Selected researchers in those countries are currently developing their research project ideas dealing with the general topic "Political, Social and Economic Change in the Western Balkans". While the research projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina should be in line with the topic "State and Nation Building", those from FYR of Macedonia will be linked to the general topic "Knowledge, Power and Social Change". In addition, a three-year long regional research project will be conducted by Prof. Milan Podunavac from the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade and will deal with the topic "Building of Civic and Political Trust in the Region". Next to researchers from Serbia, this project will also involve researchers from the Law Faculty and Political Sciences at the University in Skopje, as well as researchers from the Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Sarajevo.

The national research projects in BiH and FYR of Macedonia should be carried out during the next two years by selected public and private universities, independent research institutes and selected NGOs or think-thanks. Their names will be known once their research project proposals have been approved by the RRPP Scientific Board.

All research projects will involve both senior and junior researchers from the region. Furthermore, capacity building and cooperation measures will be offered to provide both the researchers and their institutions with the possibility to build up their capacities in terms of methodology and management.

During 2008-2009, additional planning missions to other target countries will be conducted to assess the state of social research there, as well as to identify possible additional nucleus partners.

During the implementation phase of the Programme, from 2008 till 2011, the management at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland will be supported by two Local Coordination Units, namely the Human Rights Center at the University in Sarajevo and the Foundation Open Society Institute in Macedonia.

Source: RRPP website