A new career boost initiative for young researchers in the Western Balkans is kickstarting, and it all begins with mobility for early career researchers. On 28 March 2024, POLICY ANSWERS opens a new chapter in the region’s research and innovation mobility landscape. The launch of the Western Balkans Mobility Scheme marks a pivotal moment in the Western Balkans’ journey towards enhanced cooperation, innovation, and integration with the European Union.

Developed as part of the pilot programmes of the POLICY ANSWERS—R&I Policy Making, Implementation and Support in the Western Balkans project, this mobility scheme aims to foster regional cooperation and support early-career researchers in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*^*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.

The programme will engage researchers with a total budget of EUR 100,000 and grants of up to EUR 5,000 per individual researcher. These grants will support projects from two weeks to six months, enabling researchers to engage in vital mobility-driven research and innovation activities within the Western Balkans.

The Western Balkans Mobility Scheme is open to PhD students and Post-Doctoral researchers who have completed their Ph.D.s within the past seven years. They will be hosted in a public or private research institution, which offers research infrastructures (including virtual research infrastructures) registered in one of the economies All thematic research areas, including Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) and arts-based research, are eligible for consideration.

To learn more about the Western Balkans Mobility Scheme and how to apply, visit the Call page.

“We aim to not only support the mobility of early-career researchers but also to strengthen regional cooperation and contribute to the convergence of the Western Balkans with the European Union,” said Ralf Hanatschek, DLR Projektträger, a partner of the European project POLICY ANSWERS. “By allowing researchers to access research infrastructures like specialised equipment and facilities across different Western Balkan economies, we are paving the way for integration in the Horizon Europe support schemes. Furthermore, it will promote and support the Open Access use of the huge amount of underused research infrastructure across the WB.”

The launch of the Western Balkans Mobility Scheme sets the stage for future mobility programmes funded by regional, economy-level, or international stakeholders. It represents a significant step towards building a more vibrant and collaborative research and innovation ecosystem in the Western Balkans. “This initiative is a first step towards attracting attention to research and innovation while integrating the Western Balkans into the wider European Union research and innovation community.”

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About POLICY ANSWERS

POLICY ANSWERS focuses on the research and innovation (R&I) policy and governance systems in the Western Balkans (WB) while covering the aspects of education, culture, youth and sports. The project monitors and supports policy coordination within the EU-WB cooperation, strengthening the WB’s potential for successful participation in regional and multilateral research and innovation activities. It promotes regional cooperation in R&I and supports networking and access to information and excellence.