As the UR-DATA project approaches its final months, the last in a series of international staff exchange visits has been successfully completed, marking a significant milestone in strengthening research capacities, knowledge transfer, and long-term cooperation between partner institutions. Under this task, twelve researchers—including early-stage researchers—from the FEUN undertook one-month research visits to project partners OsloMet and Poliedra – Politecnico di Milano, during the project implementation period. These visits focused on joint research, training, and dissemination in the field of smart and sustainable urban development.
One of the most recent exchanges included Prof. Nataša Golubović from FEUN, who spent a month at OsloMet focusing on comparative research in urban governance. Key activities included collaborative planning for research publications on governance models in Serbia and Norway. Together with the OsloMet team, Nataša explored comparative insights from partner countries and worked on shaping evidence-based policy recommendations. The visit also opened doors to further joint publications and collaborative sessions.
In parallel, Prof. Srđan Marinković spent a month at Poliedra – Politecnico di Milano. Srdjan joined the Poliedra team in Milan to collaborate on urban sustainability assessment and housing policy research. Activities during his stay involved the participation in seminars at the Department of Architecture and Urban Studies, engagement in public events during the Milano Civil Week 2025 and co-authorship and manuscript preparation for the forthcoming Springer volume on regenerative tourism. Focus topics included urban public policy evaluation, affordability, and circular economy frameworks.
Milan Perković, member of FEUN’s administrative and IT staff, joined Poliedra for a week-long exchange focused on how digital infrastructures support cutting-edge research. He observed how open-source tools like QGIS and PostgreSQL integrate into daily workflows and how data governance is managed across interdisciplinary teams. More than technical skills, the visit inspired a rethinking of how IT can actively enable innovation, rather than just support it.
Finally, two early-stage researchers, Ivana Marjanović and Sandra Milanović – Zbiljić, completed their study visits at OsloMet, marking the final exchanges under the UR-DATA project. Their visit focused on strengthening their research profiles in the fields of smart education, social inclusion, and urban resilience. But more than that—it was about future-looking collaboration. They worked on shaping new international project proposals, seeding ideas that could carry the spirit of UR-DATA forward into new partnerships and funding frameworks.
These exchanges created durable networks, opened new project pathways, and strengthened the institutional frameworks for urban sustainability research. They reflect the UR-DATA project’s mission to unlock research excellence through twinning and to foster sustainable solutions for urban development challenges in the Western Balkans.