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Ukim – member of the University Network of the European Institute for Cultural Routes (EICR) at the Council of Europe

The University 'St. Cyril and Methodius' in Skopje became a member of the University Network for Cultural Routes Studies (https://www.coe.int/en/web/cultural-routes/university-network), with the signing of a general framework cooperation agreement with the European Institute for Cultural Routes (EICR) in January 2026. The University Network for Cultural Routes Studies is a network of partner universities dedicated to the study of cultural routes, a programme of the Council of Europe. 

Launched in 1987, the Council of Europe's Cultural Routes programme (https://www.coe.int/en/web/cultural-routes/home) is key to promoting and strengthening the core values of the Council of Europe, which encompass human rights, democracy, cultural diversity and identity. The aim of the 48 certified Cultural Routes, which involve 41 countries, including North Macedonia through the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, is to deepen the understanding of European history and identity and to enable educational and cultural exchange for students and young people in Europe. Each Council of Europe cultural route includes the following: a theme that is representative of European values and common to at least three European countries; a theme that is the subject of transnational, multidisciplinary academic research; which strengthens European memory, history and heritage and contributes to the interpretation of Europe's diversity; promotes cultural and educational exchange among young people; conducts primary and innovative projects in the field of cultural heritage, cultural tourism and sustainable cultural development; develops tourist products and services aimed at different groups.

  One of them is also The Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius (https://www.cyril-methodius.eu/), certified with a licence from the Council of Europe in 2021. It has been a member of it from our country since 2023. The Institute for Macedonian Literature at UCM in Skopje (https://iml.edu.mk/). The pan-Slavic enlighteners Cyril and Methodius, who, as patrons of our university, are simultaneously symbols of the fundamental values of Macedonian national culture, are also regarded in scholarly studies as part of European civilisational values, such as: human dignity, tolerance, democracy, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and the rule of law. This programme, dedicated to the Cultural Route of Cyril and Methodius, offers a model for scientific research and development, the affirmation of Macedonian and European cultural heritage, educational exchange for young people in Europe, the development of management in cultural tourism, etc. 

The University 'St. Cyril and Methodius' in Skopje, through the Institute for Macedonian Literature, a member of the Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius programme, actively engages in the study of cultural routes and other related fields, such as: Byzantine cultural studies, Cyrillo-Methodian studies, European cultural context, cultural tourism, cultural heritage, and cultural geography. UGM contributes to the development and promotion of the Cyrillo-Methodian Route by organising conferences and publishing research findings in academic papers, and by establishing cooperation agreements with other universities, encourages students to engage in academic research on cultural routes through master's and doctoral theses and to participate in the programme's annual activities. UКИМ also encourages initiatives for the academic community to jointly apply for European grants with the European Institute for Cultural Routes (EICR), and to offer scientific expertise where needed.

Ukim partner in a European project on resilience and protection of critical entities

Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje participates as a partner in the European project „Resilience and Protection of Critical Entities in Europe (RECIPE2024), which is implemented within the framework of the programme Interreg IPA ADRION – Adriatic-Ionian Programme for Transnational Cooperation and will last until 2027.

The project is being implemented in partnership with a consortium composed of 10 institutions from Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia and Serbia.

The Macedonian research team is led by Professor Dr Marjan Gjurovski of the Institute for Security, Defence and Peace at the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje, in collaboration with professors from the same faculty.

The project is aimed at strengthening the resilience and protection of the national critical infrastructure, which is a key pillar of any state and is closely linked to national security, the economy, industry and the health of citizens. A special focus is placed on the healthcare system as part of the critical infrastructure in the Republic of North Macedonia.

In addition to the scientific research results, the project will also result in the development of specific tools and a common methodological framework for assessing risks related to the key capacities, networks and systems of critical infrastructure in the partner countries. These activities are in line with the European obligations for strengthening the resilience of critical entities, as set out in Directive (EU) 2022/2557.

The project is funded by the European Union through the programme Interreg IPA ADRION, aimed at supporting innovative solutions and strengthening resilience to climate change, natural and man-made disasters in the region.

The University "St. Cyril and Methodius" in Skopje signed an agreement to participate in an Erasmus+ programme project as one of the partner institutions in a consortium of 15 renowned European universities.

UКИМ participates as a partner institution in the three-year Erasmus+ project AdvancEU – "Advancing beyond Contestation: Addressing the Challenges of Resilient Enlargement", which is coordinated by the University of Salzburg "Paris Lodron", Austria. The UKI project is implemented by the Institute for Sociological and Politico-Legal Research (ISSPI), through an interdisciplinary academic team.

The AdvancEU project focuses on analysing the contemporary challenges of the European Union's enlargement and identifying institutional and political reforms that would contribute to a more resilient, cohesive and functional Union. Through academic networking, research activities and public debates, the project aims to provide evidence-based analyses and concrete recommendations for the creation of European public policies.

Within the framework of the project, UКИМ will have a significant and visible role, including leading one of the work packages, as well as making an active contribution to research related to cohesion policy, the rule of law and democratic processes. The project activities will result in concrete deliverables, such as analytical studies, workshops, a collaboration platform, new educational tools and public policy documents aimed at European institutions.

Through AdvancEU, UKIМ has the opportunity to engage directly and influence the most current debate on EU enlargement and its prospective development. The project is significant due to its direct connection with the creation and rethinking of European enlargement policies, as well as the fact that it is not solely focused on academic analysis, but on preparing applicable and well-founded public policy guidelines at the level of the European Union. In this sense, UGJK's participation in such a consortium of leading European universities enables essential and relevant involvement in strategic debates with clear institutional and societal implications.