On June 30 and July 1, 2025, CROSS-REIS team members Marija Džunić and Sonja Jovanović from the Faculty of Economics, University of Niš (FEUN) took part in a Horizon Europe proposal development workshop hosted by Loughborough University London

The two-day event brought together researchers from across Europe to deepen their understanding of the Horizon Europe funding landscape and strengthen joint proposal planning in priority research areas. The workshop focused on aligning partner research interests, fostering collaborative work plan development, and setting the strategic direction for future joint applications.

Session topics included the positioning of upcoming Horizon calls in the EU research ecosystem, presentation of partner research agendas, and a World Café-style discussion addressing three key thematic clusters: Geopolitics and Future Enlargement, Democracy and Enlargement and Territorial Capacity. The workshop was dedicated to refining the proposal concept, including title brainstorming, and the first outline of task division and workplan structure.

CROSS-REIS team members actively contributed to discussions on territorial capacity building and inclusive development, reflecting the project’s core mission to bridge science, society, and policy in the context of regenerative economy transitions.

This participation further reinforces CROSS-REIS’ commitment to strengthening international research cooperation and ensuring that widening countries play a leading role in shaping future EU-funded R&I projects.