Strengthening Ties in Southeastern Europe: Visits by RSU’s Social Sciences Research Centre to Slovenia and Montenegro

These visits represent a significant step in RSU’s strategic direction to deepen partnerships across Europe, this time with a particular focus on Southeastern Europe. Our goal is to foster long-term academic cooperation, strengthen research capacity in the social sciences, and promote the sharing of data and knowledge across borders. These engagements also open up new opportunities for collaborative research. With Montenegro expected to join the European Union in the near future, it is especially important to cultivate closer ties with Montenegrin researchers.

Slovenia: A Hub for Social Science Data and Collaboration

At the University of Ljubljana—one of the region’s leading academic institutions—Ingmārs held productive discussions with faculty members and researchers at the Faculty of Social Sciences. A key highlight was the meeting with the Social Science Data Archive (ADP), a major player in data preservation and open access in the region, and an active member of CESSDA (Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives), in which RSU is a national partner.

The exchange focused on best practices in data management, repository services, researcher education, opportunities for joint research, and the potential for RSU to contribute to and benefit from pan-European data-sharing initiatives.

This collaboration in the social sciences builds upon RSU’s already well-established partnerships in medical sciences and pharmacy.

Montenegro: Building New Bridges in Research and Education

The visit to the University of Donja Gorica in Montenegro opened new avenues for collaboration in both teaching and research. As a unique private university in Montenegro, it has successfully attracted national and EU funding for initiatives in high-performance computing, food research, and other priority areas.

Discussions centred on joint projects, student and staff mobility through ERASMUS+, and the development of shared research agendas in fields such as political science, sociology, and digital society studies. The enthusiasm and openness of our Montenegrin colleagues highlighted the mutual benefits of closer academic ties.

During the visit, Ingmārs presented how RSU and Latvia are implementing Open Science principles in practice, including research data management workflows at the university. New connections were also established with colleagues from Spain and Turkey.

A Broader Vision for Internationalisation in Social Science Research

These visits are part of RSU’s broader internationalisation strategy, which prioritises building strong, sustainable partnerships with institutions across Europe. By focusing on Southeastern Europe, the RSU Social Sciences Research Centre aims to contribute to a more integrated and collaborative European research space—particularly in the social sciences, where cross-cultural perspectives and shared data are essential for addressing complex societal challenges.

Through these partnerships, RSU is not only expanding its academic network but also reinforcing its role as a forward-looking institution committed to open science, data sharing, and international cooperation. The Social Sciences Research Centre is actively involved in various international project applications to further strengthen research collaboration.

These visits were supported by funding from the ERASMUS+ programme.