SEEU Hosts the 4th CEE-Loc Conference on Local Government Studies

South East European University (SEEU) welcomed scholars from across Europe last week for the 4th CEE-Loc Conference (Local Government Studies in Central and Eastern Europe), co-organized by the Faculty of Contemporary Social Sciences and the Max van der Stoel Institute.

The conference brought together 31 scholars and experts from eight countries, who presented 28 academic papers across nine thematic panels. True to CEE-Loc's multidisciplinary spirit, contributions spanned economics, geography, public administration, political science, and sociology, offering a wide-ranging look at local governance across the region.

The event opened with a keynote address by Prof. Filipe Teles, titled "The Voice of Silenced Places: Territory and Power," setting a reflective tone for the days of discussion that followed.

SEEU extends its sincere thanks to Prof. Veli Kreci, host and organizer of this year's conference; Prof. Pawel Swianiewicz, initiator of the CEE-Loc tradition; Prof. Filipe Teles for his keynote; and all presenters and authors who contributed their research.

The CEE-Loc conference series was revived in 2023, when the inaugural edition took place in Wrocław, Poland. Since then, it has grown into an annual gathering, traveling to Zagreb (2024) and Budapest (2025) before arriving in Skopje this year. The 5th CEE-Loc conference will be held next in Brno.

Unlike many larger academic conferences, CEE-Loc is designed by choice to remain a small, expert-driven colloquium. Organizers keep attendance limited so that presentations lead to genuine discussion rather than passive listening. Participants submit draft papers in advance, giving fellow scholars the chance to read them ahead of time, and the programme sets aside dedicated time for debate after every presentation.