“The European Law, Policies and Institutions” research group: Closing the gap between academic and applied policy research

The European Policy Institute (EPI), together with our partners from the University “Goce Delchev” from Stip (UGD) and the South East European University from Tetovo (SEEU), identified a lack of connection and exchange between academic research and applied policy research in the country. This gap slows down the potential for growth of research quality, prevents the creation of stable ground for research cooperation and exchange, and also prevents the potential for impact in both types of research, as well as prevents scientific knowledge from reaching decision-makers and others concerned parties and the general public.

Because of this, EPI, UGD and SEEU formed the research group “European Law, Policies and Institutions”. The group will focus on facilitating research cooperation and exchange between the three institutions, but also on building bridges between them and other stakeholders in the decision-making processes. It will also work on opening up less discussed topics related to EU accession, researching and advocating, facilitating networking and contacts between stakeholders, informing the expert and general public on issues that fall within its thematic focus, and publishing research results and outcomes of discussions in various formats.

The research group includes professors and assistant professors from both universities, and as members of EPI are included researchers from the think-tank, but we have also invited researchers from other think tanks in the country. The founding meeting of the group was held virtually, on November 20, 2020. The meeting was opened and led by the initiators of the group – Prof. Besa Arifi, dr. Biljana Kotevska, prof. Jovan Ananiev and dr. Simonida Kacarska. In addition to getting to know each other, the group discussed internal organization and external action, future activities, but also the vision for the future development of the group and the dialogue between academic research and applied policy research. All future activities and events of the research group will be announced through the websites and social media profiles of EPI, UGD and SEEU.

Members of the research group “European Law, Policies and Institutions”

prof. Dr. Abdullah Azizi
Assoc. prof. dr. Ana Nikodinovska Krstevska
Dr. Ardita Abazi Imeri
prof. Dr. Arta Selmani – Bakiu
doctoral student Andreja Bogdanovski
prof. Dr. Bekim Nuhija
prof. Dr. Besa Arifi
Dr. Biljana Kotevska
prof. Dr. Veli Kreci
doctoral student Borjan Gjuzelov
prof. Dr. Borka Tusevska Gavrilovic
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elena Maksimova
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jadranka Denkova
prof. Dr. Jovan Ananiev
Dr. Jordanka Galeva
Juliana Karai, MA
Magdalena Lembovska, MA
prof. Dr. Memet Memeti
prof. Dr. Merita Zulfiu Alili
Misha Popovic, MA
prof. Dr. Olga Koshevaliska
prof. Dr. Sami Mehmeti
Dr. Simonida Kacarska