This document has the objective of establishing a formal agreement between the members of the Public Health in South Eastern Europe (PH-SEE) Network, developing the academic programmes for training and research in public health. This Network, formed in 2000 within the framework of Stability Pact collaboration, recognizes the need for sustainable collaboration and strongly supports the reconstruction of postgraduate public health training and research based on regional specificities and following international standards in public health education.

This Consortium Agreement to be signed by the Directors of the participating Universities, Schools and Institutions sets out the conditions which must be adhered to in order to maintain continuity of collaboration and cooperation for the future.

The following areas of collaboration and conditions of this agreement are identified:

1. Each member of the PH-SEE Network will foster cooperation and exchange in postgraduate and continuing education - including far distance learning - and research in public health.
2. Each member of the PH-SEE Network will advise, counsel and support any other member institution on request on how to develop and improve public health training for practice and research, especially with regard to capacity building of institutionalized Schools of Public Health.
3. Each member of the PH-SEE Network will contribute in development, implementation and evaluation of mutual training materials on the common, copyright protected Internet-Platform (Public Health Curriculum - training modules).
4. Each member of the PH-SEE Network will stimulate and make professional and financial efforts to exchange lecturers and researchers, and support mobility of postgraduate students for scientific and/or field work. Visiting academic staff will be accorded the status of Visiting Fellow (or equivalent).
5. Each member will assist lecturers and students participating in this Regional Exchange Programme to find accommodation. Each institution will offer the library, research and other facilities normally available to its own students and staff.
6. Tuition fees for foreign students within the framework of the Regional Exchange Programme must not exceed those ones for nationals, however, neither institution signed this agreement will be responsible for the expenses involved in the exchange of or expenses incurred by persons under this agreement.
7. Participants in the Regional Exchange Programme will be subject to the rules, regulations and discipline of the host institution. Students will be chosen on the basis of academic excellence. They must meet the entry or scientific requirements of the host institution and possess suitable language and other skills for the pursuit of their programme of study. Each host institution reserves the right to reject candidates.
8. The granting of credit for any course, study or diploma undertaken at the foreign university will be at the discretion of the home institution. Each member of the PH-SEE Network will make efforts to provide their own certification for students who successfully pass the training modules prepared, offered and organized by the other PH-SEE Network member institutions. This training programme should be a component in any prescribed scheme of studies leading to the award of Diploma or degree in Public Health.
9. Each member of the PH-SEE Network will support development in joint public health research and identification of common priorities based on bilateral and multilateral collaboration.
10. Each member of the PH-SEE Network will have a representative (or representatives) who will be the contact person(s) responsible for development of mutual collaboration. They will make every effort to
• promote and advertise the programme,
• act as a point of reference for inquiries directing them to the appropriate areas where necessary,
• assist in obtaining relevant documents and visa,
• facilitate access to accommodation, health insurance and other similar forms of assistance, and
• arrange for the exchange of institutional reports and other relevant information.

Andrija Stampar School of Public Health, Medical School, University of Zagreb, Croatia, will be the PH-SEE Network Coordinating Center, taking responsibilities for its developments over time to the best possible success.

All specific annual activities, including certification of training modules will be prepared and added in the Annual Annex.

This agreement will be in force for the years 2001-2003 in the first instance.

This agreement may be terminated by mutual consent on twelve months' notice by either party.

Executed for the following institutions:

1. Medical School, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
   Signed by: Prof. Snežana Simić, MD, PhD
2. Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Varna, Varna, Bulgaria
   Signed by: Prof. Stoyanka Popova, MD, PhD
3. Medical School, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
   Signed by: Prof. Marjan Premik, MD, PhD
4. Faculty of Medicine, University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
   Signed by: Prof. Ylli Sarolli, MD, PhD
5. Federal Institute of Public Health, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
   Signed by: Prim. dr. Zlatko Vučina, MD
6. Institute of Health, Podgorica, Monte Negro
   Signed by: Prof. Marina Bujko, MD, PhD
7. State Medical and Pharmacy University, School of Public Health Development Project, Chisinau, Moldova
   Signed by: Asst. Prof. Valeriu Sava, MD, PhD
8. National School of Public Health, Athens, Greece
   Signed by: Prof. Jeffrey Levett, PhD
9. Andrija Stampar School of Public Health, Medical School, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
   Signed by: Prof. Luka Kovačić, MD, PhD
10. Section of International Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
    Signed by: Prof. Ulrich Laaser, MD, DTM&H, MPH
11. Faculty of Medicine, Sts. Cyril and Methodious University, Skopje, Macedonia
    Signed by: Prof. Doncho Donev, MD, PhD
12. Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria
    Signed by: Asst. Prof. Lidia Mladenova Georgieva, MPill, PhD
13. Institute for Health Services and Management, Bucharest, Romania
    Signed by: Prof. Dana Farcasanu, MD, PhD
14. Department of Public Health and Management, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Carol Davila" and Institute of Public Health, Bucharest, Romania
    Signed by: Silvia Gabriela Scintee MD, MSc
15. Medical School, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Serbia and Monte Negro Signed by: Prof. Miroslava Kristoforovic-Ilic, MD, PhD