The Institute of International Politics and Economics successfully concluded its XXI cycle of short-term volunteering on May 21, 2026. The programme was coordinated by Principal Research Fellow Prof. Dr. Marko Novaković, with Dr. Katarina Zakić, Prof. Dr. Dušan Proroković, Dr. Mitko Arnaudov, and Prof. Dr. Dragan Petrović serving as mentors.
The cycle began on February 23, 2026, with four participants: Mihajlo Botić (MA student) and Aleksa Kovačević (BA student) from the Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade; Milica Otović (MA student) from the Faculty of Security Studies, University of Belgrade; and Stefani Jovanić (MA student) from Shenzhen University and the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana.
Throughout the programme, the volunteers were directly involved in the Institute’s activities. As a final outcome of their engagement, each participant prepared and presented a research paper.
The students’ research papers addressed a range of topics in foreign policy, international political economy, security studies, and geopolitics. Milica Otović examined the strategic corridors of the Balkans as instruments of power projection, with particular attention to their transportation, energy, and geoeconomic dimensions. Stefanija Jovanić explored the economic cooperation between the People’s Republic of China and the Western Balkans in the context of European integration and contemporary geoeconomic dynamics. Aleksa Kovačević analyzed Serbia’s positioning within the international system through the lens of neoclassical realism, focusing on the role of domestic political and institutional factors in shaping foreign policy outcomes. Mihajlo Botić investigated Georgia’s foreign policy conduct amid the war in Ukraine and the broader context of intensifying geopolitical competition, with a particular emphasis on the strategies available to small states operating in a complex security environment.
Following the presentations, a discussion took place with the mentors and fellow participants. Certificates marking the successful completion of the XXI cycle were presented to the volunteers at the close of the programme.
The Institute of International Politics and Economics extends its gratitude to all participants for their dedication, intellectual curiosity, and contribution to the Institute’s work, and wishes them every success in their future academic and professional endeavours.
