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XXII European Rural Development Network Conference

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European Rural Development Network
Public International Business College Mitrovica, Republic of Kosovo
and Lithuanian Academy of Sciences
invite to the
XXII European Rural Development Network Conference

“Resilient rural areas and sustainable food systems: governance, policy frameworks and structural challenges”

 

29 September – 1 October 2026

Mitrovica, Republic of Kosovo

We are very pleased to invite you to the international scientific conference “Resilient rural areas and sustainable food systems: governance, policy frameworks and structural challenges” organised by the Public International Business College Mitrovica, Republic of Kosovo, the European Rural Development Network (ERDN) and the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences. The conference will be held in Mitrovica, Republic of Kosovo, on 29 September – 1 October 2026.

General information:

The title of the conference is “Resilient rural areas and sustainable food systems: governance, policy frameworks and structural challenges”.

The conference registration is now open.

Conference email: conference@erdn.eu.

Registration form: ERDN Conference 2026 – registration form.

The conference will be subsidised, which means that according to ERDN custom, participants will mainly cover their travel expenses. However, the number of conference places is limited.

Important dates:

  • Abstract submission deadline (for oral presentation or poster): 15 June 2026.
  • Acceptance of the abstracts: 30 June 2026.
  • Registration to the conference: 1 June – 31 August 2026.
  • Conference: 29 September – 1 October 2026.
  • Publication of full papers in Rural Areas and Development in 2026 (first submitted, first published policy).

Each abstract will be double-blind peer reviewed for inclusion in the conference programme by members of the Scientific Committee of this conference. Use the template for the abstract.

Participants can decide to do an oral presentation or a poster. Speakers will have an oral presentation of up to 15 minutes. The conference will be held in English without translation facilities.

Conference email (for registration and other issues): conference@erdn.eu.

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The aim of the conference is to present current research and to discuss the ways to boost the resilience of rural areas and sustainable food systems, especially in relation to governance, policy frameworks and structural challenges having in focus the next EU multi-annual financial framework, the EU integration process and other developmental challenges at the European and global scales. The exchange of experiences of research teams from various countries, of an interdisciplinary and intergenerational character, is extremely valuable here.

The main sub-topics we propose include:

  • EU integration and rural development in relation to MFF 2028-2034 and candidate countries.
  • Rural Pact development needed to ensure the right to stay and rural generational renewal.
  • Soil literacy for soil health ensuring sustainability of farming and food security.
  • Perspectives of sustainable food system transition in Europe.

As in previous years, we are open to oral presentations and posters presenting other issues related to agriculture and rural development in Europe and other parts of the world.

Organizing Committee

The conference is organized in cooperation with the Public International Business College Mitrovica, Republic of Kosovo and the European Rural Development Network.

Public International Business College Mitrovica, Republic of Kosovo is an active member of the ERDN, and it is very pleased to host the conference in the Republic of Kosovo in 2026.

Public International Business College Mitrovica (IBCM) is far more than a higher education institution; it is a unique bridge-building model in Kosovo and the wider region.

By bringing together students and staff from different communities in a historically sensitive environment, IBCM has created a campus culture based on inclusion, cooperation, and mutual respect. Its mission is practical reconciliation, where people who were once divided learn, work, and grow together through shared academic experiences.

What makes IBCM distinctive is its ability to turn challenges into opportunities. In post-conflict societies, hesitation toward change is natural, often linked to identity, trust, or uncertainty. Rather than resisting these concerns, IBCM addresses them through dialogue, participation, and transparency, transforming hesitation into shared ownership and progress.

IBCM also serves as a platform for integration by promoting inclusion, open dialogue, and common goals such as employment, innovation, and regional development. Through joint projects, collaborative research, and intercultural teamwork, the institution demonstrates how diversity can become a source of strength.

At the same time, IBCM connects local realities with European values and standards, helping prepare a new generation of professionals who understand that integration is not only technical, but also social, built on trust, cooperation, and shared responsibility.

In essence, IBCM proves that education can be one of the strongest tools for reconciliation, resilience, and lasting social change.

 

The ERDN was established in 2002 as a forum for exchange of ideas and research experience and a platform for cooperation between Polish and European scientific and research institutions in the field of rural development and agriculture, especially in the perspective of the European Union enlargement and its future policies. Thus, the main objective of the Network’s activity is the exchange of research results in areas that pose a challenge both for individual Member States and candidate countries, and for the European Union’s development policy. The activities of the ERDN are fully in line with the EU idea of creating a European Research Area for agriculture and rural development. The network includes leading research centres carrying out research in the field of rural development in Europe, especially from Central and Eastern European countries. It supports its members in applying for and implementing projects under Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, Interreg, etc.

 

Scientific committee of the conference:

  • Prof. Dr. Mihone Kerolli – Mustafa, Public International Business College Mitrovica (IBCM)
  • Prof. Dr. Jelena Djokic, Public International Business College Mitrovica (IBCM)
  • Prof. Dr. Ekrem Gjokaj, Public International Business College Mitrovica (IBCM)
  • Prof. Assoc. dr. Jelena Stanojevic, Public International Business College Mitrovica (IBCM)
  • Prof. Ass. Dr. Bujar Gallopeni, Public International Business College Mitrovica (IBCM)
  • Prof. Ass. Dr. Agron Hajdraro, Public International Business College Mitrovica (IBCM)
  • Paweł Chmieliński, European Rural Development Network; Institute of Rural and Agricultural Development, Polish Academy of Sciences
  • Zbigniew Floriańczyk, European Rural Development Network; Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics – National Research Institute
  • Barbara Wieliczko, European Rural Development Network; Institute of Rural and Agricultural Development, Polish Academy of Sciences

Organizing committee of the conference:

  • Prof. Dr. Ekrem Gjokaj, Public International Business College Mitrovica (IBCM)
  • Prof. Ass. Dr. Shaip Gashi, Public International Business College Mitrovica (IBCM)
  • Prof. Ass. Dr. Ruzhdi Halili, Public International Business College Mitrovica (IBCM)
  • Jehona Murati Dugolli, Public International Business College Mitrovica (IBCM)
  • Arjeta Mehmeti, Public International Business College Mitrovica (IBCM)
  • Dea Gaxha, Public International Business College Mitrovica (IBCM)
  • Arbnora Nuhi, Public International Business College Mitrovica (IBCM)
  • Paweł Chmieliński, European Rural Development Network; Institute of Rural and Agricultural Development, Polish Academy of Sciences
  • Aleksandra Pawłowska, European Rural Development Network; Institute of Rural and Agricultural Development, Polish Academy of Sciences
  • Barbara Wieliczko, European Rural Development Network; Institute of Rural and Agricultural Development, Polish Academy of Sciences
  • Bogdan Buks, European Rural Development Network; Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics – National Research Institute

Contacts:

 

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