Representatives of the RETLAMI-SEE project, Milica Marić (Project Manager, University of Banja Luka) and Borna Doračić (Project Manager, University of Vienna), participated in the BESTPRAC thematic group meeting “Bridging the Gap: Project Managers and Research Support Teams in Action”, which was held from 28 to 29 October 2025 at the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB).
The event, organized within the framework of the European Association of Research Managers and Administrators (EARMA), brought together professionals from across Europe to exchange practices and strengthen cooperation in the field of research management and administration (RMA).
Presentation: “RMA Capacity Building – Lessons Learned within the RETLAMI-SEE Project”
In a joint presentation, Marić and Doračić presented how the RETLAMI-SEE project supports the development of research management capacities at the University of Banja Luka (UNIBL), in partnership with the University of Vienna (UNIVIE), the Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (ZRC SAZU) and the Leibniz Institute for Eastern and South-Eastern European Studies (IOS).
The presentation provided:
- review of research support structures at UNIBL and UNIVIE,
- examples of best practices in project cycle management,
- and an overview of the upcoming “Project Cycle Management Manual”, one of the key deliverables of the RETLAMI-SEE project.
At UNIBL, the Research Development and Support Centre plays a central role in assisting researchers at all stages of the project cycle — from pre-award support (call identification, application review, budget preparation) to post-award implementation (financial reporting, compliance and monitoring).
From UNIVIE’s perspective, Doračić presented the University’s Department of Research Services and Career Development and the EU team, which provide comprehensive support for third-party funding — including proposal preparation, project management, legal services and training of researchers.
Highlighted Key Lessons
Marić and Doračić summarized several lessons learned through RETLAMI-SEE capacity building activities:
- The value of centralized and customized support services.
- Empowering RMA staff to act as strategic facilitators rather than just administrative processors.
- Structured training for the management of the full life cycle of the project,
- Identifying institutional deficiencies and introducing best practices, and
- improving problem-solving skills and workflow optimization for sustainable institutional growth.
The presentation concluded with a call to action for the continuous professionalization of the RMA field and announced the upcoming Horizon Europe WIDERA 2026 “Research Management Facility” call, highlighting the need to continue building collaborative networks in the European research management ecosystem.
The participation of RETLAMI-SEE representatives at this event highlights the contribution of the project to strengthening research management capacities in Southeast Europe and its integration into the wider European RMA community.
