The Regional Network of Centers for Advanced Studies in Southeast Europe (RECAS) opens a call for scholarships for PhD students or PhD Candidates (advanced stage).

Application topic for the 2025 Scholarship:

Youth Agency and Young Political Imaginaries in the Western Balkans

Program Goal:

The scholarship aims to:

• To support researchers in developing research on youth and their role in creating democratic futures in the region.
• To encourage academic exchange and regional cooperation in universities in Southeast Europe.
• To connect research to concrete political, social and cultural processes.

Reception centers:

• Universities of Rijeka and Belgrade (main hosts)
• Partner universities: Skopje, Sarajevo, Ljubljana, Pristina, Tirana, Podgorica

Duration and Conditions:

• Duration: 4–6 months
• Scholarship start: December 15, 2025
• Monthly amount: €1,500 net
• Includes: workspace, institutional support and local networks
• The winning applicant covers expenses such as: regional travel and health insurance

Obligations of Winning Applicants:

• Participation in the CAS online seminar series (weekly)
• Engagement in 2 capacity building workshops
• A working week at Moise Palace (Cres Island)
• Presentations at regional conferences and activities in the EU
• Contribution to the “Policy Hackathon” and “Academic Policy Lab 2.0”

Expected Products:

• Essay or research report
• Results presented at “Surgery Week”
• Contribution to the Academic Policy Lab repository
• Final activity report

Participation Criteria:

• PhD student or doctoral candidate (advanced stage)
• Excellent knowledge of English
• Applications from all disciplines of the humanities, social sciences and arts
• Priority for researchers working on Southeast Europe

Deadlines:

• Application deadline: October 3, 2025
• Scholarship start: December 15, 2025

How to Apply:

Application is made through the Online Application Form: CAS SEE Fellowship Application – CAS SEE.
Deadline: October 3, 2025.

More information: Current calls – RECAS

Powered by:

• Open Society Foundation – Western Balkans
• ERSTE Foundation

About RECA

RECAS brings together researchers and institutions from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia and Croatia. The aim is to foster regional exchange, public science and innovation at the intersection of research and policymaking.