Stay & Shape / Conference series 2026

Sarajevo 22—23.10.2026

Who shapes
the future
of work?

Work, Migration and Technology
The Balkans in focus.

Two days to explore how technology and migration are changing work — and who gets to shape what comes next.

Register for Sarajevo Explore the programme

Registration hosted by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung

When 22–23 October 2026
Where Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Format & language In person · English Simultaneous interpretation: English ↔ BHS

01 / The conversation

Work is changing.
Have a say in how.

The Balkans are undergoing two major transformations at once: rapid technological change and profound demographic and labour-market shifts.

Digitalisation, AI, automation and platform work are reshaping the organisation of work , while emigration, growing inward migration, ageing population and labour shortages are changing who works, where, and under which conditions. The region is therefore experiencing both - the loss of workers through emigration and the arrival of workers from the neighbouring countries and beyond. This trends are creating new patterns of labour mobility and raising questions about integration, working conditions and workers’ rights.

“Who Shapes the Future of Work in the Balkans?” conference brings these developments together, creating a space for dialogue between researchers, trade unions, civil society organisations, technology centres, private-sector actors including start-ups, and political actors. Together we will examine, how technological and demographic changes interact, how different interests and forms of power shape these processes, and how developments within the Balkans connect to wider European and global trends. Particular attention will be given to emerging innovation ecosystems, start-ups and technology hubs, as well as new forms of digital and remote work and their implications for workplaces and labour markets.

A central focus will be the relationship between technology and labour mobility. Are labour shortages and emigration driving both greater investment in automation and increased demand for migrant workers? How is remote work creating new forms of cross-border employment without physical migration? And how automation and AI might transform the relationship between workers and technology—from augmenting and transforming jobs to replacing them?

01

Understand the changes

AI, automation, platform work and the changing realities of labour mobility.

02

Meet the innovators

Discover regional research, technologies and start-ups at the interactive innovation bazaar.

03

Debate what comes next

Explore power, workers’ rights and the choices shaping the future of the Balkans.

02 / The programme

Two days. Big questions.

Programme Sessions and speakers are subject to change.

01

Thursday · 22 October

Changing World of Work

Technology, mobility and the people driving change.

09:30—16:30
09:30–10:00 Registration & Morning Coffee
10:00–10:30 Welcome and Opening Sarah Hees-Kalyani · Teresa Linzner · Samir Kurtović

Sarah Hees-Kalyani (Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation)

Teresa Linzner (Austrian Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection)

Samir Kurtović

Samir Kurtović is President of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bosnia and Herzegovina (SSSBiH). A lawyer by training, he has been active in the trade union movement since 1996 and has extensive experience in collective bargaining, labour legislation and social dialogue. Before assuming the leadership of SSSBiH, he served as President of the Trade Union of Civil Servants and Employees in State Administration, Judicial Authorities and Public Institutions of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

10:30–11:30 Keynote 1 · Presentation + Q&A How is technology changing work in the Balkans? Branimir Jovanovic · wiiw

A keynote exploring the development of workplace technologies, digitalisation, AI, automation, platform work and remote work. What is changing already, and what is still emerging? How are Balkan economies and workers positioned within wider European and global technological transformations?

About the speaker

Branimir Jovanovic is Economist at wiiw, covering the Western Balkans and serving as a country expert for North Macedonia and Serbia. He works on a broad range of topics, including economic growth and development, inequality and poverty, fiscal policy and taxation, social policies and labour rights, EU integration, and foreign direct investment. From 2017 to 2019, he advised the Minister of Finance of North Macedonia, and from 2007 to 2015, he was a researcher at the National Bank of North Macedonia.

11:30–12:30 Keynote 2 · Presentation + Q&A Who Moves, Who Stays, and Who Works Across Borders? Jelena Šapić

A keynote focusing on migration and labour mobility in the Balkan region. How are demographic change, emigration, labour shortages and precarious employment connected to technological change? What happens when people migrate for work—and what happens when technology allows them to work for foreign companies without migrating?

About the speaker

Jelena Šapić focuses on the social impact of human-computer interactions and digital disruptions. Her research interests lie in the intersection of technological development and socio-economic changes, particularly how digital technologies and AI applications are shifting labour divisions and altering power dynamics. Jelena created Fusing Futures, an audio podcast that makes a leapfrog to the digital economy and society. The podcast got awarded as one of the three most innovative media content in the Western Balkans in 2019.

12:30–13:30 Lunch + COFFEE
13:30–15:00 RESEARCH & INNOVATION BAZAAR What is happening in the Balkans? EIT Community Hub Bosnia and Herzegovina · ANNT

An interactive session bringing together organisations working at the intersection of technology, migration and labour.

  • Innovation & Tech Showcase — demonstrations of relevant technologies and tools
  • Start-up & Innovation Ecosystems — examples of emerging initiatives from the region

EIT Community Hub Bosnia and Herzegovina

ANNT -Asocijacija za napredak nauke i tehnologije (ANNT)

15:00–16:30 PANEL Who Is Shaping the Future of Work? Amar Numanović · Ratka Babić · Faris Godinjak; moderated by Jelena Šapić

Who is driving digital transformation in the Balkans? Who benefits from it? Who carries the risks? Are governments regulating technology—or simply responding to changes driven by business and investment? And where are workers and trade unions in these processes?

Amar Numanović

Amar Numanović is a Project Manager at the International Labour Organization (ILO), focusing on Sustainable Development Goal 8, which promotes sustained, inclusive economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. He has a background in business development and program management, particularly within the ICT/BPO and e-commerce sectors. His educational credentials include a degree from the University of Ljubljana. In his role at the ILO, Numanović is involved in various initiatives aimed at enhancing employment opportunities and addressing labor market challenges. He is recognized for his commitment to advancing policies that foster economic development and improve working conditions globally.

Ratka Babić

Ratka Babić is Team Leader of the Employment and Social Affairs Platform, a regional project jointly implemented by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and the International Labour Organization (ILO). Her work focuses on employment and social policy, social dialogue, labour standards and the European Pillar of Social Rights, with particular emphasis on the Western Balkans.

Faris Godinjak

Faris Godinjak holds a PhD in Law and serves as Head of the Department for Foreign Trade Policy, Control and Safeguard Measures at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina. His professional and academic work focuses on foreign trade policy, European Union law and the international economic integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

02

Friday · 23 October

the Future of Labour

Future scenarios, social protection and the choices ahead.

09:30—16:00
09:30–10:00 Registration & Morning Coffee
10:00–10:30 Welcome and Introduction Goran Stanković
10:30–11:30 Keynote 1 · FUTURES SCENARIOS · Presentation + Q&A What happens when machines can do your work? Bernd Christoph Ströhm · wiiw

A critical and forward-looking session exploring how automation, AI, data-driven workplaces and emerging technologies are reshaping the relationship between humans and machines, from human augmentation and job transformation to highly automated production, humanoid robots and the “dark factories” emerging in China. The session will examine what these developments might mean for the future of work in Europe— and, more importantly, ask what kind of future we are building and who gets to shape it.

About the speaker

Bernd Christoph Ströhm is Senior Research Associate and Country Expert at the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw) as well as Teaching Fellow at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. In addition, Ströhm works as advisor and political risk analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence, with special focus on Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe. He holds a PhD in East European Studies and a master’s in Advanced International Studies. At wiiw, he regularly drafts macroeconomic analysis / policy forecast reports, examines demographic / labour market developments as well as industrial policies in South-Eastern Europe while monitoring EU enlargement policies, government stability and non-EU influence in the Western Balkan region. He also holds interdisciplinary lectures about the Western Balkans at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, covering topics such as EU enlargement and China's or Russia's geopolitical / geoeconomic influence on the region.

11:30–12:30 Keynote 2 · EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE · Presentation + Q&A What Happens to the European Social Model? Mirna Jusić

How are population ageing, labour shortages, migration and technological change reshaping Europe's social model? The session considers how these changes affect women and men differently, and which workers are most exposed to automation and precarious employment. It also asks whether EU enlargement is supporting social protection and education systems in the Western Balkans to meet these challenges. Across the EU and its candidate countries alike: can social protection, skills development and lifelong learning adapt — and who bears the costs of the transition?

About the speaker

Mirna Jusić is Assistant Professor at Department of Public and Social Policy, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University in Prague. Prior to this, Mirna had been a researcher at the Center for Social Research Analitika since 2009.

12:30–13:30 Lunch +COFFEE
13:30–15:30 CLOSING PANEL How will Migration and Technology Shape the Future of the Balkans? Adis Kečo · Ksenija Ivanović · Suad Krilašević; moderated by Dr. Erol Mujanović

The final discussion brings together the conference two key themes: migration and technological change. With a strong political and local focus, trade unions, political actors and technology-sector representatives will debate how these transformations affect workers, economies and social and labour rights, and what they mean for the future of the Balkan region.

Adis Kečo

Adis Kečo is Head of the Professional Service of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bosnia and Herzegovina. A labour-law expert and experienced trade union representative, his work focuses on workers’ rights, wages, occupational health and safety, collective bargaining and social dialogue. He regularly represents SSSBiH in public and policy debates on labour-market developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Ksenija Ivanović

Ksenija Ivanović is an external PhD candidate at the Department of Human Geography, Spatial Planning and Environment, researching skills development and labour migration in the Western Balkans. She is also a junior researcher and project manager on the Horizon Europe project 'Global Strategy for Skills, Migration and Development' (GS4S). Her educational background is in the fields of political economy, development economics, macroeconomics and public policy. Ksenija has previously worked as junior researcher at the Research and Expertise Centre for Survey Methodology (Pompeu Fabra University) in Barcelona, and as junior economist at the Centre for Advanced Economic Studies in Belgrade, Serbia. Her main research interests are political economy of labor market institutions, the knowledge-policy-development nexus and neoliberalization. She focuses primarily on the Western Balkan region and the EU.

Suad Krilašević

Suad Krilašević is an assistant professor at the International University of Sarajevo. His research background is in control and optimisation. Suad also leads scientific initiatives through the Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology.

Moderator · Dr. Erol Mujanović

Moderated by Dr. Erol Mujanović is an economic development expert, with a PhD. in economics & entrepreneurship, he loves working with startups particularly blockchain related and teaching. He led teams and projects for top level governments and international organizations in Western Balkans implementing complex economic & business development projects. He worked as a manager, consultant, and trainer His lifelong learning includes numerous diplomatic & business skills training in Paris, London, Brussels and Washington DC, in the fields such as leadership, business development, strategic management, entrepreneurship. He is a co-founder of the Sarajevo "Marathon" Association and the Association of business service leaders in BiH (ABSL) that promotes BPO (Business processes outsourcing) in the region.

15:30–16:00 Closing

All times are local to Sarajevo. Open a session for its description and available speaker biography.

03 / Plan your visit

See you
in Sarajevo.

Two days, in person. Here are the essentials.

Questions? Contact FES
Dates
22–23 October 2026
Location
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Exact venue to be announced.
Language
English Simultaneous interpretation between English and BHS (Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian) will be available in both directions.
Attendance
In-person conference Select one or both days on the FES registration form.

04 / Ideas behind the conversation

Publications

Research on work, migration and technology. Explore the ideas shaping our conference — and what comes next.

The reading collection

41 publications

02Migration & mobility
Cover of Protection of mobile migrant labour in the European single market: facilitating a counselling and support network for mobile migrant labour
Study

Protection of mobile migrant labour in the European single market: facilitating a counselling and support network for mobile migrant labour

Friedrich Ernst, Jan Cremers

FES · September 2026 · English

Practical support and counselling for mobile migrant workers, including options involving the European Labour Authority.

Read publication
19Labour markets
First page of At the intersection of migration, education, development, and trade: 20 concrete policy recommendations for tackling skills shortages in the EU and beyond, based on interdisciplinary evidence
First-page preview

At the intersection of migration, education, development, and trade: 20 concrete policy recommendations for tackling skills shortages in the EU and beyond, based on interdisciplinary evidence

Tesseltje de Lange et al.

GS4S · 28 May 2025 · English

Conference speaker

Recommendations addressing skills shortages in digital, care and construction sectors through connected policy areas.

Read publication
31Migration & mobility
Cover of Skills-oriented migration in the Western Balkans: linking workers’ migration aspirations to skill shortages in destination and origin countries
Working paper

Skills-oriented migration in the Western Balkans: linking workers’ migration aspirations to skill shortages in destination and origin countries

Pascal Beckers et al.

GS4S · 1 September 2024 · English

Conference speaker

Evidence on how labour shortages affect migration aspirations in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.

Read publication
33Workers’ rights
Cover of Improving workplace data protection: achieving workplace GDPR compliance, clarifying national workplace data protection rules, and enhancing worker data protection through social dialogue
Paper

Improving workplace data protection: achieving workplace GDPR compliance, clarifying national workplace data protection rules, and enhancing worker data protection through social dialogue

Justin Nogarede et al.

FES · June 2024 · English

Workplace data protection, enforcement and the role of social dialogue.

Read publication
The series continues

05 / Previously in the series

Vienna → Sarajevo

Vienna · 18–19 June 2026

Power & Participation

The Vienna programme focused on young workers, strong institutions and digital rights, with workshops on the Austrian model, organising, and the future labour market.

Sarajevo continues the conversation, bringing migration, technology and the future of work in the Balkans into focus.

Discover the next chapter

06 / Join the conversation

Help shape
what comes next.

Sarajevo · 22–23 October 2026

Register for Sarajevo

Registration is hosted by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. You will continue to the FES website to enter your details and select your attendance days.