From June 19-21, 2024, the CROSS-REIS project partner Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Rijeka (EFRI) hosted the first of CROSS-REIS 3 day visits between widening partners in Croatia. This event, aimed at collaborative research and data sharing among widening partners,brought together representatives from all partner institutions to discuss key project developments and future plans.

The agenda for the three-day event was packed with informative sessions and collaborative meetings. The first day featured sessions that included familiarisation with the ;EDT conference sessions and panels, followed by a semi-annual project partners' meeting. Highlights of the meeting included presentations of the DEC Plan by Marija Džunić from FEUN, the Quality Assurance Plan by Simona Muratori from POLIEDRA, the Data Management Plan by John Osth from OSLOMET, and forthcoming Info Days – Protocol and Experience of UOM by EMEA, UOM, and FEUN. The day concluded with an update of the Action Plan for January 2025 – June 2025, presented by Jelena Stanković, Project Coordinator from FEUN.

The second day included presentations highlighting the diverse capabilities and initiatives of EFRI. These included the EFRI Career Center presented by Vanja Rudeša, the EFRI Center for Local Economic Development by Saša Drezgić and Saša Čegar, EFRI Projects and Research Infrastructure by Ema Murić, and the EFRI Journal by Dario Maradin.

The final day of the event featured a comprehensive tour of the EFRI campus, where team members were introduced to the resources, infrastructure, and various organisational units of the faculty. This was followed by a visit to the Rijeka Development Agency PORIN Ltd. PORIN’s core objectives include stimulating economic activities in the region, particularly in areas with untapped natural and economic resources, advancing technological development, enhancing competitiveness, improving the adaptability of businesses to the global market, increasing exports, and attracting foreign investments. The day ended with the tour of the University of Rijeka (UNIRI). During the UNIRI tour, participants were particularly impressed by the presentation of the UNIRI supercomputer BURA. BURA is based on a hybrid computing architecture and includes both multicomputer and multiprocessor systems, demonstrating the advanced technological capabilities and research support available at UNIRI.

Throughout the event, representatives from all CROSS-REIS partners were present and engaged in fruitful discussions and strategic planning. This event exemplified the collaborative spirit of the CROSS-REIS project, fostering stronger partnerships and advancing shared research goals.