The two-day gathering in Rijeka celebrated a major milestone in European academic cooperation and reaffirmed the EUI’s commitment to connecting universities, researchers, and institutions across the continent through its Widening Europe Programme.
Organised in collaboration with the University of Rijeka’s Centre for Advanced Studies – South East Europe (CAS SEE), the event brought together leading representatives from academia and public institutions to discuss new opportunities for joint research, training, and mobility.
Opening the conference, Ambassador Armando Barucco, EUI Secretary General, emphasised that Croatia’s accession represents “a win–win–win for Croatia, the EUI, and Europe,” underscoring the Institute’s mission to build bridges between academic communities and strengthen Europe’s shared research and higher education space. He was joined by Professor Radovan Fuchs, Croatian Minister of Science and Education; Professor Iva Rinčić, Mayor of the City of Rijeka; Mr Ivica Lukanović, Prefect of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and Professor Marta Žuvić, Vice-Rector of the University of Rijeka.
Minister Fuchs highlighted that the partnership with the EUI “empowers students and reinforces our shared European academic space,” while Vice-Rector Žuvić praised the Institute’s "long-standing commitment to advancing research excellence and mobility across borders".
In the session dedicated to the EUI and its programmes, Sébastien Huber, Director of the Development and External Relations Service, together with Professor Jelena Džankic, EUI Professor and Director of the Widening Europe Programme, and Lorenzo Ghezzi, Senior Admissions Officer, presented the Institute and its academic and training opportunities. They outlined the expanding network of initiatives that promote inclusion, capacity-building, and collaboration with institutions in Widening countries — including Croatia.
The academic dimension of the event was marked by a keynote lecture from Professor Filip Kostelka, Director of Graduate Studies at the EUI’s Department of Political and Social Sciences, entitled “Understanding Voter Fatigue: Why Citizen Empowerment Depresses Participation and What to Do About It.” The lecture, followed by a discussion with Professor Tena Prelec from the University of Rijeka, showcased the EUI’s role as a hub for cutting-edge social science research addressing the challenges of democratic participation in Europe.
The second day focused on practical engagement, featuring a workshop on European Research Council (ERC) projects led by Professor Daniele Caramani of the EUI’s Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, offering guidance on developing competitive research proposals within EU frameworks.
The event concluded with closing reflections and a networking lunch, celebrating Croatia’s formal entry into the EUI community and opening a new chapter of collaboration between the Institute and the Croatian academic sector.
Through the Widening Europe Programme, the EUI continues to expand its partnerships across the continent, creating new pathways for scholars, policymakers, and institutions to work together toward a stronger, more inclusive European Higher Education and Research Area.