Institute for International Relations

Policy Research

The Department's academic activities are focused on independent and specific research either for scholarly purposes or for particular needs of the policy-makers, other institutions, or enterprises.

The Department conducts policy research on issues such as trends in global growth rates, interest rates, monetary systems, international economic interdependency, economic reconstruction, privatization, reconstruction of the pension systems, banking systems, income distribution, development of financial markets, etc.

Current Research Programmes

Civil Society Capacity Building to Map and Monitor Security System Reform in the Western Balkans 2009-2011

The Department's long term research is supported by the Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Sports.

Economic Aspects of Security

International Aspects of Competitiveness, Restructuring and Entrepreneurship

Other Current Projects

Privatisation of the public services sector in Croatia and SEE: assessment of the major gains and pains

Completed Research Project

• Cost and Benefits of the Croatia´s Accession to NATO
• Pro-Adris – Protecting the Adriatic Seaways
• CIVIL ALLIANCE 08 – TOGETHER TOWARDS NATO

The latest completed research project, that was focused on the three-year period 2003-2005, was entitled International Aspects of Regional Development, Restructuring and Competitiveness.

International Research Projects

Among others, Department members participate in a number of major international research projects.

• The Department is member of the Partnership for Peace (PfP) Consortium of Defense Academies and Security Studies Institutes, where it is especially active in two of the ten study groups: Regional Stability in South East Europe (Mladen Staničić is co-convenor) and Euro-Atlantic Security.
• Dapertment members are local team leaders and participants of the EU-CONSENT Research Consortium, a project supported by the European Union’s 6th Framework Programme for the period 2005-2009, which operates as a Network of Excellence for joint research and teaching that addresses questions of the mutual reinforcing effects of the deepening and widening of the EU.
• This Department also serves as lead local partner for the EPPA Reports on Croatia, prepared jointly with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), in consultation with and with support from the EC. The EPPA's are reports drawn up by experts on the basis of interviews with entrepreneurs.
• Through its participation in the Globalisation and Economic Success – Policy options for Africa project established by the Brenthurst Foundation, the Department is part of a Research Consortium which involves more than 20 institutional partners and some 50 researchers around the world.

Other Projects

As the role of the media gained weight worldwide, the Department established a Journalists' Academy for Monitoring the Process of Croatian Integration into the European Union and NATO, focusing on journalistic practice and workshops.