Advancing Inclusive Regional Mobility and Catalyzing Mobility-Driven Innovation and Knowledge Transfer in Western Balkans

The U2SID project partner SCiDEV  enhances further one of its key areas of work to Strengthen Research to Society Links, through leading the Thematic Working Group on Mobility, part of Civil Society and Think Tank Forum 2023. On September 28th, 2023 SCiDEV organized the final public consultation event of the Thematic Working Group “Advancing Inclusive Regional Mobility and Catalyzing Mobility-Driven Innovation and Knowledge Transfer in Western Balkans” bringing together civil society organizations and stakeholders, emphasizing the urgency of leveraging regional mobility and stimulating innovation through sustained investments for economic growth and societal resilience.  

Over three months in the summer of 2023, SCiDEV  held 4 consultation meetings, bringing together a multi-disciplinary group of 43 stakeholders, including representatives from universities and research centers, intergovernmental organizations, civil society organizations, and think tanks from the Western Balkans countries and the EU. The discussions in this working group were centered on promoting regional mobility, engaging the diaspora, and integrating the Western Balkans higher education and scientific research systems with the European frameworks, with the objective to enhance regional and EU research collaboration, which were used to validate the findings and recommendations presented by SCiDEV   during advocacy visits in Berlin, Brussels, and Sarajevo.  

In the final event SCiDEV  presented and deliberated upon the recommendations and insights derived from the extensive consultation process aiming to foster an open dialogue amongst a wider spectrum of stakeholders, where the key message was that there should be financing and support of research and innovation through a comprehensive regional mobility framework agreement and customized funding schemes to facilitate knowledge transfers and scientific cooperation within the WB and with the EU, ultimately aiming for the integration of the region in the European Research Area.

The Open Society Foundations - Western Balkans (OSFWB), mandated by the Government of Albania as the current holder of the Presidency of the Berlin Process, and in collaboration with the Hellenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) and with the Cooperation and Development Institute (CDI), will organize this year’s Civil Society & Think Tank Forum (CSF). This event is part of the Annual Berlin Process Summit, and will take place on October 14-15th, 2023 in Tirana, Albania. 

Led by SCiDEV , this TWG focuses on exploring the potential of inclusive regional mobility, innovation through knowledge exchange, and research and development collaborations in the Western Balkans and with the EU. The members of the working group bring diverse expertise and perspectives, contributing to comprehensive research, meaningful discussions, and the development of impactful policy recommendations. Their insights will form the basis of a civil society shared advocacy agenda for the Leaders’ Summit.