Western Balkans Chapter
The Western Balkans Chapter has been created as a forum for interaction between MCAA members originating from, and/or currently based in, territories in the Western Balkans region [Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo (under UN Security Council Resolution 1244), North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia] where there is no existing MCAA Chapter.
The Western Balkans Chapter aims to connect and represent MSCA fellows and MCAA alumni from the Western Balkan region, with many residing abroad and being part of the so-called “scientific diaspora”. We are advocating for best practices in science and research in the region and the adoption of policies and approaches that should help science in the Balkans reach wider European and global standards.
All MCAA members with the nationality of one of the Western Balkans countries, or any MCAA member residing in this geographical area, are welcome to become a member of the Western Balkans Chapter.
Membership of the Chapter is free – but we hope you will contribute your energy and enthusiasm to support our activities
To join the Chapter, you need to be logged in as an MCAA member - you will then be able to click on the 'Join group' at the top of the column on the right - one of the Chapter management team will then admit you as a Chapter member.
For any inquiries about the Western Balkan Chapter, please contact western-balkans.chapter@mariecuriealumni.eu.
You can follow us on Twitter @MCAA_WB and on LinkedIn
Upcoming events:
- June 2024 - International Conference on Renewable Energies and Smart Technologies (REST24), Scientific Partner
- 6 March 2023 - Webinar "Interview Process: The hiring mangers’ perspective", Speaker Elton Rexhepaj, Moderated by Ornela Bardhi
- MCAA Annual Conference 2023, Cordoba, Spain:
- 24 February 2023 - Panel discussion "Careers after the MSCA", Speakers Ornela Bardhi (Chair of MCAA WBC), Joaquín Capablo Sesé (Chair of SPC), and Corinne Portioli (MCAA Board member), session organized by the European Commission MSCA Unit and moderated by Anouk Lafortune
- 25 February 2023 - Panel discussion "From Individual Fellowship to European Research Council (ERC) accessibility", Speakers Eleonora Viezzer, Marta Gravela, and Ana Cvejic, session organized and moderated by Keti Zeka (WBC Board member)
- 20 January 2023 - Webinar "Interview Process: How to write an effective resume", Speaker: Andrea Pockovic, Moderated by Jelena Simunovic
- 28-29 July 2022 - International Conference on Renewable Energies and Smart Technologies (REST22), Scientific Partner
- 27 May 2022 - In-person Chapter meeting in Belgrade, Serbia
- 26 April 2022 - Online Chapter meeting
- 28 March 2022 - Blog post "Post Ph.D. careers", writer Ornela Bardhi
- MCAA Annual Conference 2022, Lisbon, Portugal
- 8 March 2022 - Webinar "The tough bridge: Motherhood and Science", Speakers: Prof. Mirela Delibegovic, Prof. Katrien de Bock, Dr. Olga Tura, Dr. Paola Perrotta, Moderated by Besa Emini, PhD
- January 2022 - MCAA Around the World webinar series "Post Ph.D. careers", Speakers Nikola Skoro, Radenka Krsmanovic Whiffen, Ivo Djidrovski, Ornela Bardhi, webinar organized by WBC in collaboration with Communications WG
- August 2020 - Marie Curie fellowships - steps towards scientific success, interview with Dr. Sonja Avlijaš, MSCA Fellow (Video) (EU-info.rs)
- August 2020 - Meet our ESR Samira Smajlović! (IMforFUTURE ITN)
- August 2020 - Amit is working on innovative wastewater management technologies (Video) (REA Twitter)
- May 2020 - Proud to present our #MSCA #ITN fellow of the week, Marina Pekmezovic! (MSCA Facebook)
- April 2020 - A ray of hope as research slows down (MCAA Newsletter)
- April 2020 - In Focus: A spotlight on MCAA’s Western Balkans Chapter - Increasing research capacity in the Western Balkans (WBC-RTI.info)
- March 2020 - Inside the head of an Early Stage Researcher — Part 1 (MCAA Blog)
- October 2019 - Presentation of MSCA and MCAA at WBAA students workshop in Banja Luka - BiH (MCAA Posts)
- September 2019 - Our members at the European Researchers Night in Sarajevo (IMforFUTURE ITN)
- September 2019 - The Western Balkans Chapter is up and running (MCAA Newsletter)
- September 2019 - MSCA Fellows ("Researcher" science magazine program, Montenegrin TV)
- June 2019 - Marie Curie fellowship for recycled material concrete (Regional N1 TV, morning show)
- May 2019 - Serbian scientist wins Marie Curie fellowship for an environmentally-friendly concrete (Nova Ekonomija, Serbian business news site)
- February 2019 - Meet our #MSCA COFUND fellow of the week, Kata Trifkovic! (MSCA Facebook)
