Members

Dr Vassilis Monastiriotis
LSEE-CEFTA Academic Network Director

Dr Monastiriotis is Associate Professor in the Political Economy of South Eastern Europe at the LSE, and Director of LSEE Research on SEE.

His research focuses on economic policy and performance at the regional, national and supra-national levels, with emphasis on trade, FDI and the labour market.

Dr Will Bartlett

LSEE Senior Visiting Fellow, previously Senior Research Fellow in the Political Economy of South East Europe.

Will Bartlett's research interests are in the political economy of economic and social development in South East Europe.

Dr Johann Robert Basedow

Assistant Professor in International Political Economy, European Institute

Dr Basedow's expertise is in the area of international trade, investment arbitration, bilateral investment treaties, regulatory cooperation and non-tariff barriers.

Dr Silvana Mojsovska
Economics Institute, University of “St. Cyril and Methodius”, Skopje

Coordinator of the Research stream on “Trade facilitation and investment”.

Dr Ivana Prica
Faculty of Economics, University of Belgrade

Coordinator of the Research stream on “Trade in services and commercial issues”.

Merima Balavac

Assistant professor at the Faculty of Economics, University of Sarajevo

Email: merima.balavac@efsa.unsa.ba

Merima Balavac is an Assistant Professor at the Department for Quantitative Economics at Faculty of  Economics, University of Sarajevo. Also, she is visiting scholar at Bournemouth University, UK and teaching fellow at CERGE-EI, Czech Republic. 

She holds PhD in Economics from Staffordshire University, UK.  Her major research interest are related to  trade policy issues, tax and financial literacy,  labour market analysis and innovation policies. She has collaborated as researcher and consultant on various projects for international organisations.

Expertise:

Trade policy issues; Tax and financial literacy; Labour market analysis and Innovation policies

Selena Begović

Assistant professor at the School of Economics and Business, Sarajevo

Email: selena.begovic@efsa.unsa.ba

Selena Begović is Assistant Professor in the Social School of Economics and Business at the University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She holds a PhD and a Master’s degree from Staffordshire University in the UK. One chapter of her PhD thesis was awarded with the Olga Radzyner Award by the Austrian National Bank.

She currently lectures on International Finance and Monetary Policy. She is also a CERGE-EI Teaching Fellow. In October 2016, she was an IMF’s academic research fellow.

Expertise:

International finance; Monetary policy

Azra Branković
Assistant Professor at the International University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Department of International Business and Finance

Email:abrankovic@ius.edu.ba

Azra Branković is currently engaged as Assistant Professor at the International University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Department of International Business and Finance. She is teaching International Business, International Management, Business Communication, International Marketing, Business Ethics, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development and Human Resource Management. Her academic experience of many years includes the University of Sarajevo, Department of Economics and Business; the Athens University of Economics and Business, Athens, Greece; the University Bocconi, Milan, Italy; the Academy of Economics, Krakow, Poland. Dr. Branković’s professional career also includes work for the Italian company Ferrero as International Manager, where she was in charge of developing business in Poland. Further, she was engaged by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe as the Chief of Supply, and by the government of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, USA.  Dr. Branković has been living in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the last 15 years, working with the Parliamentary Assembly as Head of the Research Center, and for the Council of Ministers as Expert Adviser for public administration reforms. In addition, Dr. Branković has been a member of several Steering Boards on EU projects.  

Expertise: 

International Business, International Trade, Foreign Direct Investments

Snježana Brkić

Associate Professor, School of Economics and Business, University of Sarajevo

Email: snjezana.brkic@efsa.unsa.ba

Expertise:

Teaching in the fields of International Economics, International Trade, International Finance, Advanced International Financial Management; Research and analysis of macroeconomic indicators and policies; Foreign trade analysis; WTO related issues and BiH accession to WTO related issues; Research in the field of regional trading arrangements.

Rodica Crudu

Associate professor at the Business and Administration Faculty, Academy of Economic Studies in Moldova

Email: rodika.krudu@gmail.com

Rodica CRUDU is an Associate Professor and Jean Monnet Professor at the Department of International Business, Business and Administration Faculty, Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova. She holds PhD in Economics from Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova. She is Head of unit "Education, Training and Consulting", Centre for European Integration Studies (CSEI), ASEM and  Executive editor of two scietific journals: EEJRS      (http://csei.ase.md/journal/) and CSEI Working Papers (http://csei.ase.md/wp/)

Her major research interest are related to trade policy issues, European integration, entrepreneurship and innovation policies. She has collaborated as researcher and consultant on various projects for international organisations. In the period August 2017 – January 2018, she was a Fulbright Visiting researcher at the American University, Washington DC, USA. She is coordinating several projects co-financed by the European Union in the field of European studies.

Expertise:

Trade policy issues; European Integration; Research and Entrepreneurship and Innovation policies

Boban Dašić

Assistant professor at the Faculty of Trade and Banking, Alfa University in Belgrade

Email: bobandasickg@gmail.com

Boban Dašić's doctoral dissertation titled "The influence of foreign direct investments on the regional development of Serbia" was defended at the Faculty of Economics in Kragujevac on October 23, 2010. He obtained the scientific degree of the Doctor of Economic Sciences, the narrow scientific field "General Economy and Economic Development".

Since 01.10.2008 he has been employed at the Faculty of Economics in Pec in Leposavic as a professor of vocational studies. Boban Dašić is lecturer on subjects "National economy", "Business environment". In 2014 he was elected as assistant professor at Alfa University. Professor Dašić is an author and co-author of over 50 scientific and professional papers.

Expertise:

National Economy; Business Environment; Economics

Venera Demukaj

Professor of Economics at the Rochester Institute of Technology, American University of Kosovo.

Email: vdemukaj@auk.org

Venera Demukaj is an Assistant Professor at RIT Kosovo (A.U.K). She teaches Development Economics, Natural Resource Economics, Environmental Economics and International Trade and Finance.  She also supervises RIT Kosovo (A.U.K) Honors’ Society projects. Previously she has worked at the University of Prishtina and Institute for Development Research Riinvest.

Venera received her Ph.D. from the School of International Studies, University of Trento (Italy), with a dissertation on ‘Aid Effectiveness in Post-Conflict Countries’. During her Ph.D. research, Venera has spent three months as an intern at UNU-WIDER in Helsinki. In 2015 Venera was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship and spent four months as a visiting scholar at West Virginia University. Venera has also been involved in several national and regional projects as a team leader or principal investigator such as UNDP project on ‘Second Millennium Development Report for Kosovo’ (2007); Regional Research Promotion Project (RRPP) on ‘Education Specific Corruption in Western Balkan’ (2012-2013); USAID BEEP/Balkan Trust for Democracy Project on Economic Development and Political Transition in Kosovo (2012-2013). 

In 2016, Venera was awarded the first Prize for the Best Paper Competition (co-authored with Luca J. Uberti). The competition was launched by the LSEE Research Unit of South Eastern Europe at the London School of Economics (LSE), supported by the Secretariat and the CEFTA Chair Office. Venera also serves as member of the Advisory Board of the GAP Institute in Prishtina. Her main research interests are post-conflict transitions; foreign aid; poverty reduction; and women empowerment.

Expertise:

Development Economics; Natural Resource Economics; Environmental Economics and International Trade and Finance

Gordana Djurović

Professor of Development Economics at the Faculty of Economics, University of Montenegro

Email: gordana@ac.me

Gordana Djurović is a full professor on the Faculty of Economics, University of Montenegro, Podgorica, where she teaches Economic Development, International Economic Relations and the EU Enlargement Policy.

Prof. Djurovic was the Minister for International Economic Relations and European Integration (2004- 2006), Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration (2006-2009) and Minister for European Integration (2009- 2010). She was appointed for the Head of Negotiating team for negotiations on the Stabilization and association agreement with the EU (SAA, signed on 7 IX 2017) and the Chief Negotiator for the WTO accession (2004-2010). Her current research interest is Montenegrin economic development; Foreign trade; and European integration process.

Expertise:

Economic development of Montenegro; Foreign trade; European integration process

Krum Efremov

Assistant professor at the UACS School of Business Economics and Management

Email: efremov@uacs.edu.mk

Dr Krum Efremov, was Chief Negotiator of the Republic of Macedonia for Agreement on Amendment of and Accession to the Central European Free Trade Agreement – CEFTA 2006. He was involved in the process of accession of the Republic of Macedonia to the World Trade Organization; he was President of the Council for Consumer Protection of the Republic of Macedonia (2004-2009) and last Chairman of the Stability Pact Trade working group. From January 13 to April 4, 2003 he was participant on "23 Trade Policy Course" in Geneva, organized by WTO Training Institute. From January 2009 he was a Director for Economic diplomacy and from January 2014 he is appointed as aSpecial Adviser to the Minister for Economic Diplomacy of the Ministry of foreign affairs of Republic of Macedonia. From 2010 he is Assistant professor of University American College Skopje.

He has been working on several projects with USAID, GTZ, CARDS, IBRD etc. He was main coordinator of expert teams for drafting the: Trade law, Law of consumer protection, Law on technological industrial development zones, Law on electronic commerce and Law on export control of dual-use goods and technologies.

Expertise:

Economics; International Trade; European Integration; CEFTA

Petrit Gashi

Associate professor at the Faculty of Economics, University of Pristina

Email: petrit.gashi@uni-pr.edu

Petrit Gashi holds a PhD from Staffordshire University, UK. He teaches International Trade, International Business, and Transition Economics at the Faculty of Economics, University of Prishtina. Currently, Mr. Gashi chairs the board of the Privatization Agency of Kosovo*. For a number of years, Mr. Gashi has supported the Government of Kosovo* on trade-related matters through various projects supported by the EU, USAID, World Bank, IFC, GIZ.

Mr. Gashi has several works on the area of international trade, published in journals such as Small Business Economics, Applied Economics, Croatian Economic Survey. Some of his work has been published as book chapters in local and international publications. Beyond trade, his research interests include: SME sector, industrialization and natural resources.   

Expertise:

International trade; SME Sector; Industrialization and Natural Resources

Arsena Gjipali

Associate professor at the Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Tirana

Email: arsenagjipali@feut.edu.al

Arsena Gjipali holds a PhD from Staffordshire University, UK, since 2008. Gjipali’s main interest and previous work in research is on socio-economic issues including human capital quality in Albania and the South and East European countries, with a special focus on the labour market, education and migration.

Her research work includes also bank, financial, international trade and energy related topics on which she has co-authored several papers. She has contributed in various projects with the methodology design, data analyses and writing the research proposals and report.

Expertise:

Human capital quality in Albania and South and East European countries; with a focus on Migration;Labour and Education

Dijana Grahovac

University of Niš, Faculty of Economics, doctoral dissertation ''The importance of the Central European Free Trade Association for the development of regional economic cooperation'';

University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Economics, Master studies 2005-2007, Master's thesis ''BiH's foreign trade policy in the EU integration process'';

University of East Sarajevo, Faculty of Economics Brčko, Bachelor of Economics.

Richard Grieveson

Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw) Deputy Director

Email: grieveson@wiiw.ac.at

Richard Grieveson is Deputy Director at the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw) and Research Associate at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. He specialises in the economies of Central, East and Southeast Europe, with a particular focus on Turkey and the Western Balkans. In addition he works on economic history and European integration. He holds degrees from the universities of Cambridge, Vienna and Birkbeck. Previously he worked as a Director in the Emerging Europe Sovereigns team at Fitch Ratings and Regional Manager in the Europe team at the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Eglantina Hysa 

Lecturer of Economics, Epoka University

Email: ehysa@epoka.edu

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eglantina Hysa is Lecturer of Economics at Epoka University, teaching International Economy, Development and Growth and Microeconomics. Her research is focused on development economics, socialaspects, and quality in higher education institutions. She is the author of many scientific publications includingbook chapters and technical reports, published in leading international journals and publishing houses, includingIntegration of Education, Sustainability, Journal of Applied Economics, and Routledge. She is included as BolognaSystem expert for higher education in many EU projects.At the same time, Associate Professor Eglantina Hysa was engaged in numerous and foremost contractualpositions, such as: Expert Evaluator, Horizon 2020, MSCA Program, Research Executive Agency of EuropeanCommission; Expert Evaluator, Erasmus+ Programme and/or the European Solidarity Corps, European UnionProgram Agency (EUPA); External Expert, Public Accreditation Agency for Higher Education, Republic of Albania; and International Consultant, Center for Higher Education Research and Academic Development, UK. 

Danijela Jaćimović

Professor at the Faculty of Economics, University of Montenegro

Email: danijelaj@ucg.ac.me 

Danijela Jaćimović is a professor at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Montenegro. Affiliated Scholar at the Bentley University’s DART (Data Analytics Research Team) and a member of LSEE-CEFTA Academic Network. The holder of a Jean Monnet Module 2012-2015 and Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence 2020-2023: The Challenges of the Enlargement Policy: EU versus China’s diplomacy in Western Balkans.

Expertise: International Economics and European Integration

Attila Jambor

Head of Institute for the Development of Enterprises, Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary

E-mail: attila.jambor@uni-corvinus.hu

Dr Attila Jambor is the Head of Institute for the Development of Enterprises, Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary. Apart from several academic positions throughout the years, he has also served –amongst others- as Senior Expert at FAO, as a Consultant for the Hungarian Ornamental Plants Association, as Expert Evaluator for the European Commission. 

Irena Kikerkova

Professor of Economics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University

Email: irena@eccf.ukim.edu.mk

Irena Kikerkova, Ph.D. is a full-time professor at the oldest and biggest university in the Republic of Macedonia – the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, of which the Faculty of Economics in Skopje is an integral unit. She is engaged at the first cycle of studies on the subjects on international economics and international trade. At present she is Chief of the Department of International Trade at the Faculty of Economics – Skopje and the member of the Faculty Board. Her research preoccupation is focused on international economics, regional integration, international trade, WTO –trading system and foreign direct investment issues.

In 2009 she helped the establishment of the Regional Training Center – World Customs Organization (RTC-WCO) as a unit of the Organizational Chart of the Faculty of Economics – Skopje, on an initiative and in cooperation with the Customs Administration of the Republic of Macedonia and the World Customs Organization from Brussels, Belgium. Since, she has been appointed Director of the RTC –WCO and coordinated a serial of regional trainings on different customs issues as well as international conferences and other international events.

Prof. Kikerkova published over 70 articles and three text-books as author, three text-books as co-author and an editor of two research monographs, all of them focused on topics of international trade, international economics, regional integration and foreign direct investment.

Expertise:

International economics; Regional integration; International trade; WTO –trading system and foreign direct investment issues

Łukasz Klimczak 
Independent researcher; business consultant in the field of trade

Email: lukasz.klimczak@interia.pl

Łukasz Klimczak is an independent researcher and a business consultant in the field of trade relations in the Western Balkans. He received his PhD from the Faculty of Economics and International Relations, Cracow. The subject of his PhD Thesis was ‘Processes of trade liberalisation and changes in its value and structure – an example of the Western Balkan countries’. He has published several papers, mostly on trade on Western Balkans.

Ljuben Kocev

Teaching assistant at Faculty of Economics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University

Email: ljuben.kocev@eccf.ukim.edu.mk

Ljuben Kocev has obtained an LL. B and an LL.M degree in commercial law at the Ss Cyril and Methodius in Skopje, Faculty of Law. He has also obtained and LL.M degree in business law with specialization in International Arbitration at Bucerius Law School in Hamburg. He is working as a Teaching Assistant at the Ss Cyril and Methodius in Skopje, Faculty of Economics, Department of International Trade. Ljuben’s research focuses on International Commercial Law, International Sales Contracts, Commercial Transactions and Dispute Resolution

Expertise:

International Commercial Law; International Sales Contracts; Commercial Transactions and Dispute Resolution

Besnik Krasniqi

Professor of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, University of Pristina

Email: besnik.krasniqi@uni-pr.edu

Besnik A. Krasniqi, a Fulbright Postdoctoral Scholar, holds MA and PhD in Economics from Staffordshire University (UK). He teaches Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Innovation Management and Research Methods at University of Prishtina in graduate and postgraduate studies. His professional career spans teaching and research in entrepreneurship and transition economies at Maastricht School of Management (the Netherland), Indiana University (US) and University of Michigan (US), Staffordshire University (UK), State University of Tetovo (Macedonia), Riinvest Institute for Development Research (Kosovo). He has authored several books, numerus research reports, consultancy assignments in the area of SME policy, export and trade policies, informal economy and economic development.

His research work in appeared in international journals such as Small Bus Econ, Int Entrep Manag J., and Econ Sys. Professor Krasniqi has worked in several regional projects mainly in the area of economic zones, investment and trade in Western Balkan countries. He has been involved in leading several development strategies at national and regional level.

Safet Kurtović

Professor at the Faculty of Management and Business Economics, University of Travnik

Email: safetkurtovic71@yahoo.com

Safet Kurtović received his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Belgrade in 2002. He is a professor at the Faculty of Management and Business Economics, University of Travnik.

He started his professional career at the Faculty of Economics in Mostar, the University of Dzemal Bijedic. His research focus is on international economics, international business, international trade, and applied economy. He has published more than 70 scientific papers in leading journals, 11 books, and more than a dozen studies and research projects

Expertise:

International economics; International business; International trade and Applied economy

Elena Makrevska Disoska

Assistant professor at the Faculty of Economics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University

Email: elenam@eccf.ukim.edu.mk

Elena Makrevska Disoska is assistant professor at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Faculty of Economics. Her field of research is in international economics and European Economic Integration. She is engaged on subjects such as The EU Singe Market, European Economic Integration and International Organizations and Integration at the undergraduate studies. So far she has been engaged in a number of national projects and has participated in many international and domestic workshops and conferences.

Expertise:

International Economics; European Economic Integration

Ivan Milenkovic

Associate professor at the Faculty of Economics, University of Novi Sad

Email: imilenkovic@ef.uns.ac.rs

Ivan Milenković is Associate Professor in Finance at the Faculty of Economics in Subotica, University of Novi Sad. His fields of interest are international banking, theory and regimes of exchange rates, theory and policy of balance of payments, monetary policy, and fiscal policy.

Expertise:

International banking; Theory and regimes of exchange rates; Theory and policy of balance of payments; Monetary and fiscal policy

Emilija Miteva Kacarski

Assistant professor at the Faculty of Economics, University of Goce Delcev

Email: emilija.miteva@ugd.edu.mk

Emilija Miteva Kacarski is an Assistant professor in International economy at the Faculty of Economics, Goce Delcev University, Stip. The key areas of her research interest include International Trade, Globalization, Tariff Policy, Non-tariff Protectionism, International organization and integrations. She takes active part in research and applied projects as well as scientific meetings, conferences, in the country and abroad. She is an author of numerous publications in the country and abroad.

Expertise:

International economy; International trade; Globalization; Tariff-policy; Non-tariff protectionism; International organizations and integration

Martin Mihajlov

Associate professor at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University

Email: martin.mihajlov@eccf.ukim.edu.mk

Martin Mihajlov currently works at the Department of E-business at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University. His current research focus is the application of block-chain technology in trade-related processes.

Marjan Petreski

Associate professor at the School of Business Economics and Management of the University American College Skopje

Dr. Marjan Petreski is Associate Professor at the School of Business Economics and Management of the University American College Skopje. He is the founder of Finance Think - Economic Research&Policy Institute in Skopje, a prominent and influential economic think tank.

He holds a PhD from Staffordshire University, UK. His research lately focuses on issues related to development, labor markets, social policy and the welfare state, with a strong focus on transition economies. As part of his research on development, Marjan was investigating the role of CEFTA for the welfare of the member states. He published widely in international peer-reviewed journals (18 articles in journals indexed in Journal Citation Reports), authored four international books and eleven chapters in international books. 

For his research, he has been awarded with several international awards, the latest being the LSE-CEFTA Award on paper on trade. Marjan served Career Integration Fellow of CERGE-EI in Prague, as well an external consultant of the World Bank, International Labor Organization, UNCTAD, UN Women, UNDP, Regional Cooperation Council and others. 

Expertise:

Development; Labour markets; Social policy and the Welfare state

Victoria Pistikou

Assistant Professor in International Economic Relations, Department of Economics, School of Social, Political and Economic Science, Democritus University of Thrace

Email: vpistiko@econ.duth.gr

Victoria Pistikou is Assistant Professor at the Department of Economics in Democritus University of Thrace. She graduated from the Department of Political Science and History from Panteion University (2009). She was awarded her Master of Arts in International Relations and Strategic Studies from Panteion University (2011) and her Doctorate degree from the Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of the Peloponnese (2016). The title of her Ph.D. thesis is “Economic Interdependence and National Security”. Her research interests lie primarily in International Economic Relations, International Political Economy as well as International Development Cooperation. 

Dušan V. Popović

Professor of Business Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Belgrade

E-mail: dusan.popovic@ius.bg.ac.rs

Dušan V. Popović is specialized in Competition Law and Intellectual Property Law. After having completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law in 2001, he received a specialist degree in EU Law (2002) and a MSc degree in EU Law (2003) at the University of Nancy, France. In 2007 he defended his PhD thesis with honors at the University Paris Nanterre, France.

He has undertaken a number of study visits to various European universities and institutes (Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition, University of Strasbourg, University of Salzburg, etc.). In 2017, Dušan was awarded a Jean Monnet Module, an EU-funded research and teaching project on free trade agreements and European integration of SEE countries. Dušan is president of the Serbian Domain Name Dispute Resolution Institution and serves as arbitrator at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, attached to the Serbian Chamber of Commerce.

Expertise:

Competition Law and Policy; Intellectual Property Law; EU Law; Internet Law.

Xavier Richet

Emeritus Professor of Economics, Sorbonne Nouvelle University, Paris, Jean Monnet Chair ad personam

Email : xrichet@gmail.com

Xavier Richet is Emeritus Professor of Economics at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University, Paris, Jean Monnet Chair ad personam. He has been visiting professor at several universities in the region (Belgrade, Chisinau, Rijeka) and has directed the BALKINT program funded by the European Union, bringing together Bulgarian, Romanian, Croatian, Serbian and Albanian researchers.

Expertise:

FDI, industrial policies, enterprises restructuring

Boban Stojanović

Professor in Microeconomics, Faculty of Economics Niš

Email: stojanovic@ni.ac.rs

Prof. Dr. Boban Stojanović has 36 years experience in teaching, research and other academic activities. He has been working in high education since 1983. He is full professor in Microeconomics at Faculty of Economics Niš. He was researcher at the following universities: Goethe University Frankfurt (DAAD PhD scholarship), Europa Institut in Saarbruecken, Bochum and Graz (Coimbra group scholarship), State Department IVP Program, USA. He was professor at Faculty of Economics, University of Belgrade (1994-2002) and visiting professor at University Sophia Antipolis Nice, France and Kazakh National University Almaty, Kazakhstan. Also, he was lecturer at summer schools at universities of Nice and Niš, founder and head of the Centre for the multidisciplinary studies at the University of Niš, vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce, twice vice-dean, member of the editorial boards of ”Journal of Business and Economics” and ”Economics Analysis”. He is a member of Council of the Serbian Association of Economists (SES), and a member of the DAAD Scholarship Selection Board. He actively participates in many domestic and international research projects. He was consortium member of the four TEMPUS Projects and Jean Monnet EU module project coordinator. He wrote five books and published more then 150 papers in domestic and international journals and publications.

Expertise:

Monopoly, Industrial organization, Competition policy, European economic integration

Aleksandar Stojkov

Associate professor in Economics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University

Email: a.stojkov@pf.ukim.edu.mk

Aleksandar Stojkov is associate professor of economics at the Iustinianus Primus Faculty of Law at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Macedonia. Aleksandar has a three-year working experience on managerial positions in the government sector (Budget Department and Macroeconomic Policy Department in the Ministry of Finance). He finished his PhD studies in international economics in October 2009 in the UK, funded by a joint scholarship from OSI and Staffordshire University.

Aleksandar has published a number of academic articles, mainly in the areas of international macroeconomics, public finance, econometrics, and economic analysis of law. He served as a member of management and supervisory boards of several government agencies, non-executive member in the Board of Directors of a multinational corporation as well as a member of the Higher Education Accreditation Board of the Republic of Macedonia. He pursued a postdoctoral research in CIRANO, a leading Canadian inter-university centre of research, liaison, and transfer of knowledge on the analysis of organizations. Presently, he is a non-executive member of the National Bank Board of Macedonia.

Expertise:

International macroeconomics; Public finance; Econometrics; and Economic analysis of law

Dragan Tevdovski

Advisor to the Executive Director of the Dutch-Belgian Constituensy at the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Katerina Toshevska- Trpchevska

Assistant professor at the Faculty of Economics, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University

Email: Katerina.Tosevska@eccf.ukim.edu.mk

Since 2003, Katerina Toshevska-Trpchevska has been employed at the Faculty of Economics, University Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia. In 2017 she has been elected as Associate Professor on Multilateral Trading System, International Trade Transactions and Multilateral Trading Regulation at the same faculty. Her main field of interests are different aspects of international trade, activities of the World Trade Organization and especially the field of trade facilitation.

During her university career she has published more than thirty papers, participated in more than sixty domestic and international conferences, seminars and workshops and done two study visits abroad: at the George Washington University in Washington, USA and at the Faculty of Economics on the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal. She has also participated at the 12th WIPO-WTO Colloquim for Teachers of Intellectual Property organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva in 2015 and at the 24 Regional course on Key Aspects on the International Economic Agenda in the Countries of Transition” in organization of UNCTAD at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.

Expertise:

International trade; Activities of the World Trade Organization; Trade facilitation

Miloš Trifković

Professor at the University of Sarajevo, School of Science and Technology

Email: milos.trifkovic@ssst.edu.ba

Professor Miloš Trifković obtained his B. A. at the Faculty of Law, University of Sarajevo; followed by M.A. in “Business Law” at the Faculty of Law, University of Belgrade. In 1971 he obtained his Ph.D. with a dissertation on ”Carrier’s Liability for Nonperformance of Duties Arising from the General Type Contract of Haulage of Goods in Domestic Transportation” at the Faculty of Law, University of Belgrade. In 1981 he became a full-time Professor for Business Law at the School of Economics and Business at the University of Sarajevo.

He has undertaken numerous study visits(Max Planck Institute for Intellectual Property in Munich, Oxford University and Delware Univeristy in England, Univeristy of California Berkley in the US. In 2014 he was elected President of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina and in 2016- a member of the World Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts. 

He has co-authored four professional books, has made chapter contributions in four books, has authored 81 journal articles, worked on 61 scientific and professional research projects and over 130 professional consultancy projects.

Expertise:

Business Law; Business consulting; Ethical Issues in Business Environment; Business Law in Tourism; Intellectual Property

Jelena Trivić

Assistant Professor at the Department of International Economics, Faculty of Economics, University of Banja Luka

Email: jelena.trivic@ef.unibl.org

Jelena Trivić is Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Economics University of Banja Luka where she teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the area of International Economics. She authored more than 30 research articles, several international monographs and one book on international trade. She holds a master degree from the Faculty of Economics University of Bologna and PhD degree from the Faculty of Economics University of Belgrade. Her research interests include international trade and trade policy, international finances and the process of European integration of B&H.

Expertise:

International Economics; International Trade and Trade Policy, International Finance; European Integration

Jovan Zafiroski

 Associate professor at the Faculty of law “Iustinianus primus” Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje

Email: zafiroski2000@yahoo.com

Mr. Jovan Zafiroski holds a PhD in law from the University of Nice – Sophia Antipolis, France awarded with mention très honorable, a Master’s degree from the College of Europe, Warsaw, Poland and Bruges, Belgium and a diploma from the Faculty of law in Skopje. Currently he works as an associate professor at the Faculty of law “Iustinianus primus” Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. Before joining the Faculty of law he practiced law and holds a certificate for the attorneys and judiciary exam. Mr. Zafiroski is a member of the editorial board of several journals published in the country and abroad. His research interests are in banking and financial services law and in the monetary law. He is author of numerous articles published in France, USA, Russia, India, Croatia, Serbia and N. Macedonia. 

Drazen Derado

Professor at the Faculty of Economics, University of Split

Email: drazen.derado@efst.hr

Dražen Derado is a Full Professor at the University of Split, Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism where he teaches International Economics and Economics of the European Integration. He holds a doctoral degree from Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration.

His research background includes papers in international trade, with special focus on the SMOPEC, and papers on institutional and economic aspects of FDI. He also publishes papers on trade and monetary integration, with special reference to the EU.

His research interests include modern theories of international trade, determinants of FDI and issues related to further integration process in the EU. His broader scope of interest includes cross-disciplinary approach to the above topics and application of new and innovative research methods.

He has participated in numerous research projects focusing on local development and improvement of investment climate (EU IPA funded projects).

Expertise:

Modern theories of international trade; Determinants of FDI and issues related to further integration process in the EU

Carmen Fratita

International Trade Economist and Independent Consultant

Email: f_carmen@yahoo.com

Ms. Carmen Fratita is a skilled trade economist with 20 year experience of trade policy liberalisation and facilitation in transition economies. She has hands on knowledge of a wide range of trade policy processes, gained from over 10 years as a senior trade official in the Romanian Government, where she was actively involved in the implementation and negotiation of WTO, CEFTA and EU association/accession agreements. Carmen Fratita has obtained her MA in International Economics (1998) and MA in Marketing (2009) in the University for Economic Studies in Bucharest, Romania.

She is admitted to the roster of the WTO Dispute Settlement Panellists. Ms Fratita has extensive experience implementing trade agreements from her time in Romania, including hands on expertise in quality infrastructure, notifications on TBT, SPS, agriculture subsidies, administering quotas, implementing safeguards, and rules of origin certification. She also provided extensive support to BiH’s accession process to the WTO and CEFTA implementation efforts under EUTPP, including advice and support on legal reform. Direct experience in trade negotiations, including preparation of negotiating offers and requests - with Romania this included CEFTA accession negotiations, ongoing WTO negotiations in agriculture and services, and EC accession negotiations. Her experience includes 4 years in Geneva as part of Romania’s Permanent mission to the WTO. She also provided negotiation advice under EUTPP to support BiH’s WTO accession.

Expertise:

International trade

Iraj Hashi

Professor of Economics at Staffordshire University

Email:i.hashi@staffs.ac.uk

Iraj Hashi is Professor of Economics and Director of the Centre for Research on Emerging Economies (CREE) at Staffordshire University, Stoke on Trent, United Kingdom where he has been working since 1978. He has worked with universities and research institutions in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Kosovo, Macedonia, Poland, Romania and Russia since the start of the transition process. His recent research has focused on the internationalisation of SMEs, innovation, entrepreneurship, and employee participation focusing on transition economies.

Ines Kersan-Skabić

Professor at Juraj Dobrila University of Pula

Email: ikersan@unipu.hr

Professor Ines Kersan-Skabić is a full professor at Juraj Dobrila University of Pula (Croatia), Faculty of Economics and Tourism “Dr. Mijo Mirkovic”. She is head of Department of National and International Economics. Professor Kersan-Skabić was an academic coordinator of Jean Monnet Module EU’s Programs and Funds (2013-2016) and project coordinator on scientific project “Competitiveness of SME – forming clusters in Croatian Economy” (2007-2013, Ministry of Science, Education and Sport, Croatia). She currently teaches: International Economics, International Finance, EU Economics; European economic integrations, EU’s Programs and Funds on undergraduate, graduate and/or postgraduate studies.

Expertise:

International trade; International finance; Foreign debt; Exchange rates; FDI; Competitiveness

George Petrakos

Professor at the University of Thessaly, Greece

Email: petrakos@uth.gr

Prof.Petrakos obtained his BSc in Economics in the Athens University of Economics and Business and then proceeded to his MSc in PhD in Economics, which he obtained from Arizona State University in the US. Currently he is teaching undergraduate courses in Regional Development and postgraduate course in European Competitiveness and Cohesion Policies in the University of Thessaly in Greece. 

Most recently, he has been Councelor of the Regional Science Association International (RSAI), Vice President, European Regional Science Association (ERSA) and Chairman of the Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly. 

Expertise:

Urban and Regional Growth; Economic Geography; Regional Development and Policy; International Economic Relations and European Integration and Economies in Transition with Emphasis on the Balkans.

Luca J. Uberti

Post-doctoral researcher at the University of Oslo

Email: luca.jacopo.uberti@gmail.com

Luca Uberti is a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the University of Oslo (Norway) and Alexander Nash Fellow at the School of Slanovic and East European Studies (SSEES), University College London (as of September 2018). He is a political economist with an interest in economic development and post-socialist transition.

His research explores the causes and consequences of corruption in transition and emerging economies, and the role of industrial policy in development. Geographically, he specialises on Albania and Kosovo, where he has conducted extensive fieldwork research in the garment, mining and wine sectors.

As part of the LSEE-CEFTA network, Luca has worked with Dr. Venera Demukaj (RIT Kosovo) on an impact evaluation study of regional-bilateral trade agreements in the Western Balkans. In 2015, Luca also worked as a Junior Expert for the EU Trade Policy Project Kosovo, providing policy advice to the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), and co-authoring MTI's first annual report on "15 Years of Transition in Kosovo: Implications for Trade". His work has appeared, amongst others, in Economics of Transition, Economic Systems and Development and Change.

Expertise:

Trade and Industrial Policy, Corruption, Economic Development, Albania, Kosovo.

Milica Uvalić

Professor at the Department of Economics, University of Perugia, Italy

Email: milica.uvalic@unipg.it

Professor Milica Uvalić is a is full professor at the Economics Department, University of Perugia (Italy) where she teaches courses on European Economic Integration, Economic Development and Transition Economics. Her recent research interests focus on Western Balkans’ economic development, trade, FDI, higher education and labour markets and the EU integration process.

Expertise:

Economic Development; Trade; FDI; Higher Education; Labour Markets; EU Integration Process.