Recently, MARGISTAR’s Vladimir Stojanovski had the opportunity to participate in a Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) at the Bulgarian Academy of Science’s Forest Research Institute in Sofia, Bulgaria. This STSM was linked to MARGISTAR’s tasks in that it aimed to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange on sustainable forestry and rural development. As a researcher focused on the socio-economic aspects of forestry in marginalised regions, particularly in North Macedonia and South-West Bulgaria, this mission was a pivotal experience in his academic and professional journey.
In this blog, I report my personal experience at the Futures of Natural Resources Conference and reflect on the transformative ways researchers can participate in conferences to achieve the biggest possible positive research and outreach benefits and the least possible negative social-ecological impact.
From June 5 to 7, MARGISTAR’s Anita Busljeta Tonkovic for the fourth time visited the Rural Entrepreneurship Conference at the University of Leeds, England. Although the conference location changes annually, it is host to a regular group of academics who Anita has been meeting and maintaining international scientific collaborations with for years. Read about Anita’s experiences and how these have changed since her first visit as a postdoctoral researcher in 2016.
This May, MARGISTAR’s Fiona Bakas attended a MARGISTAR Short-Term Scientific Mission in Novi Sad, Serbia, hosted by Tamara Jovanović at Novi Sad University. The mission focused on quantitative methodologies for destination personality research in marginalised mountainous areas and fostering international collaboration. The experience included valuable training, cultural immersion, and networking, leading to discussions on joint research projects. Read on to find out how this mission enriched Fiona’s professional competences and set a foundation for future sustainable creative practices in Europe's mountainous regions.
In the period from May 13 to 17, MARGISTAR’s Tamara Jovanović and Igor Ponjiger visited the region of Lika, Croatia. They were invited by the Gospić branch of the Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar and Velebit Nature Park. Over the course of five days, they achieved their scientific goals and got to know a fascinating part of Croatia that is often overlooked. Because their research and interests are closely tied and they have in the past collaborated on several papers within MARGISTAR, they decided to take the trip during the same period. Read on for more about their mission and the experiences they had.
On October 17-18, Brussels hosted the COST Connect event, “Agriculture and Its Products.” This gathering brought together policymakers, stakeholders, and more than 40 researchers from 20 COST Actions to discuss agricultural research and policies. Prof. António Manuel Teixeira Monteiro from the University of Lisbon, Dr. Irene Christoforidi from the Hellenic Mediterranean University and Dr. Somaye Latifi from the Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics, Rural and Mountain Research (BAB) represented MARGISTAR at the event.
MARGISTAR is launching its third call for Dissemination Conference Grants for conferences occurring between January 15th, 2025 until May 31st, 2025. All applications must be made before the deadline on November 24th, 2024, and all activities must occur before May 31st, 2025.
MARGISTAR is launching its third call for Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITC) Conference Grants for conferences occurring between January 15th, 2025 until May 31st, 2025. All applications must be made before the deadline on November 24th, 2024, and all activities must occur before May 31st, 2025.
MARGISTAR is launching its first call for Virtual Mobility (VM) for mobilities occurring between January 15th and September 30, 2025. Applications can be sent on a continuous basis, up to the reaching of the budget limit.