The Social Sciences Research Center, as a part of the Project Development Facility project funded by the European Union through the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance, organized a project development workshop for COST actions from May 26 to 31, 2024.
COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Actions bring together thousands of scholars across Europe, but also the world, in thematic research and innovation networks. These networks are a vital part of fostering research collaboration and support the networking of researchers and innovators in various scientific fields, thereby promoting interdisciplinary research and innovation.
PDF engaged Dr. Noemia Bessa Vilela of the Institute of Legal Sciences in Slovenia, who also runs two concurrent COST Actions and a multitude of other research projects, as a guest expert to work with a small group of selected scholars to develop Action proposals on a multitude of topics, including sharing resources in future networks for sustainable technological growth, policymaking process, small states in IR, digital currencies, impacts of EU enlargement, anti-monuments i antimicrobial resistance.
The workshop brought together a diverse group of participants from International Burch University, including Adisa Omerović Arapović, Amer Kurtović, Elma Avdić, Hata Kujraković, Lejla Ramić Mesihović, Lejla Odobašić Novo, Neira Crnčević, Selma Delalić and Sara Deumić.
Dr. Noemia Bessa Vilela will remain seized of the matter and continue providing support to the participants in next steps in proposal development, including finalizing proposals and setting up a consortium.
The eight workshop participants will also join ongoing COST Actions in their
respective fields, both as working group members in order to fruitfully contribute to their implementation and as Management Committee members. This will elevate their research capacities and expand their networks, benefiting not only them but the wider research environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Bosnia and Herzegovina significantly lags behind the EU average in innovation and research due to a lack of financial support and a legislative and strategic framework. The academic community has limited knowledge of COST projects, which hampers their ability to contribute to and benefit from international research networks. This workshop contributed to bridging this gap, a key objective of the Project Development Facility.
The workshop is a part of an EU-funded project “Project Development Facility - PDF” which is being implemented by International Burch University, through its Social Sciences Research Center, and with the Technical University of Burgeland from Austria.