POLICY ANSWERS Fellowship: Smart Budgeting and Strategic Foresight, Lessons Learned from RIINVEST Institute and GSI

As part of the POLICY ANSWERS Fellowship Programme, Maida Hadžiabdić successfully completed a study visit at RIINVEST Institute in Kosovo* and the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research in Germany, contributing to two core thematic areas: financial management for project proposals and strategic foresight for higher education institutions in the Western Balkans.

During her time at RIINVEST, Maida focused on a crucial but often overlooked component of project success: smart budgeting. Through her work, she outlined a set of actionable financial management practices aimed at strengthening Western Balkan institutions’ ability to access international funding, particularly from the EU and global donors.

In parallel, Maida’s second visit at GSI/FAIR offered insight into advanced institutional practices for mobility, innovation, and international cooperation. Her comparative report between GSI and the University of Sarajevo (UNSA) highlighted the gaps and opportunities for UNSA and other regional universities in aligning more closely with EU research frameworks, such as Horizon Europe and MSCA.

Her fellowship outputs contribute directly to the ongoing POLICY ANSWERS agenda of reinforcing innovation capacity and policy alignment across the region. Check below her fellowship reports.