Elections  •  13 TRAINING OBSERVERS While OSCE participating States assume the primary responsibility for training seconded observers deployed to election observation missions, ODIHR continues to support such efforts. Throughout 2015, ODIHR contributed to courses organized by the German Centre for International Peace Operations, the Russian Diplomatic Academy, the Solidarity Fund in ­Poland, the Centre for European ­Perspective in Slovenia and the Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan. Through continuing extra-budgetary contributions, ODIHR has been able to offer comprehensive election observation training to ensure potential observers are prepared to undertake professional election observation. In 2015, ODIHR hosted one training course for long-term observers, from 29 June to 3 July, and one for shortterm observers, from 8 to 10 December, both in Belgrade. These courses served to broaden the pool of potential observers from participating States that do not regularly send election observers and, thus, are eligible under the Fund for Diversification. In total, 27 potential long-term and 29 short-term observers from 17 participating States benefitted from the training. In 2015, ODIHR continued to offer an e-learning course for short-term observers, in English and Russian. Launched in 2012, the course remains popular with a wide-range of participants involved in elections from both government and civil society. At the end of 2015, more than 1,600 participants had completed the course. Over the four years it has been available, more than 6,500 participants from 151 countries, including 52 OSCE participating States and 10 OSCE Partners for Co-operation have enrolled in the course. To further expand and enhance its online resources in 2015, ODIHR has updated this e-learning course on www.odihrobserver.org and added a component aimed at long-term observers. INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION Throughout its activities, ODIHR continues to realize the benefit of co-ordinating and collaborating with its international partners, as well as with citizen observer groups. This co-operation remains crucial to ensuring consistent messages and interventions. In its election work, ODIHR often works with a range of international partners to co-ordinate activities, share methodology and review electoral obligations, standards and good practice. ODIHR has continued to join with partners from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress for Local and Regional Authorities in the delivery of post-election statements. Co-operation has also continued with citizen observer groups and various observer networks, including the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors (GNDEM), the Association of European Election Officials (ACEEEO), the Association of World Electoral Bodies (AWEB) and the Community of Democracies. During 2015, ODIHR also regularly engaged with international partners within the framework of the Declaration of Principles Group for International Election O ­ bservation, in particular related to follow-up activities. Tamara Otiashvili, ODIHR Election Advisor (l) with Corien Jonker, Head of ODIHR Election Observation Mission for 12 October 2014 general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina (c) and Richard Lappin, ODIHR Senior Election Advisor at follow up visit on recommendations from final report, in Sarajevo, 24 June 2015. (OSCE/Vedran Pribilovic)