COURSE INFORMATION Course Title: EU INTEGRATION AND TRANSFORMATION OF WESTERN BALKANS

Code	Course Type	Regular Semester	Theory	Practice	Lab	Credits	ECTS
PIR 480	B	2	3	0	0	3	7.5

Academic staff member responsible for the design of the course syllabus (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature)	Dr. Jubjana Vila jvila@epoka.edu.al
Main Course Lecturer (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	Dr. Jubjana Vila jvila@epoka.edu.al , Tuesday 10:00-12:00 & by appointment through email
Second Course Lecturer(s) (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	NA
Language:	English
Compulsory/Elective:	Elective
Study program: (the study for which this course is offered)	Master of Science in Economics
Classroom and Meeting Time:	Wednesday 18:00 -20:50, E-213
Teaching Assistant(s) and Office Hours:	NA
Code of Ethics:	Code of Ethics of EPOKA University Regulation of EPOKA University "On Student Discipline"
Attendance Requirement:	80%
Course Description:	This graduate level course explores the EU integration processes of Western Balkan countries in a comparative approach. It explains the enlargement policy of the EU; the integration process, issues and dynamics specific for each WB country (Albania, Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro); and common regional dynamics and issues.
Course Objectives:	This course aims to combine theoretical and empirical knowledge to offer a comparative approach to the Western Balkan countries’ EU integration paths. The goal is to equip students with a deeper and critical understanding of the regional patterns and state-specific dynamics in WB countries’ EU integration path by looking at each country’s history of integration, challenges, and prospective for EU membership. It promotes active learning and participation among graduate students by encouraging them to think critically and analytically, and to better understand regional politics and EU enlargement.

BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE COURSE

1	EU Integration
2	Western Balkans
3	Integration process
4	Politics
5	Regional approach
6	Comparative approach
7	Enlargement Policy
8	Issues
9	Dynamics
10	Domestic

COURSE OUTLINE

Week	Topics
1	Western Balkans and the EU: An introduction
2	Enlargement Strategy, EU Conditionality and the Accession Mechanisms
3	Albania: EU integration, issues and dynamics
4	Serbia: EU integration, issues and dynamics
5	The Republic of North Macedonia: EU integration, issues and dynamics
6	Bosnia and Herzegovina: EU integration, issues and dynamics
7	Kosovo: EU integration, issues and dynamics
8	Midterm Exam
9	Montenegro: EU integration, issues and dynamics
10	Regional dynamics and EU integration
11	Historical, political and economic challenges
12	State-building, democratization and EU integration
13	Domestic obstacles and diverging reforms
14	EU Integration and transformation of Western Balkans: A Conlusion

Prerequisite(s):	NA
Textbook(s):	Uvalić, M. (2023). Integrating the Western Balkans into the EU : overcoming mutual misperceptions. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32205-1 Džankić, J., Keil, S., & Kmezić, M. (Eds.). (2018). The Europeanisation of the Western Balkans: A failure of EU conditionality?. Springer. Elbasani, A. (2013). European integration and transformation in the Western Balkans: Europeanization or business as usual?. Routledge.
Additional Literature:	Weekly assigned readings
Laboratory Work:	NA
Computer Usage:	NA
Others:	No

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

1	To demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the EU integration process of WB countries;
2	To demonstrate the ability to employ a comparative and critical approach in case analysis.
3	To demonstrate an ability to a deeper and critical understanding of the common regional patterns and issues dominating the WB countries’ EU integration process;
4	To demonstrate an ability to a deeper and critical understanding of the state-specific patterns and issues dominating the WB countries’ EU integration process;
5	To demonstrate an ability to present an argument in both oral and written forms;
6	To demonstrate an ability to combine theoretical and empirical knowledge on regional and EU politics.

COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES (Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution)

No	Program Competencies	Cont.
Master of Science in Economics Program

COURSE EVALUATION METHOD

Method	Quantity	Percentage
Presentation	1	20
Case Study	5	5
Term Paper	1	40
Attendance		15
	Total Percent:	100%

ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)

Activities	Quantity	Duration(Hours)	Total Workload(Hours)
Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours)	16	3	48
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice)	16	3	48
Mid-terms			0
Assignments	2	20	40
Final examination	1	31.5	31.5
Other	1	20	20
Total Work Load:			187.5
Total Work Load/25(h):			7.5
ECTS Credit of the Course:			7.5

CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE COURSE LECTURER

To be added at the end of the course