The UR-WISE project has reached a major organisational milestone with the successful registration of the Centre for Local Economic Policies and Analyses (LEPA) as a spin-off of the Faculty of Economics, University of Niš. The spin-off was officially registered in December 2025, ahead of the planned deadline, marking a significant step forward in the project’s mission to transform FEUN into a hub of applied, policy-relevant and internationally competitive research.
This achievement is a key result of the activities aimed at organisational development and reform, which is dedicated to strengthening cooperation between academia, business, civil society and policy-makers. Through UR-WISE, FEUN is not only upgrading its existing research infrastructure, but also creating a permanent institutional vehicle capable of operating at the interface between science, policy and practice.
The newly established spin-off builds on the scientific and analytical foundations of LEUA, which was originally created within the UR-DATA project, and expands its mission toward implementation, consulting, and policy advisory services. By becoming a separate legal entity, the LEPA Centre gains the ability to work directly with municipalities, ministries, companies and civil society organisations, while remaining firmly anchored in academic excellence.
The spin-off is specialised in:
Socio-economic, demographic and institutional analysis of local and regional development
Measurement and benchmarking of development performance of cities and regions
Design and evaluation of development strategies, programmes and public policies
Preparation of expert studies for investment, infrastructure, financial and organisational decisions
The establishment of the spin-off directly supports the aspirations of the UR-WISE project to enact organisational reforms that enhance FEUN’s contribution to the knowledge-based economy and significantly improve its capacity to secure competitive EU and international research funding. Alongside its consulting and analytical role, the new spin-off will serve as a key platform for international project development. Under UR-WISE, it will support the preparation and submission of project proposals to major EU programmes. In the next development phase, the spin-off will also register scientific-research activity, transforming it into the Institute for Local Economic Policies and Analyses, a fully-fledged research institute able to host researchers, including permanent PhD-level staff, and participate in large international projects.
This milestone represents much more than administrative progress. It marks the structural transformation of FEUN into a modern, outward-looking institution where research excellence, policy relevance and innovation are fully integrated. The early registration of the spin-off demonstrates the strong commitment of FEUN and the UR-WISE team to delivering lasting institutional change and creating a durable foundation for data-driven, citizen-centred and policy-relevant development in Serbia and the wider Western Balkans.