Fields of research
Socio-demographic aspects of migration movements, with an emphasis on temporary and circular international migration, the connection between migration and social development, international migration and the mobility of different migrant groups, with an emphasis on the student and highly educated population, entrepreneurship of transnational migrants, highly educated returnees, etc. Integration of immigrants and migration policy
Current research
- “International migration of students in the context of Serbia and (re)construction of identity: Key issues and elements for public policies” (IS-MIGaIN)
- “Dynamics of transnational families in Europe” – CA 21143 TRAFADY (leader of working group 5 – methodology)
- Research on academic mobility of international students: Medicine and dentistry students at universities in the Republic of Serbia (2024-2025)
Biography
The year of receiving the highest degree of professional qualification PhD 2015, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Economics
Born in Belgrade, where she completed primary and secondary school. In 1989, she entered the Faculty of Philology in Belgrade, Department of Albanian Language and Literature, where she graduated in 1994. In 1990, she entered the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade, Department of Ethnology and Anthropology, where she studied for three years. In the period 1995-1996, as a postgraduate, she received a scholarship from the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Serbia. In 2002, she received her master’s degree at the postgraduate course of the Faculty of Economics in Belgrade, Department of Demography, with the topic “Reproduction of population in the works of authors from Kosovo and Metohija”. In 2015, she received her doctorate at the Faculty of Economics in Belgrade, with the topic “Migration of highly educated persons from Serbia since 1991 to Canada and the United States of America”.
Employment: Since 1997, he has been working as a scientific researcher at the Center for Demographic Research, Institute of Social Sciences. During her research work, she studied population reproduction, especially in Kosovo and Metohija, demographic aspects of the change in the structure of families and households in Serbia. The most common topics and current researches are related to socio-demographic aspects of migratory movements, temporary and circular forms of mobility, the connection between migration and social development, and especially entrepreneurship of transnational migrants, highly educated returnees, as well as other migrant groups.
She took part in numerous domestic and international scientific conferences, round tables and discussion groups and gave introductory lectures at several international conferences. So far, she has published more than 60 scientific papers, as well as two monographs.
She participated as a thematic expert in numerous scientific and professional projects in the country and abroad, as well as managed the thematic work of the IDN team on several international scientific projects: EU SEE SEEMIG, SEEMIG – SEE/C/0006/4.1/; (2012–2014), EU DTP YOUMIG DTP1-161-4.1-YOUMIG (2017–2019), RRPP Ref study: 13776 – Transnational networks, transnational entrepreneurship and role of the state: The Cases of Serbia and Albania) Regional Research Promotion Programme in the Western Balkans, run by the University of Fribourg upon a mandate of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, SDC, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. (2012–2013)
Leads one of the six working groups on the COST action CA 21143 Trafady – Dynamics of transnational families in Europe (2023-2027). Thematic expert and leader of work package 4, on the project “International migration of students in the context of Serbia and (re)construction of identity: Key issues and elements for public policies” (IS-MIGaIN), financed by the Fund for science of the Republic of Serbia within the call for Identity (2023-2025).
She is engaged in the research program “Research on the academic mobility of international students: Medical and dental students at universities in the Republic of Serbia (2024-2025)” implemented by the Center for Sociological and Anthropological Research as the head of the project task, Demographic Dimensions of research.
Scholarships, fellowships, grants
- Scholarship holder of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Serbia, 1995-1996.
Membership of professional organisations:
- Association of Demographers of Serbia
Major publications:
- Predojević-Despić, Jelena (2022) Transnacionalne kompetencije i kulturni kapital: iskustva dve grupe visokoobrazovanih povratnika u Srbiju. Stanovništvo, 60 (1): 117–138.
- Lukić, V., Predojević-Despić J., Janeska V., Lozanoska A. (2021) How is COVID-19 reshaping temporary and circular labour migration: Serbia and North Macedonia perspectives. Forum geografic 20(1): 55–65. https://doi.org/10.5775/fg.2021.051.i
- Predojević-Despić, Jelena and Lukić, Vesna (2018) Entrepreneurship as a Mode of integration: Experiences of Former Refugees in Belgrade, Serbia. Glasnik Etnografskog instituta SANU 65 (3). pp. 641–655.
- Predojević-Despić, Jelena (2017) Who has Left, and Who Would Return: Differences between Serbian Highly Educated Emigrants in the USA and Canada. In Bobić, Mirjana & Janković, Stefan (eds.) Towards Understanding of Contemporary Migration: Causes, Consequences, Policies, Reflections. Institute for Sociological Research, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, Serbian Sociological Society, Belgrade, pp. 83–106.
- Predojević-Despić, J., Penev, G (2016) Population of Serbia Abroad by Destination Countries: Regional Approach, Glasnik Srpskog geografskog društva, 96(2): 83–106.
