The three main components of RRPP are

• support of relevant social science researches,
• capacity building and networking
• national policy dialogue in countries of the Western Balkans.

Capacity building is an enabling and empowering process as it provides social scientists with the necessary tools and networks resulting in better chances for producing substantial and excellent research results. In turn, this also increases professional status, legitimacy and visibility of social scientists in their respective countries.

National Policy Dialogue projects became an integral component of the RRPP in all countries of the region in 2011 and are primarily led by the RRPP LCUs. Policy Dialogue component of the programme is aimed at influencing necessary systemic changes in social science research of the Western Balkan countries, while involving a number of relevant stakeholders among which are responsible ministries, rectors, deans, professors and researchers from different disciplines.

The programme operates through three inter-related pillars:

• The allocation of research grants for projects that are concerned with issues related to transformation processes in the region;
• The organization of methodological and thematic trainings provided by international and regional experts and mentors;
• The enabling and strengthening of regional interactions and cooperation – especially through training and regional / international conferences.

The RRPP is coordinated and operated by the Interfaculty Institute for Central and Eastern Europe (IICEE) at the University of Fribourg (Switzerland).