Support to young researchers from the region – Western Balkans Research Foundation founding document signed

The founding document of the Western Balkans Research Foundation, which is to finance the best scientists and young researchers from the region, was signed at the Western Balkans Summit in Trieste, on July 12.

As reported by the Center for the Promotion of Science, the Foundation would primarily approve grants to young scientists from the Western Balkans looking to found top quality teams and laboratories in the region. Furthermore, it would develop a program of financing which would increase the mobility of scientists and enable cooperation between researchers from the Western Balkans with their European colleagues.

The idea was initiated by Angela Merkel in 2015 at a conference within the Berlin Process, when she stated that it was highly important to deal with the question of science and research as part of providing support to the countries of the Western Balkans.

– This is a phenomenal opportunity for Western Balkans researchers, which we mustn't miss. If the member-countries of the Summit adopt the proposals from the document signed in Trieste, young scientists from the region will have a chance to win the prestigious grant whose value might reach up to EUR 750,000 as soon as 2019 – Dr Sofija Stefanovic, the first winner of the ERC grant in Serbia and a member of the Expert Group, stated on this occasion.

The Expert Group adopted the final version of the document following the 3rd Joint Science Conference of the Western Balkans Process, held in June 2017 in Paris after three-year consultations involving representatives of science academies, researchers and university rectors.

Aside from signing the document, thereby providing support to the founding of the foundation, representatives of the countries of the European Union and the Western Balkans also reached the decision to initiate the process of implementation of the idea and gave mandate to the Group for Implementation, which will consist of scientists and delegates of the countries which signed the document.

The group is to examine the technical and financial feasibility of the Foundation and conduct a range of negotiations and reach consensus on the details necessary for the functioning of of the body until the next Summit, which is to be held in Great Britain in 2018.

– So far, we have received full support by the science academies of Germany, France, Italy and Austria, whose countries are prepared to invest funds in the Foundation's activities. We are looking at the concretization of proposals and participation of various countries in the process of implementation – added Dr Stefanovic.

The framework of the Foundation's activities

As stated in the proposal of activities of the Foundation, young scientists would have several programs of finance at their disposal.

The highlights among the grants include the Tesla grant, to be awarded in the field of natural sciences and medicine, whereas the Cabej grant would be awarded in the field of social and human sciences. The Marco Polo grant would provide financial support which would stimulate the mobility of scientists from the Western Balkans.

Furthermore, three additional frameworks, which would support initiatives and ideas in the domain of the promotion of science, innovations, knowledge transfer and connections in the Balkans, would also be included.

Western Balkans Research Foundation

Western Balkans Summit

Sofija Stefanovic

grants for scientists

grants for young researchers

financing science

Tesla grant

Cabej grant

Marco Polo grant

mobility of scientists

innovations