INSTITUT EKONOMSKIH NAUKA

Their core work

The Institute of Economic Sciences (IEN) is a Belgrade-based independent economics research centre affiliated with the University of Belgrade, focused on applied economic and social science research. Their H2020 participation spans two distinct but related areas: the infrastructure underpinning European social science data sharing, and the multidimensional economic and social analysis of migration. As a research centre in Serbia — an EU candidate country — they bring a Western Balkans regional perspective to European research consortia. Their institutional mandate covers economic theory, empirical economic analysis, and evidence-based policy research.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

IEN's earliest H2020 engagement (2015–2017) was in research infrastructure — specifically, the systems and standards that allow social science data to be shared and reused across Europe. Their later involvement (2019–2024) shifted toward substantive policy research, namely the economic and social drivers and consequences of migration. This trajectory suggests a move from supporting data infrastructure to using that infrastructure for applied policy analysis. With only two projects and no keyword metadata available, however, this reading of evolution is tentative rather than conclusive.

IEN appears to be positioning itself as a regional social science research partner for EU projects addressing migration, labour markets, and social policy — areas where Western Balkans data and expertise are increasingly valued in European consortia.

How they like to work

IEN has never coordinated an H2020 project, always joining as a participant or third party — indicating they contribute specialist expertise rather than drive project leadership. Both projects were large, multi-country Research and Innovation Actions, giving IEN access to unusually broad networks (45 partners, 26 countries) relative to their small project footprint. This suggests they are a trusted niche contributor that large consortia bring in for regional or disciplinary coverage rather than a central operational actor.

Despite only two H2020 projects, IEN has built connections with 45 distinct consortium partners across 26 countries — a wide footprint explained by participation in two large, pan-European RIA consortia. Their network spans the full EU and associated countries, reflecting the broad geographic scope typical of CESSDA and migration research projects.

What sets them apart

IEN occupies a specific and underserved niche as one of the few Serbian economics research institutes with direct H2020 project experience, making them a credible bridge between EU research networks and the Western Balkans region. For consortia that need regional data, institutional contacts in Serbia, or compliance with Horizon's widening participation goals, IEN provides both the academic credentials and the geographic coverage. Their combination of social science data expertise and migration research is directly relevant to EU policy priorities around demographic change and labour mobility.

Highlights from their portfolio

• CESSDA-SaW
  IEN's only funded H2020 project, placing them within the consortium that built the backbone of European social science data archiving — a foundational infrastructure role.
• HumMingBird
  A long-running (2019–2024) multi-partner RIA on migration policy, where IEN contributed as a third party — demonstrating recognised expertise in migration economics without direct EC funding.