COMPLETED PROJECTS

ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT OF NGOs (2009-2011)

This was a transfer of know-how project through which CVNO implemented three semester study “Economics and Management of NGOs” in Serbia. This study was successfully implemented in Slovakia by CVNO and the University of Matej Bel in Banska Bystrica in 1998-2003. As a reaction to expressed needs for a similar program in Balkan countries we have  developed a pilot program in cooperation of four institutions: CVNO, University of Matej Bel in Banská Bystrica (Slovakia), LDA, University of Niš (Serbia). This new pilot project in the Balkan countries offers to NGO managers opportunities to gain a new form of quality and complex education. The project was funded by the Slovak Development Assistance (SLOVAKAID)

KEYLINKS - COMMON PLATFORM FOR EU FUNDED PROJECTS (2007-2009)

CNVO coordinated an international team of experts who worked on education standardization of managers of EU funded projects. We made a Europe-wide survey aiming at identification of EU funded project managers´ key competences. After evaluation of the results we elaborated a competence profile of an EU project manager as well as synopses recommended for educational institutions.
We started to implement the project in December 2007 and finalized it in November 2009. There were institutions from Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Lithuania and Austria involved in it. It was co-financed by the European Commission through lifelong education programme called GRUNDTVIG.
Find more information about the project and possibilities of participation in our activities at www.keylinks.eu

CAPACITY BUILDING IN BORDER REGION OF SLOVAKIA – UKRAINE (2008-2009)

CVNO implemented a project focused on capacity building of self-governments and non-governmental organizations in border region of Slovakia – Ukraine. There were 10 self-governments and 10 non-governmental organizations from both countries involved in the project. In the framework of our project participants had an opportunity to plan common European projects and use CVNO experts´ consulting services. Furthermore, we enabled participants to implement mutual working stays in partnership country.
The activities lasted from April 2009 to November 2009. CVNO cooperated with Košice Regional Education Center in this project. It was co-financed by Norwegian Financial Mechanism by the means of Foundation for the Civic Activities Support (NPOA).

TTRAIN SME (2008-2010)

CVNO was a partner in an international project that creates interactive tools for identifying education needs of small and medium enterprises. Output of this project is a whole series of tools by the means of which entrepreneurs will be able to assess exactly who should get an education and in what areas. The project was launched in December 2008 and finished in November 2010. It was coordinated by Gazi University (Turkey) and included partnership institutions from Latvia, Austria, Slovakia and Italy that participate in it. More information available at the web site www.ttrainsme.net.

ON THE WAY TO EUROPEAN PROJECTS (2009)

The aim of the project was to improve readiness of non-governmental non-profit organizations (NGOs) for drawing financial means from EU funds and to increase awareness of representatives of Social Implementation Agency (SIA) about NGOs ´ possibilities and needs in Slovakia. The project had 2 crucial activities. The first one referred to education and consultancy for NGOS in the area of project management with emphasis on e-learning. Second activity included meetings of NGOs representatives and SIA representatives to discuss the upcoming call focused on reinforcement of institutional capacity of non-profit organizations in Slovakia.
The output of the project was eight new e-learning courses supplemented with video-trainings, virtual project advisory center and tailor-made call announced by the SIA. The project lasted from January to August 2009. It was co-financed by Open Society Foundation.

PROJECT SCHOOL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION – e-learning (2006-2007)

Education Center for Non-Profit Organizations in cooperation with Open Society Foundation prepared a 3-semester distance study called “Project School of the European Union”. At the end of the year 2006 we finalized preparation of pilot version of the course and test courses started in 2007. Nowadays, accredited e-learning study in a 3-semester version as well as in the form of shorter modules are available to our clients.

PROJECT SCHOOL OF THE EU FOR SERBIA (2006-2007)

From November 2006 to October 2007 CVNO implemented the project „Project School of the EU for Serbia“in Serbia. Activities were focused on capacity building of Niš region (south-eastern Serbia). In the framework of this project CVNO trained 30 project managers and 10 consultants from the institutions of local self-government and local non-governmental organizations in the area of European project creation and management. At first, CVNO implemented the “EU Project School” successfully on the territory of Slovakia in 2001 and thus, as for Serbia, we applied domestic experience on local conditions in abroad. Main project implementators were CVNO and Niš Center for human rights.
The project was implemented in the framework of official development aid of the Slovak republic – Slovak Aid and with use of financial means from Bratislava - Belgrade Fund (a fund administered by Foundation for the Civic Activities Support).

EUROPEAN PROJECT MANAGEMENT TRAINING (2005-2007)

From November 2005 to October 2007 CVNO was a partner of an international project coordinated by TIMAN company. The project was aiming at bringing of a new complex view on project management in the context of projects financed from EU funds. The international project resulted in creation of an extensive training for managers that is focused on improvement of their knowledge and abilities in the area of creation and management of projects financed from EU financial means.
The project was co-financed by the European Commission programme Leonardo da Vinci and there were 7 EU countries participating in it. (2006-2007)

PROJECTS FOR REGIONS (2005-2006)

CVNO implemented a project in the framework of structural funds, Sectoral Operational Programme Human Resources (SOP HR 2004/3.2/01/053). The aim of the project was to increase use of EU structural funds in undeveloped regions by the means of reinforcement of institutional capacity, skilfulness and partnerships in the regions and by the means of preparation of high-quality projects for drawing financial means from structural funds. From January 2005 to February 2006 approximately 350 managers from self-governments of five higher territorial units participated in educational activities of CVNO. In the framework of consulting services CVNO experts and participants prepared 45 projects for EU structural funds.

COMMUNICATION IN INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS (2004-2006)

During 2004-2006 CVNO coordinated a project focused on specialized language education for EU international project managers. In effort to create a specific educational course for English and German study for the needs of EU project managers CVNO managed partnership institutions from seven European countries – Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Germany, Poland and Great Britain. Nowadays, CVNO offers and implements this course regularly.

IMPROVEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT COMPETENCES (2004-2005)

In the framework of the European programme Leonardo da Vinci, in 2004 CVNO established cooperation with institutions from Finland and Lithuania in order to prepare common mobility projects. Mobility project named “Improvement of international project management competences” was approved successfully and in 2005 within the project a fellowship of CVNO experts took place in partnership institutions of the countries above. These fellowships were focused on comparison of education methodology of EU project managers, different methodologies and procedures used in different countries. Outputs of the project were elaboration of SWOT analyses of education needs and identification of best practices for education of managers from projects financed from the EU. The project was first step on the way to creation of complex educational standards that CVNO used later on in KEYLINKS project.

BACHELOR STUDY “ECONOMY AND MANAGEMENT OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS” (2004)

In connection to success of educational programme “Economy and Management of Non-Governmental Organizations”, in 2004 CVNO started to prepare study materials necessary for transformation of the programme into the form of Bachelor study that was intended to be provided separately. As a consequence of unfavourable legislative changes in the field of education, however, CVNO had to abandon this original plan. Based on that CVNO handed in all elaborated documents, synopses and educational materials to Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica and cooperated with it on their incorporation into study programmes of this institution /internal and external study/. Nowadays, based on these materials the Economic faculty of UMB provides specialized Bachelor, Master and Engineer study programmes.
The project was financed by Jan Hus Educational Foundation.

EDUCATION OF SELF-GOVERNMENTS WITH FOCUS ON NON-PROFIT SECTOR (2000-2001)
In the period of 2000 – 2001 CVNO implemented a cycle of intensive lecture blocks that enabled employees of self-government to acquire basic knowledge and skills focused on effective forms of cooperation with local non-profit sector, projects creation and NGOs financial management and marketing. Totally, 75 managers of self-governments from all regions participated in our educational activities. The project was implemented in close cooperation with Regional Education Centers (REC) from whole Slovakia.

ECONOMY AND MANAGEMENT OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (1998-2003)
During five consecutive years CVNO provided non-profit organizations with complex education in a unique form. It referred to a 3-semester distance study for NGO middle and top management that consisted of four study blocks covering all basic areas of successful management of a non-profit organization. The study was focused on economic aspects of management of organization. The idea of origin of the project was based on the fact that till then educational activities had not had any wider conception and ran irregularly in the form of occasional courses. It became clear that such education had not always guaranteed quality of lecturers, study materials and methodology. Therefore, educational programme of CVNO was unique and it enjoyed popularity in professional circles. Based on this success, in 2004 CVNO experts decided to implement education in question in the form of Bachelor study.