Regional Research Promotion Programme in the Western Balkans - RRPP Bojana Radovanovic RRPP LCU in Serbia “Making work pay in Western Balkan countries: the case of Serbia and Macedonia” September 2013
RRPP goals Main goal: RRPP was established in 2008 with the aim of strengthening research process in the field of social sciences Other goals: –To support research –To improve competencies of researchers –To support societal transformation –To promote regional cooperation
RRPP pillars
RRPP organization Swiss Development and Cooperation Agency (SDC) University of Fribourg, Switzerland Local Coordination Units (LCU) in the Western Balkans LCU Serbia – Institute of Economic Sciences, Belgrade
RRPP projects 50 projects (almost 4 million CHF) funded First phase (8 from Serbia) Second phase (7 from Serbia) Third phase RRPP invested in Serbia around 1 million CHF so far.
RRPP mentoring and seminars Excellent opportunity to increase/deepen knowledge in methods, expand research networks and build partnerships, connect to international and regional experts 17 seminars so far, more than 350 researchers, mainly PhD students and young researchers Topics: Project management, academic writing, quantitative research methods, focus groups, interviews, research design, publishing...
Regional and international networking and cooperation Regional seminars, RRPP Annual Scientific Conference (up to 100 participants), travel grants to international conferences. More than 350 researchers participated so far. RRPP Annual Scientific Conference: „Social, Political and Economic Changes in the Western Balkan“. 24th-26th May, 2013: Belgrade, Serbia
RRPP policy dialogue aimed at influencing necessary systemic changes in social science research, while involving a number of relevant stakeholders such as responsible ministries, rectors, deans, researchers from different disciplines and of different age. In Serbia, policy dialogue initiative haA two goals: –Improvement of scientific production quality in Serbian social sciences; –Securing that social science research is carried out and implemented for the country’s socio-economic development and welfare.
RRPP policy dialogue Project results: –Publication: “Social Science Research Sector in Serbia: An Overview of the Current Situation, Main Challenges and Policy Recommendations“ –Policy brief Issues covered: Assessment Levels of Both Scientific and Research Capacities in Serbian Social Sciences and the Identification of Salient Obstacles, Research Funding, Scientific Evaluation System, Young Researchers and Perspectives of Social Sciences Research in Serbia, Implementation of Research Findings and Cooperation Between Decision Makers and Researchers, Establishing the “Social Science Researchers Association”
NEW CALL FOR PROJECT PROPOSALS NOVEMBER 2013
For more information please visit: or contact: RRPP Local Coordination Unit in Serbia, Institute of Economic Sciences, Belgrade Zmaj Jovina Beograd