The MSCA-GLOPOL Regional Flagship event: Strengthening the Western Balkan Research & Innovation ecosystem was successfully held on 22 May 2026 at the Europa House in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, bringing together members of the Western Balkans research and innovation community to explore opportunities under Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), with a specific focus on Doctoral Networks. Organised in close cooperation with the MCAA Western Balkans Chapter, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), and the MSCA-GLOPOL project, the hybrid event attracted strong interest. The audience was predominantly from the whole Research and Innovation ecosystem in the WB, with participation from the research institutions, research management offices, SMEs and science and technology parks from all the WB countries.
The full day event aimed to raise awareness of the MSCA, with particular emphasis on Doctoral Networks, as well as the links between the COST Actions and the MSCA ones. Participants received a comprehensive overview of the existing possibilities, likewise they discussed context-specific challenges, mainly administrative to participate in the MSCA. The programme combined policy insights policy insights from the European Commission through a key note speech of the MSCA Head of Unit, Claire Morel, with practical guidance on proposal preparation from the National Contact Point for Kosovo, Gentrit Berisha from the University of Prishtina; as well as complemented by a success story from a MSCA DN project partner, Prof. Amra Hasečić, from the University of Sarajevo.
The event served as an important platform on institutional awareness and capacity building for strengthening opportunities to participate in future MSCA collaborations by fostering cross-sectoral networking.
The presentations delivered during the event are available below:
- 1st presentation “Welcome note” by Dr Azra Frkatović-Hodžić, MCAA Western Balkans Chair
- 2nd presentation “Keynote Speech” by Claire Morel, Head of Unit of the MSCA Actions, DG EAC
- 3rd presentation “COST and the Western Balkans: A brief overview” by Dr Radenka Krsmanović Whiffen, Science Officer, COST Association
- 4th presentation “COMBINE MSCA Doctoral Network 2025-2029 ThermoFluids Lab @ UNSA” by Prof. Amra Hasečić, University of Sarajevo, participant in a MSCA DN project
- 5th presentation “Navigating the MSCA Landscape: Successes and Lessons Learned” by Nina Begović, University of Sarajevo, Head of Research Support Office
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