SCIENTIFIC PROJECTS

The launch of the RESILIENCE project in September 2019, funded under the EU Horizon 2020 program, marked an important step towards establishing a European research infrastructure in the field of religious studies. Twelve academic institutions from ten countries have joined forces to initiate this two-year project with the ultimate goal of building a European response to the challenges of religious diversity.

Religious diversity poses an increasing challenge to European society, resulting in an increased need for mutual understanding. The religious studies infrastructure will contribute to understanding through scientific research, with the conviction that knowledge is the best means for a common response to issues related to religious diversity.

Preparatory activities for establishing such a research infrastructure at the European level have also taken place in previous years through the ReIReS project, which was also funded by the Horizon 2020 program. Continuing in the same direction, twelve academic institutions from ten countries have joined forces in the RESILIENCE project, the start of which was marked by the first meeting held on September 6–7, 2019, in Bologna.

RESILIENCE (REligious Studies Infrastructure: tooLs, Expert, conNections and CEenters) will primarily serve the academic community, but will simultaneously extend its influence significantly beyond the academic community. RESILIENCE offers tools for an innovative approach to religious studies that can be used to build a European response to the challenges of religious diversity.

Currently, the RESILIENCE project is focused on preparing a proposal for the establishment of a research infrastructure in religious studies. The proposal will be presented at the ESFRI forum in 2020, with the expectation that it will become part of the new roadmap of the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI Roadmap 2021).

The University of Sarajevo participates in the aforementioned project through the Faculty of Islamic Sciences and the Catholic Faculty of Theology.