Welcome to our archive of past conferences. Here, you will find brief descriptions of previous events, highlighting their central themes, keynote speakers, and key focus areas. Discover how each conference has contributed to advancing discussions and research in economics, business, tourism and related topics.
14th International Conference on Challenges of Europe, 2023
The 14th International Conference Challenges of Europe titled “Design for the Next Generation” was held in Bol on the island of Brač in May 2023. It brought together more than 300 participants from all over the world and served as a platform for the presentation and discussion of more than 120 research articles.
In 2023, we once again had the honour of hosting distinguished keynote speakers: Prof. Eric Maskin, Nobel laureate in 2007, Prof. Alvin Roth, Nobel laureate in 2012, Prof. Edward Altman – world leading expert on credit risk and debt markets, Prof. David Reibstein, world-renowned authority on branding and marketing metrics, Prof. Özge Öner, world-famous scholar in urban and spatial economics, and Mr. Luc Tholoniat, Director of the Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs at the European Commission.
We have continued the practice of organizing special sessions for young scholars and workshops for PhD students to provide them with expert feedback from experienced academics on their working papers and thesis proposals, while giving them the opportunity for a more informal discussion at the Meet the Professors breakfast. During the Meet the editors sessions, conference participants gained valuable insights into academic writing for the top ranked journals.
In conclusion, we can confirm, that after the conference was postponed due to the pandemic, Challenges of Europe has returned in its recognizable form.
13th International Conference on Challenges of Europe, 2019
The thirteenth International Conference “Challenges of Europe” titled “Growth, Competitiveness, Innovation and Well-Being ” was held in Bol on the island of Brač in May 2019 and it featured more than 300 participants from all over the world producing more than 150 relevant scientific papers.
Our distinguished guest speakers in 2019 were the 2007 Nobel laureate Prof. Eric Maskin and the 2016 Nobel laureate Prof. Oliver Hart, President of the American Economic Association, Prof. Olivier Blanchard, the world’s leading expert in urban topics, Prof. Edward Glaeser, global expert in marketing productivity, metrics and social media, Prof. Koen Pauwels, Chief Economist at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Prof. Sergei Guriev, Chief Economist at the European Investment Bank (EIB), and Debora Revoltella, who presented the most recent and cutting-edge knowledge and research findings.
A special attention was given to PhD students and young researchers who were given the opportunity to present their work to their peers and experienced supervisors, who then provided them with constructive comments, advice and feedback on their work. Furthermore, during the Meet the Professors breakfast, young researchers could have an informal conversation with the professors. In addition, all participants had the opportunity to gain practical insights into publishing opportunities during the Meet the Editors sessions. In conclusion, we can confirm that the Conference provided significant and invaluable insights into the latest international scientific and professional trends in the field of economics and business.
The Twelfth Conference
The 12th International Conference “Challenges of Europe,” titled “Innovative Responses for Resilient Growth and Competitiveness,” took place in May 2017 in Bol, BraÄŤ. It brought together over 300 authors from around the world and featured more than 140 scientific paper presentations, solidifying its status as a key academic event in the region. Distinguished speakers included Nobel Laureate Prof. Jean Tirole (Toulouse School of Economics), Prof. Cars Hommes (University of Amsterdam), Prof. AndrĂ©s RodrĂguez-Pose (London School of Economics), Prof. DraĹľen Prelec (MIT), and Mr. Robert-Jan Smits (European Commission).
Special attention was given to PhD students and young researchers, who received feedback and advice on their work and had the opportunity to interact informally with professors. Participants also explored publishing opportunities through dedicated sessions. Overall, the conference offered invaluable insights into the latest trends in economics and business.
The Eleventh Conference
The 11th International Conference “Challenges of Europe,” titled “Growth, Competitiveness and Inequality,” took place in Hvar, and attracted more than 200 participants from all over the world, who published more than 100 scientific articles. This made it the largest and most significant economic conference in Croatia in 2015 and a key event in the region.
Highlighting 20 years of success, keynote speakers included Nobel Laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz, influential economist Peter Nijkamp, and award-winning economist Jan Svejnar. The conference not only facilitated scientific collaboration but also provided partners with insights into the latest global economic trends, thus contributing to the development of the Croatian economy.
The Tenth Conference
The 10th International Conference, Challenges of Europe: In Quest for New Competitiveness, brought together 30 top academics to discuss Europe’s economic role in the midst of global challenges. The event focused on the need for structural reforms to boost competitiveness and ensure long-term prosperity.
The conference featured two parts: a scientific session with lectures and paper presentations, and a practical segment on the acquisition of the European Fund and future forecasts. Renowned economists, Professors Deardorff (USA) and Bachtler (UK), delivered keynotes. A roundtable with CEOs from leading Croatian companies provided additional insights into the topics discussed.
The Ninth Conference
The 9th International Conference, titled “Challenges of Europe: Growth and Competitiveness – Reversing the Trends”, brought together over 160 authors from 21 countries who presented 81 papers. The conference focused on various topics related to future growth concepts, the role of financial markets in neoliberalism, the sustainability of public and foreign debt, capital and labour mobility in Europe, and the impact on business finance, accounting, marketing, and innovation. Special discussions addressed corporate governance models, varieties of capitalism, and resilience to crises. The event served as a platform for further discussions on enhancing competitiveness in uncertain times and set the stage for future conferences on the topic.
The Eight Conference
The 8th International Conference was held under the new name – “Challenges of Europe” and addressed the challenges of Financial Crisis and Climate Change the world had been facing. A total of 63 papers were presented by more than 85 authors from 15 countries.
The Seventh Conference
The 7th conference was held in Bol, in May 2007. The Conference gathered more than 150 participants. The Conference Proceedings with 109 papers were, for the first time, indexed in the EBSCO and EconLit bases.
The Sixth Conference
The 6th International Conference on “Enterprise in Transition” was organized in Bol on the island of Brac, in May 2005, with over 200 authors and over 110 papers presented. The Conference, in its sixth installment, celebrated its tenth anniversary During the first ten years of its existence, it has evolved into an important scientific forum which bears the hallmarks of the most significant conference of its kind in southeast Europe.
The Fifth Conference
The 5th Conference, held in May 2003 in TuÄŤepi, grew even further, attracting 287 authors from over 30 countries and featuring the presentation of 164 scholarly papers.
The Fourth Conference
In May 2001, the 4th International Conference on “Enterprise in Transition” was organized in Hvar, on the island of Hvar. More than 200 authors from 30 different countries with 155 papers contributed to the success and expansion of the Conference. The Conference was held under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Croatia, his Excellency Mr Stipe Mesić and Croatian Chamber of Economy. The organizers take pride in the continued support of the sitting President of the Republic of Croatia, which has been a consistent honor ever since.
The Third Conference
The 3rd conference was held in 1999 in Ĺ ibenik, and was already considered as one of the largest and most important conferences on the subject of transition problems, measured by the number of participants (more than 200 from 30 countries) and the number of papers presented (145).
The Second Conference
The 2nd Conference was organized in May 1997, in Brela, serving as a logical progression from the inaugural event and reaffirming the significance of the theme “Enterprise in Transition”. The Conference experienced substantial growth, with participation from over 150 authors representing 19 countries, who presented 110 papers. Most contributions were focused on proposing effective solutions to various challenges associated with economic and organizational transitions.
The First Conference
The 1st International Conference on “Enterprise in Transition” was held in October 1995 in Supetar, on the island of BraÄŤ. It was the first conference organized in Croatia on this specific and also emerging topic. The aim of the Conference was to encourage a professional discussion on the transition problems of enterprises with the goal of providing answers to at least some of them. More than 60 papers (75 authors) from 7 different countries were presented at the Conference.