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Award committee

RSLA

THE EVALUATION

The evaluation process consists of two rounds, national and international.

The evaluation of submitted SL practices/projects at the national level is ensured and delivered by official national partners of the CSEE S-L Network. It is the responsibility of the national partners to assure evaluators who meet the criteria outlined in the RSLA statute. 

It is recommended that the evaluators have:

  • Experience working with/within schools, youth, and the community.
  • Experience in evaluating SL practices/projects in previous editions of RSLA or similar initiatives.
  • Experience in the application of S-L methodology and have successfully implemented at least one S-L practice/project before – it’s an asset.

The top-rated projects advance to the international round, where decisions are made by jurors. Each partner nominates at least one candidate to the international jurors’ committee who must meet this profile: 

  • Have experience in education or the NGO sector.
  • Have experience working with institutions, schools, teachers, organizations, non-formal groups, or youth.
  • Have experience in advocacy and community mobilization
  • Understand the Service-Learning pedagogy
  • Promote innovation in education.

JURORS

Luz Avruj, Argentina, Clayys

B.A. in Institutional Organization and Management (UNSAM), Specialist in Social Network Analysis and Management (Universidad Bolivariana de Chile) and University Diploma in Education (Universidad del Museo Social Argentino). Her two passions have always been Education and Social Development and she has worked in both fields for more than 20 years: in schools and universities as a teacher and teacher trainer and with social organizations offering technical assistance, facilitation, training and developing didactic materials. She has also worked with companies in negotiation and conflict management. She was CLAYSS Training Coordinator for several years and was in charge of the Service-Learning Promotion Program in Central and Eastern Europe. She is currently the Coordinator of Institutional Relations and Networks, an area from which she promotes the formation, strengthening and interrelation of networks related to the subject all over the world.

Gabriela Hillar, Argentina, Associate Professor

Gabriella Hillar, a Buenos Aires native, is an expert in service learning due to her diverse educational background and extensive professional experience. Holding degrees in preschool education and educational psychology, she has pioneered innovative projects for at-risk children and served as a personal assistant to Argentina’s Minister of Education. Currently, as Coordinator of Solidarity Educational Institutions at the National Program for Solidarity Education, she oversees service learning initiatives. Her leadership in interdisciplinary teams, international training, and innovative projects like the “Proyecto UPA” theater company for babies underscores her commitment to holistic education. Hillar’s expertise qualifies her to evaluate service learning projects effectively.

Ciprian Ghisa, Romania, Counselor of Ministry of Education for high-school curriculum development

Ciprian holds PhD from Babeș-Bolyai University, Faculty of History and Philosophy, and M.A. in History from Babeș-Bolyai University, Faculty of History and Philosophy B.A. in History – Babeș-Bolyai University, Faculty of History and Philosophy.
He has more than 18 years of experience as a Teacher of History and 11 years as Director of an International School. Ciprian Ghișa oversees all areas and departments related to Academics, ensuring an alignment of the objectives and their implementation at all current school levels (Nursery, Primary, and Secondary) while setting the ground for our future high school.
He also has extensive experience as a teacher in secondary school and at a university level, as a professor and researcher in the field of history.
He is also a certified BSO (British Schools Overseas) inspector. Above all, Ciprian is a professional of great integrity and an unmatched partner in finding solutions and strategic development.

Bojana Ćulum Ilić, Croatia

Bojana, a Full Professor at the University of Rijeka (UNIRi), focuses on engaged teaching, youth civic education, and community-engaged pedagogy. She directs the University of Rijeka Foundation (2021-2026) and contributes to prestigious academic networks like ACES and the European Association of Service Learning. Bojana aided in developing the TEFCE Toolbox for community engagement in higher education. Recognized for her impactful work, she received awards including the National Award “Ivan Filipović” and the City of Rijeka’s yearly Award for university-community engagement. She fosters partnerships with civil society and public institutions, notably initiating the University of Rijeka’s membership in the Talloires Network. A Fulbright alumna (Portland State University, 2015/2016), Bojana epitomizes dedication to advancing higher education and community collaboration.

Gentrit Berisha, Kosovo, Associate Professor of Management at the Faculty of Economics

He instructs courses such as Managerial Decision Making, Operations Management, and Business Ethics. His specialization lies in organizational behavior research, focusing on areas such as individual differences, decision-making styles, workplace behaviors, intrapreneurship, and entrepreneurship.
In addition to his academic role, Gentrit serves as a consultant in entrepreneurship and small business management, bringing practical insights and expertise to the field.

Peter Papšo, Slovakia, The director of Department of Youth at the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic

Peter Papšo holds a PhD in pedagogy and a PhDr. in social work. He has extensive experience in academia, having served as a university lecturer at the Department of Social Work, Faculty of Pedagogy, Matej Bel University. Presently, he serves as the Director of the Youth Department within the Ministry of Education, Science, Research, and Sports in the Slovak Republic. In this role, he oversees the implementation of state youth policy, develops strategic documents, provides financial support for youth initiatives, coordinates interdepartmental efforts, and engages in international collaborations.

Amela Medar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Educational Consultant within the Pedagogical institute of Mostar

doc. Ph. Dr. Amela Medar works as an educational consultant within the Pedagogical institute of Mostar. Her work is focused on the support and evaluation of biology and chemistry teachers and professors within the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton. She is also responsible for the improvements and/or developments of curriculums as well as for the in-service-teachers education. In previous years she was responsible for mentoring teacher’s teams for Service-Learning and supporting their work during the practice implementation. Amela believes that the essence of teaching process are competent and innovative teachers able to put children in the focus of the learning process and ensuring the development of their potentials. Thus Service-Learning is great methodology to ensure this.  In her work she is/was involved into diverse state educational projects focused on improving the quality of education of Bosnia and Herzegovina and among many is project TABLA – General Education Project focused on the quality of initial teacher’s education at the universities within Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Anastasija  Sasha Tofoska, North Macedonia, Educational program Coordinator

Anastasija Sasha Tofoska is the Educational program Coordinator at Leaders for Education, Activism, and Development (LEAD). At LEAD, she supports the development, planning, execution, and monitoring of projects and programs that promote youth participation and activism. She is also in charge of overseeing service learning projects implemented by high-schools. Sasha has been actively involved in high school and university student councils and other educational organizations, where she has demonstrated leadership and a commitment to student engagement.  She is currently studying Political Sciences at the Iustinianus Primus Faculty of Law, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje. Sasha has extensive experience as a debate coach with the Youth Educational Forum, working on high school and university students’ critical thinking and public speaking skills and mentoring students for international competitions.

Shpresa Delija, Albania, Professor at the Tirana University

Prof. Dr. Shpresa DELIJA born and educated in Albania is a professor of English in the Faculty of Foreign Languages at the Tirana University, Albania. She has been teaching for 46 years now. Shpresa Delija is a national and international speaker, national and international teacher trainer, book writer, poet, leader, conference organizer, a lover of wellness, positive change, improvement, growth, empowerment, knowledge, learning, encouragement and inspiration of the teachers, student teachers and women not only in Albania.
Prof. Dr. Shpresa Delija is a philantropist. She has set up the first Resource Room for Student teachers at the Faculty she’s been teaching for so long to create space for her student teachers to study and to feel comfortable.

Jurors RSLA 2023
  1. Luz Avruj, Argentina, Clayys
  2. Gabriela Hillar, Argentina, Associate Professor
  3. Željka Stjepić Srkalović, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Senior assistant at geography department
  4. Bojana Ćulum Ilić, Croatia
  5. Gentrit Berisha, Kosovo, Associate Professor of Management at the Faculty of Economics
  6. Peter Papšo, Slovakia, The director of Department of Youth at the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic
  7. Oana Mosoiu, Romania, University lecturer, trainer for Erasmus and ESC National Agency
  8. Ciprian Ghisa, Romania, Counselor of Ministry of Education for high-school curriculum development

“In the evaluation of Service-Learning projects, we are dealing with very experienced jurors who have clear vision, flexibility of thought, and critical finesse and who can easily get into the spirit of the projects by seeing the value of each contribution to the project. Thank you to all RSLA jurors who each year make a valuable contribution to the appreciation of our Service-Learning projects.”

— Maria Butyka, New Horizons Foundation
Jurors RSLA 2022
  1. Bojana Ćulum Ilić, University of Rijeka, Croatia
  2. Luz Avruj, Latin-American Centre for Service-Learning, Argentina
  3. Snježana Dubovicki Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Croatia
  4. Fahreta Brašnjić, Federal Ministry of education and science, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  5. Borka Malčić, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad, Serbia
  6. Rolf Laven, Institut für Allgemeinbildung in der Sekundarstufe, Kunst und Gestaltung, Wienna University, Austria
  7. Patrick Ryan, University of Limerick, Ireland
  8. Fabiola Hosu, Federation Coalition for Education, Romania
  9. Romina Matei, SALTO Solidarity Corps Vienna, Austria
  10. Gabriela Hillar, Ministry of Education of Argentina, Argentina
Jurors RSLA 2021

1. Peter Lenčo, Department of Youth at the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic, Slovakia
2. Dušica Štilić, Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, Bosnia and Herzegovina
3. Luz Avruj, Latin-American Centre for Service-Learning, Argentina
4. Gabriela Hillar, Ministry of Education of Argentina, Argentina
5. Bojana Ćulum, University of Rijeka, Croatia
6. Kreshnik Begolli, Ministry of Education of Kosovo, Kosovo
7. Oltion Rrumbullaku, University of Tirana, Albania
8. Alejandro Gimelli, Latin-American Centre for Service-Learning, Argentina