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My career reflects robust financial expertise with a track record of delivering sound and strategic business and policy recommendations, informing key decision-makers across various institutions. In the corporate divisions of the renowned international banks where I worked, for example, I was engaged in the realization of development credit lines, which successfully achieved their impact goals thanks, among other things, to my teams’ dedication to deliver on time targeted results. My recent consulting engagements include: EIT Climate-KIC and European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA).

 

My research expertise comprises empirical finance and macro-econometric analysis, using both time series and panel datasets. I specialize in quantitative data research across diverse fields such as macroeconomics, fiscal parameters, macro-financial linkages, finance, banking, socioeconomics, international economics and international migration. My recent research engagements include: Carinthian Institute for Higher Studies and Scientific Research (KIHS) and International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).

 

I am fluent in multiple languages and skilled in communicating complex ideas effectively. My extensive professional experience in synergy with my success in doctoral studies ensures high quality and credibility of given recommendations.

 

For more information visit my professional website: www.kpopovic.com.

 

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Aidan is very well experienced in participation process design, management and implementation.

Aidan has often applied participation methods to different contexts, from on street placemaking to design of the strategic documents. Most of his activities in terms of participation were related to mobility – diminishing the place for cars and supplying people with more places they can use, identify with and cocreate.

Aidan was involved in preparation of placemaking mechanism Zunaj, established in the City of Ljubljana: https://ipop.si/en/2020/03/13/zunaj-are-small-local-actions/

Aidan was in charge of the design and implementation of participation process for the design of Sustainable urban mobility plan of the City of Ljubljana.

I want to share my experience in circular economy development on local and regional level. EU has chosen with EU Green deal transition towards Circular economy as one of key development for future Europe and since this is not yet on level of development needed for systemic change to become day to day practice I want to help all those local and regional authorities and stakeholders to get on this path. They do not have to make all 'learning by doing it' experience as I did and with my help they could manage faster development of circular economy models for governence and for local businesses.
Thru my work on EU level, regional and local level, presentations on conferences and implementation of EU funded projects in different programs I can offer range of experience for Urbact networks.

I am active as European Climate Pact Ambassador and in CCRI pilot region Podravje.

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The exchange of city practices and knowledge is fundamental to advancing sustainable urban development and inclusion in Europe. Strengthening city-to-city connections through networks is vital to increasing Europe's social and economic resilience and strengthening our cities.

I believe I can provide vital support for these exchange and knowledge-creation processes.  I bring 25 years of professional experience in housing, inclusion, urban governance, just transition and strategic urban planning gained in public and private sectors in over 30 cities in France, Serbia, Spain, the UK and Hungary, in support of 56 countries at the UN and 27 EU member states (EU Commission). I bring extensive experience in urban development practice, including action planning, research policy and foresight, and evaluation and impact assessment at the project, city, regional, national and international levels, as well as demonstrated success in advancing learning and promoting improved policy for EU institutions (eg. EC, EIB), EU programmes (eg. Urban Agenda for the EU, European Urban Initiative, Urban Innovative Actions.). As an executive-level university lecturer in France and the UK I bring practical tools and methods for integrated and participatory approaches and translating ambitions and strategies into action.

Most recently, I have been appointed a team leader of the New European Bauhaus Investment Guidelines expert team operationalising the NEB values for cities. Since 2016, I have been supporting the EU Urban Agenda as an expert for the establishment of the Cities of Equalities Partnership, advising the coordinators of the Partnership on Housing, and leading the assessment of the 14 EU Urban Agenda Partnerships contribution to the implementation of the UN New Urban Agenda and SDGs in Europe. I have also served as the expert for the Urban Innovative Actions and the European Urban Initiative, among other European and international initiatives focused on cities and concrete urban projects.  

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Long term experience in project management and coordination, project evaluation a different conceptual activities. I used to be working as an university professor for at least 18 years and provided all my lectures also in English to foreign students. I made plenty of presentations in different topics on different conferences in many not only European countries. After 2018 I was a member of one of tne biggest EU project - EESSI - Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information, which is implemented in not only all EU member countries, but also in Norway, Switzerland, Luxemburg and Island and most of the communication, meetings, seminars, and activities were completed in English.

I have worked as an project or project schemes evaluator for a long time, so I would like to bring some new ideas to the URBACT programme as well. I am very happy, if I also can somehow to help the applicants to make proposed project more reliable, better connected to the programme or maybe make some corrections according to improvement of application or realization process.

The list of selected projects implemented (some of them as a lead partner) as well as a plenty of projects and programmes evaluation reports, as follows:
1. FPS COST Action FP1301 „Innovative management and multifunctional utilization of traditional coppice forests – an answer to future ecological, European forestry sector (EuroCoppice)“;
2. Changing value preferences, No.: 21210299;
3. Program Intelligent Energy – Europe, No.: IEE/10/470/SI2.593725 „Promotion of Regional Bioenergy Initiatives – PromoBio“;
4. LLP – Erasmus IP 2010 – 2012 No.: 2010-1-FI1-ERA10-03634 „Intensive Course on Renewable Energies“;
5. EuCan Bio Power project 2011 – 2013: „Transatlantic empowering the skills, knowledge and knowhow in teaching and learning bio energy entrepreneurship“;
6. Programme Culture 2000: CLT 2004/A1/IT – 154: “Smart History” (From Smart History towards common European Heritage by preservation model of Cinque Terre National Park);
and many others.

I work almost professionaly with computers, especially: ECDL certificate (MS DOS; WIN 9X, 2000, XP; MS OFFICE: Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook; COREL; Internet; E-mail; Language HTML...); Knowledge of SAP, LMS (Learning Management Systems) – Moodle and Adobe Captivate 2019 and also most of the communication plarforms - Skype, MS Teams, Webex, Google Meet, Zoom... Knowledge of graphic design applications (Adobe Illustrator™, PhotoShop™). Some part of my life I have been even working at the information section of my employers. I am also the evaluator of the projects in information and communication technology - ICT.

Some fact in spite of many words:
225 scientific publications - most of them in English and are published abroad, 35 lectures at scientific conferences in Slovakia and abroad (Canada, Finland, Italy, Hungary, Serbia and Montenegro, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania etc.); International educational and scientific projects and courses: 15; Leading or
participating in research projects and grants at national level: 15; List of publications (225), list of citations (390, 136 registered at WoS and SCOPUS), national (15) and international (15) projects, certificates and diplomas...

I can provide other information and documents according to request.

I hold Master degree in Environmental protection science and Bachelor as Professor of Geography. My experience of over 15 years is in project management and trainings in the fields of environmental protection, circular economy and waste management, sustainable mobility, energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, rural and tourism development, support to business development of SMEs and support to strengthening capacities of local authorities and CSOs. All these actions involved numerous actors, citizens, governmental bodies, CSOs and companies.
My professional experiences within project implementation is related to administrative and financial reporting, and as well related to implementation of technical reports, and supporting the local self-government and CSOs educating them on circular economy principles, environmental protection recommendations, within projects implemented by CSO where I work or as support to other projects as expert. Besides preparation of project proposals, implementation and technical documents delivery, monitoring and evaluation of projects and sub-grantees, I supported preparation and implementation of numerous local and transnational meetings, trainings, seminars and conferences. My extent experience is as well in organization of tourist visits, especially after meetings/conferences, where participants can enjoy and communicate in more relaxed atmosphere.
In my experience of work, I have traveled a lot, and always had great connections with people in different countries (Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Sweden, Greece, Serbia, Croatia, North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro). I am person with team spirit, without prejudice, adapt to multicultural environments, treating all people fairly without favouritism, with great sense of pertinacity, responsibility, ready to learn constantly, fulfiling obligations to gender sensitivity and zero tolerance for sexual harassment. I poses strong analytical, reporting and writing skills, excellent public speaking and presentation skills. 

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A professional committed to sustainable development, educated and experienced in the field of social sciences, economy-management & business and communication, with two decades of experience in validated thematic expertise – communication, social innovation, knowledge economy, local economy.

Results-oriented, with effective communication skills and down to earth approach, throughout her professional career Ivana was holding the responsibility for the promotion of innovative solutions, the principles of sustainable development, SDGs, corporate social responsibility.

Ivana was engaged as a Communication Officer at the joint secretariat of the Interreg-IPA CBC BGRS programme 2014-2020, where she was responsible for the development and implementation of the communication strategy of this territorial cooperation programme. While working in her other positions, such as an HR instructor at GrECo Group or Quality & Training Manager at Serbian Automotive Cluster, she was also responsible for internal and external communication with stakeholders, clients, etc.

Experienced in projects and positions in the field of local economy development, from consulting and implementation of management systems and tools, cluster development, design and implementation of strategies, SMEs capacity building, LMS (Learning Management System), organisation and delivery of trainings, to the promotion of sustainability at international-regional-local level, as well as through regular business activities. She was engaged in developing and implementing tailor-made HR solutions in international context, in different cultural environments and aligned with the EU Cohesion Policy.

As an expert, Ivana was engaged by the project partners-beneficiaries in the EU and UN funded projects aimed at economic growth for businesses and well-being for citizens. Projects she participated in were aimed at improving the economic competitiveness, social resilience, and quality of life, with innovative solutions in the segment of business operations, social responsibility, with focus on underrepresented groups, as well as solutions aimed at the development of the entire community through the implementation of triple bottom line principle – economy, society, environment, as the flywheel for social and economic development of the local community.

She has been a member of the Committee for sustainability and social responsibility at ISS for almost two decades, and participated in standards development, such as ISO 26000:2010 Guidance on Social Responsibility, and a series of standards related to sustainable cities and communities: Sustainable development in communities - Management system for sustainable development; Sustainable cities and communities - Indicators for city services and quality of life; Sustainable cities and communities - Vocabulary; Smart community infrastructures - Smart transportation for compact cities; Sustainable procurement; Public procurement - Integrity and accountability; Women's entrepreneurship.

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My name is Branislav Antonić (Бранислав Антонић). I am an urban planner and designer from Serbia, working on the University of Belgrade – Faculty of Architecture. My expertise includes scientific, professional and pedagogic references in the field of urbanism, with a focus on the topics of the development of small cities, towns and communities and the urban dimension of housing. As the coordinator or member of a working team, I have been involved in the creation of 35 urban plans, urban design projects and spatial plans. I am active in international and national research projects and conferences, being the author of more than 100 scientific contributions: monographs, article journals, conference papers, and research studies. Additionally, I have participated in several international and national research projects and networks (UNDP, Erasmus+ KA2, INTERREG, COST Action, CEEPUS, and bilateral projects). I am also awarded several times in international and national competitions in my field. 

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