A wider enlargement focus
POLICY ENLARGE extends structured research and innovation policy cooperation to ten enlargement economies: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo*, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye and Ukraine.
The project builds on established regional cooperation structures while responding to a broader EU enlargement agenda. Its aim is to support a more connected research and innovation policy landscape across the enlargement region, including policy dialogue, peer learning, targeted support measures and stronger links between research, innovation, policy and stakeholder communities.
Kick-off meeting in Budapest
The POLICY ENLARGE kick-off meeting took place in Budapest on 21-22 April 2026 and was hosted by the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME). The meeting brought together consortium partners for two days of structured discussion, planning and coordination at the start of the project.
The event opened with welcomes from the host institution, the European Commission and the project coordinator, the Regional Centre for Information and Scientific Development (RCISD). The sessions placed the project within the wider European research and innovation policy context, clarified its objectives and expected results, and discussed the practical organisation of the work ahead.
Partners addressed the project’s work packages, including policy dialogue, policy guidance and learning, joint calls and actions, capacity building, communication, dissemination, stakeholder engagement and project management. The meeting helped establish a shared understanding of roles, responsibilities, governance structures and next implementation steps.
ZSI’s role
ZSI coordinated POLICY ANSWERS and continues as a key partner in POLICY ENLARGE, contributing its long-standing expertise in international research and innovation cooperation, policy dialogue, platform development and stakeholder engagement.
Within the project, ZSI contributes to the continuation and expansion of structured policy dialogue and communication activities. A central element will be the further development of the Western Balkans Info Hub into an Enlargement Info Hub, serving as a shared information, knowledge and communication platform for the wider enlargement region.
Continuity, cooperation and next steps
POLICY ENLARGE will support structured policy dialogue, peer learning, capacity building, targeted calls and cooperation between research, innovation, policy and stakeholder communities. The project is designed to strengthen research and innovation policy making and implementation in support of the EU enlargement process.
The consortium is coordinated by RCISD and brings together 15 full partners and 6 associated organisations from across Europe and the enlargement region. POLICY ENLARGE runs for 36 months.
Further information is available on the Western Balkans Info Hub:
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
