PERSONAL CONTACT INFORMATION:First Name:*MonicaLast Name:*NicaGender:*FemaleDay of birth:17.08.1986Street:* llingavgen Number:11APostal Code:22734City:* Lund Phone at home: Mob. Phone: *0046 762 36 44 17Country/Region:* SwedenCitizenship: RomanianE-mail:* monicanica86@gmail.com Fax:UNIVERSITY NAME AND ADDRESS:University Country/Region:*SwedenUniversity name: *Lund UniversityFaculty: *Department of Political ScienceStudent number/ index number: * 860817-1727University city: * LundField of Study: * European AffairsYear of Study: * 2ndCurrent title: *MScLANGUAGE SKILLS:General knowledge of English (From 0 to 10 where 0 is No knowledge): *10I APPLY FOR THE FOLLOWING COURSES:First Choice: * European Human Rights AdvocacySecond Choice: Information literacy tools in formal and informal educationThird Choice: Entrepreneurship from basics to innovation HOUSINGDorm Requested: YesCONTACT ADDRESS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY (FOR EXAMPLE PARENTS).First Name:RazvanLast Name:NicaStreet: Avantului Number:51BCity: Vaslui Postal Code:Country:RomaniaPhone: *0040 748 131 638E-mail:Fax:How did you hear about summer/winter university:*e-mailMotivations: [8060 char. only] Hereby, I would like to confirm my strong wish to apply to the Mitrovica Summer University 2013. I am particularly excited about this Summer University because of two main reasons: my interest in the human rights area and the academic environment at Mitrovica University.I have developed a particular interest in human rights throughout my current master programme while writing a paper on child labour, one on EU-China human rights dialogue and participating in the Forum 2000 Conferencethat took place in Prague. In accordance with the wishes of the late President Vclav Havel, the conferencefocused on the relationship between democracy and the media and italso addressed the legacy of Vclav Havel in the fields of democracy and human rights andways to build upon it. The conference and the course in Chinese politics I took last summer helped me gain a wider perspective on the topic and a more comprehensive understanding of human rights. I believe that as a student at the MSc in European Affairs, it is important to have a good grasp of the human rights topic given that the European Union is a leading actor in the promotion of human rights, rule of law and democracy and the developing world still sees the EU as a model in this matter.

Also, I am very happy to see that the Mitrovica Summer University will provide an international environment and a less traditional teaching methodology. Coming from Romania, where the teaching and teachers are quite rigid, I can fully appreciate the benefits of a relaxed and informal interaction between students and teachers. I full heartedly support highly interactive teaching methods that encourage critical thinking and promote open discussions because I have reaped the benefits of such an educational system during my current master programme. Also, what I value most about learning with and from people of varied cultural backgrounds is the exchange of different perspectives, values, experiences and beliefs which broadens my horizon and opens my mind, making me challenge the dominant outlook and change my own perspective of my own culture. Last but not least, I am thrilled that there will be public debates, as I am currently a member of the Debate Society at Lund University. I believe that once students have learned how to debate, they are better able to critically examine the pronouncements of their political representatives and to make informed judgments about crucial issues. When it comes to the benefits derived from the participation in the Summer University, they are various and on multiple levels. First of all, there are the academic benefits. When studying anything, framing is vital in understanding it. Learning about human rights in a Western European setting can be different from learning about it at a University from an area such as the Balkans, with its distinct identity where the war wounds are not yet healed. Not denying the similar comprehension of human rights within the two settings, there are distinctions between the academic environments and how information is conveyed. Having different cultural perspectives on the same study subject will help enhance my knowledge about it and to better grasp it.

Second, there are the career development opportunities. Studying in a different environment than the one I am used to, will help me acquire certain skills (cross-cultural communication skills, analytical skills, teamwork, flexibility, an understanding of cultural contexts, the ability to adapt to new circumstances and deal with differences), highly valued by nowadays employers who want employees with international experience.

And last, but not least, there is the personal development benefit of participating in the Mitrovica Summer University 2013. Being immersed in a new culture, experimenting new ways of thinking, trying a different way of living will help me develop greater self-confidence, independence and self-reliance. I will broaden my world understanding and perspective on human rights. I will also return with a deeper understanding and respect for my host country. And most importantly, the intercultural benefits continue to have an impact long time after the time abroad.

I am confident that I can make a valuable contribution to the organization, due to my educational background and extra-curricular experience. An important consequence of my political science education is polishing my analytical skills. I am able to take in and screen large amounts of information, conceptualize facts and put them into new contexts. Through different courses in political science, law, economy and international relations, I have gained the ability to quickly familiarize myself with new topics and to approach problems from different angles and with different methods. Also, with my debating experience and international participation to various workshops, conferences and courses in Sweden, Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, France and China, I can bring fresh and new perspectives to the discussions.

I believe that the Mitrovica Summer University 2013 will be challenging and rewarding at the same time. Citing Stewart Brand, my lifelong motto is Stay hungry. Stay foolish so I expect to make this opportunity a significant learning experience. I am energetic, driven and proactive; I value trust and friendship and hope to build strong relations with my colleagues and teachers.