoor cafés, beautiful lights, people walking all in the streets licking ice cream or eating pizza, and local music bands playing in the background. It was completely stunning… Belgrade appeared to be a thriving metropolis. Traffic was always busy… At first sight I truly was mesmerized by such a beautiful and unique place.”

Tate Fennell found Serbia “full of so much history” and Belgrade “amazing and unforgettable.” He concludes “once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Nathaniel Strickland was impressed by the caliber and high level of people he was able to meet – “everyone was a mover and shaker of the Serbian political scene”. It was fascinating for him to examine a society in transition and he “can also now better appreciate the political stability and economic prosperity of the US.”

Philip Cagle, graduate student from Tennessee says “The quantity of experiences that have impacted my view of the world were so numerous and significant that they can not all be touched on … interaction with Serbian college students provided an extremely valuable opportunity to discuss global issues with someone from our generation with a vastly different background”. The prevalence of western culture within Serbia and the hospitable approach of the locals made him feel as though he was often still at home. “Practically everyone I met throughout the trip was very nice”.

Mike Olsen, an Alaskan from Boise State University in Idaho, felt comfortable finding out that most of the people the group talked with spoke perfect English and it was easy to get along with everybody in the cafés, the streets and anywhere else.

Eleana Lindsey from Chicago, who graduated last August, loved sightseeing and familiarizing with the Serbian culture and her favorites were three excursions which allowed her to better understand the heart of Serbia. She will remember for the rest of her life encounters with politicians and fellow students. Eleana enjoyed talking about “world politics, vegetarianism, peanut butter and everything in between”.

Callie Roth enjoyed her time in Belgrade and fell in love with the city. She was very sad to leave since she “found a bunch of amazing attributes of Belgrade which I want to return to.” She was “incredibly impressed with how willing the Serbs are to open up and have in depth discussions on a range of subjects.” Also she loved the opera An Italian in Algiers because “the singing was amazing” and the ballet Swan Lake which she found to be “an absolutely amazing performance. The dancers and orchestra were spectacular; it was probably one of my favorite things”. The trip provided her with “a priceless understanding of not only Serbia but also foreign relations and politics in general… As a political science student, I could not have asked for a better view on so many aspects of politics and society of a country, especially in a nation as politically interesting as Serbia.”

Lily Lynch, a senior from Berkeley in California found the trip to Belgrade “so immensely life-altering that it has helped to clarify my future goals”. She has a new consciousness about what it means to be an American abroad. “I never met more open, friendly and giving people in my life.” She greatly enjoyed meeting students from the Faculty of Political Science. “Despite our separate languages, cultures, experiences related to war and the like, the common ground we had overwhelmed the differences.”

Matthew Crennan’s experiences not only changed the way he views Serbia but the world at large. “Immersing yourself in a completely different culture is a far better and more fun than learning from books or classes.” He realized that “Belgrade was just as urban as any American city. Walking around the city I almost forgot I was not in an American city.” He observes “The number of Serbs who spoke English was also impressing.”

National Scholars Trip - May 2006

A group of 11 Clemson National Scholars traveled to Belgrade in May, 2006 to study the past, present and future of that part of Europe. These are some of the impressions of Professor William Lasser, Director of the Program and students Damon Andrews, Lauren Smith, Stephen Lareau, Kate Hicks and Laura Hart.

Above: National Scholars Group at St. Sava Temple

Professor Lasser says “Traveling to Belgrade with Professor Vladimir Matic was an extraordinary experience. Belgrade is a marvelous city – full of restaurants, cafes, shops of all kinds – with thousands of years of history. My students had a wonderful time, but – more importantly – they had a first-hand look at a complex nation, poised between East and West, trying to emerge from a tragic and difficult experience in the 1990ies. They came home with a better appreciation of Europe, of international relations, and of their own country.”

Above (left to right): Professor Lasser, Damon, Stephen, and Professor Matic at Fort Kalemegdan

Trip and program

        The trip to Serbia exceeded Damon’s expectations. He says “The people we were in contact with and the knowledge and insight that were shared are invaluable. In addition, the Yugoslav crisis has taken a backseat to Iraq, and being face-to-face with such an important issue in that nation brought about its importance despite the media loosing coverage on it.”

                Lauren thinks that the group of students was generally prepared so there were no startling revelations. Professor Matic “prepared us very well for the different viewpoints we would experience. I felt like the meetings with public officials and NGOs offered an interesting perspective on past events and future outlook”.

 She says “Student groups like the National Scholars are an amazing way to foster communication between two societies, especially because engaging young people, the next generation of leaders, will ensure that future progress will be made in understanding and appreciating differences.”

The United States Ambassador to Serbia Michael Polt, who received the group, emphasized the importance of such programs and direct communication of the young and praised the national Scholars initiative and students who came well prepared and with great questions for him. 

Stephen was very pleased with the program and observed “I did not expect to have the nearly unlimited access to high ranking officials as a foreigner and especially as an American. The meetings in the Foreign Ministry were particularly interesting as we were meeting with some of the highest ranking officials in the entire department.” He also notes that the difference in political opinions was evident in nearly every meeting the group attended.

People

        National Scholars found many similarities but also some differences when they compared Serbian students to their American counterparts.

        Kate says “The young people I met while in Serbia immediately impressed me as intelligent and politically active men and women. Many American students take our economic, social, and political stability for granted and have never felt the need to fight for a particular cause. This is strikingly different from the young Serbian population with whom we interacted; these students formed common interest groups and highly active on social and political issues. They served as an inspiration to our group by acting as truly passionate, unified, and dedicated group of student activists.

        Stephen agrees that the Serbian students “are definitely more passionate than the average American students in regards to politics. They have the opportunity to change and shape the entire future of a nation.” He also notes that the country is overrun by poverty, but was amazed “at the generally positive and upbeat nature of the people… Our hosts were overly optimistic and positive people despite the difficult times they faced throughout their lives.”

        Damon says “The young people we met were outgoing. They were very nice and informative, and it was encouraging to see such intellect in a culture that has been ravaged by war recently. It is obvious that a nation like Serbia with sharp, young minds will recover quickly. They were similar to average Americans, I thought. Maybe the only difference is that they took less for granted than we do, but their social skills and conversation topics were similar.”

        Lauren was also impressed and notes “Learning what life is like both for the political leaders and students in Belgrade made me realize how, at the same time, they are so different and yet so similar to their American counterparts. Seeing people spending time in cafes and shops in the center of Belgrade was identical to life in America, yet people have experienced so much in the last few years. The normalcy that we observed is a fairly recent phenomenon, and while we take for granted the ability to enjoy evenings with friends and family, hat is certainly not a given in many parts of the world. The students that we met were all so concerned about the future of their country, and so much more willing to e involved in public life than American college students.

Belgrade

For Laura the first impression was striking. She says “We arrived in Belgrade in the afternoon, so we didn’t really get to see the city until the sun was setting on our first day there. We walked the city, and the sunset by the fort where Sava meets Danube was absolutely breathtaking. The area sets such a beautiful contrast of urban and rural, with the trees laid out in one direction and the city in the other. The colors were beautiful, and the weather was comfortably warm. It was an absolutely perfect evening, and I’m so glad that my first impressions of Belgrade were so wonderful.”

Laura didn’t expect Belgrade to be “as western as it was”. She says “We spent so much time talking about how the Balkans were a blend of East and West. They certainly are, but the Western part is much more obvious in Belgrade. There were times when I felt like I was in many of the other European capitals that I have traveled in. There were shops and restaurants all set up for summer days of late night dinners and conversation in the streets. You can certainly see the Eastern influence, especially near the fort and the park (Kalemegdan), but Belgrade holds its own with the other important European cities.