A regional meeting within the framework of the Western Balkan Social Inclusion Barometer (WBSIB) project was held on April 16–17, 2025, in Tirana, gathering prominent representatives of academia and public and NGO institutions to strengthen regional cooperation and improve evidence-based public policies. The event was co-organized by the Institute of Social Sciences (IDN), Belgrade, and SCiDEV, with active participation from Orkidea Xhaferaj and Bleriana Bino, representatives of SCiDEV and co-organizers of the meeting.
The event was opened by Maja Anđelković, Project Assistant at IDN, who presented the Institute’s current strategic directions and its commitment to regional cooperation. She highlighted the results of the SAIGE project, especially the comprehensive modernization of research infrastructure and the introduction of innovative methodological tools. Anđelković emphasized that without stable and strategic partnerships, research initiatives often remain fragmented and lack long-term impact. In this context, the project WBSIB was presented as a key platform for integrating knowledge, data, and resources in the service of more just and inclusive public policies.
Speaking on the development and purpose of WBSIB, Dr. Goran Bašić, Director of IDN, pointed out that countries in the region still lack valid, reliable, and legally relevant data on the implementation of social inclusion policies. He presented the Social Inclusion Barometer, a software tool developed by IDN for real-time monitoring and evaluation of social policy measures. The software integrates human rights-based indicators, mechanisms for documenting implemented measures, and advanced data processing options, including artificial intelligence components.
Dr. Bašić placed particular emphasis on the methodological framework of the Barometer, which includes the monitoring of policies in the areas of education, employment, housing, health, and social protection, through systematic data collection and verification by local and national institutions. He stressed that both the methodology and the software were designed to be adaptable to different regional contexts, in line with European data protection standards.
He emphasized that this tool is not merely a technical instrument, but an effort to establish a standardized, regionally applicable system that ensures transparency and accountability in the field of social inclusion. WBSIB, he added, goes beyond research and becomes a call for shared responsibility and regional solidarity
Valuable contributions came from Albanian academics, including Prof. Migena Kapllanaj and Prof. Rudina Rama from the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tirana, Prof. Teuta Xhindi from the European University of Tirana, and Dr. Nevila Xhindi from the Center for Comparative and International Studies. They highlighted the limitations of national data systems and expressed their willingness to join joint efforts to improve monitoring methodologies and tools
The meeting also addressed opportunities for joint applications under Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ programs, as well as the expansion of the AMSJIE network (Academic Network for Cooperation in Southeast Europe) as a platform for research, education, and policy advocacy
The Tirana event follows previous WBSIB meetings held in Sarajevo, Podgorica, Skopje, and Banja Luka, and the next gathering is planned for Pristina, with the aim of building a sustainable regional platform for inclusive, data-driven public policy development.
