• Institutional Development of the Conservative Institute of M. R. Štefánik

Co-ordinators:

Radovan Kazda Dušan Sloboda

In 2006, CI continued with the implementation of the project of institutional development. The goal of this project was to build up the CI as stable and prestigious organization, accepted by the public as a purposeful and necessary institution. The project was aimed to develop CI communication activities, i. e. to the creation, collection and propagation of conservative ideas, points of view and values as well as to the development off its foreign contacts by building up of the relations and co-operation with relevant institutions and personalities mainly in EU-25 and the U.S. Another goal of this project consisted in the buildup of the documentary base, which contains basic conservative works, journals with conservative orientation, professional texts on conservatism, literature, analyses and studies from different areas of the public policy.

Radovan Kazda and Dušan Sloboda were the project co-ordinators. The project was executed due to the support of the Trust for Civil Society in Central and Eastern Europe. Several activities described hereunder were carried out within this project.

• Conservative Economic Quaterly Lecture Series (CEQLS)

Co-ordinator:

Peter Gonda

In 2006, CI continued in organizing quarterly lectures of important foreign economists within the cycle of the Conservative Economic Quarterly Lecture Series (CEQLS). Four lectures were carried out in 2006. Peter Gonda was the project co-ordinator.

The first lecture within CEQLS took place in Pállfy palace in Bratislava on March 9, 2006 within the framework of the conference called How to Deal with Long-Term Unemployment and Poverty? Social Reform in Terms of Slovakia and the U.S. Ted Abram, the co-author of the social reform in Oregon and Managing Director of The American Institute for Full Employment, gave the lecture on The U.S. Social Reform Message for Slovakia.

On June 27, 2006, within CEQLS in Radisson SAS Carlton Hotel Bratislava, Mr. Richard W. Rahn, the Director of Center for Global Economic Growth, Washington, D. C. and member of Mont Pèlerine Society, which is constituted by the most important classical-liberal economists of the world, gave a lecture on The Government Role. Ten Points for Economic Growth and Freedom. On October 23, 2006, Mr. Johnny Munkhammar, Program Director for Free Market of the Swedish think-tank Timbro, gave a lecture on European Social Model for Slovakia? The Swedish Point of View in Pállfy Palace in Bratislava.

The winter lecture within CEQLS cycle took place in Pállfy palace in Bratislava on December 13, 2006. Josef Šíma, economist and employee of the Liberal Institute in Prague, gave a lecture on Proprietary Rights vs. "Public Interest".

The U.S. Embassy in Slovakia, AmCham and Europe&Democracy foundation sponsored the CEQLS lectures in 2006.

• Educational Reform

Co-ordinator:

Zuzana Humajová

In 2006, CI paid systematic attention to the issues of education and schools. Zuzana Humajová was the CI co-ordinator of activities in this area.

On March 27, 2006, the Regional School Authority in Prešov organized a conference on educational reform called Let's Learn How to Learn – We Learn for the Life. Peter Zajac, the CI President, Zuzana Humajová, CI analyst for education issues, Martin Fronc, Member of Slovak Parliament (Christian-Democratic Movement), Pavol Černek and Martin Kríž, both from Štátny pedagogický ústav (National Pedagogical Institute) gave lectures on this conference.

On April 21, 2006, Konrad Adenauer Foundation organized a discussion on the Draft of Education Act in the Faculty of Arts of UKF in Nitra. Zuzana Humajová, Martin Fronc and Martin Kríž took part in the discussion.

On May 30, 2006, Zuzana Humajová took part in the discussion within the seminar called Youth Education, which organized Iuventa in co-operation with the Ministry of Education of the Slovak republic in Bratislava.

Between November 10 and 12, 2006, Zuzana Humajová participated in an international conference called Innovations for Schools, organized by the Association Orava for Democracy in Education; she introduced the outcomes of the analysis called Rader's Literacy As the Education Quality Problem in Slovak Primary Schools, which form a part of CI outcomes in the educational policy issues. She took part in the discussion with the proposal of reform progress policy for the regional schools and with the draft of new Education Act.

On November 15, 2006, the U. S. Ambassador in Slovakia, Rodolphe Vallee introduced in Bratislava the Initiative of the U. S. Embassy for the Higher-Degree Education Area, which will concentrate the effort on intensification of co-operation between American and Slovak universities related to joint research and study schemes and on the strengthening of the partnership between the private sector and universities in Slovakia. CI participated on this project also.

During 2006, Zuzana Humajová gave regularly her opinions on the educational issues for the media.

In 2006, CI started the execution of the project called Education for Life. Preparation of Teachers for Changes in Educational System and the Labor Market Demand (a pilot educational training scheme). In 2006, mainly analytical and preparatory activities took place within the project, which continues in 2007. Zuzana Humajová was the project manager. The project progressed thanks to the grant from the European Social Fund.

In 2006, CI executed the project called Rader's Literacy as the Education Quality Problem in Slovak Primary Schools. Zuzana Humajová was the project manager. The project was executed thanks to the grant from the Open Society Foundation and it continues in 2007.