On 12 October 2026, the international workshop “South Eastern Europe in ERC Projects: Perspectives, Challenges, Scales” took place at the Aula Magna of the University of Rijeka’s Rectorate.

The workshop brought together an interdisciplinary group of scholars involved in nine European Research Council (ERC) projects to exchange perspectives on researching South Eastern Europe and its connections with broader geographical and historical contexts.

Hosted by the University of Rijeka, the event was jointly organised by CAS SEE and the ERC projects OpenBorders and HumanEuroMed, in collaboration with Housing.YU, Revenant, Brokers of NAM, FeMMiWork, MemPop, Nepostrans, and Racial Socialism.

Discussions explored how ERC-funded research can challenge established narratives about South Eastern Europe, a region often approached as an exceptional case, by placing it in dialogue with other areas, including Central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean. The workshop also provided an opportunity to reflect on research methodologies, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the challenges and opportunities of studying a region whose geographical boundaries remain open to debate.

By bringing together researchers working across different projects and perspectives, the event encouraged the exchange of ideas and the development of new research connections, with the aim of extending these discussions and collaborations beyond the lifetime of individual projects.