Ljiljana Ćumura is a PhD candidate at the University of Belgrade – Faculty of Political Science, Department for Social Policy and Social Work. She holds a master’s degree in Sociology (2014-2015) and Sociology for Social Welfare (2015-2016) from the University of Novi Sad in Serbia. She studied Peace Education and Conflict Management, Mediation, Project management and Youth & Community Development in Germany, UK, Sweden, Poland and Malta. Ljiljana has more than 20 years of experience in governmental and INGO sectors. She has attended numerous national and international workshops, conferences and educations and participated in more than 20 major researches. As a highly skilled project manager, she is (co)author and coordinator of over 100 national and international programs and projects. Ljiljana holds more than ten awards in the field of social science and humanities. She has published several books, manuals and over a hundred articles, papers and reviews in Serbian, English, Italian and German. Ljiljana gives trainings and lectures all over Europe. Her research focus is on participatory action learning and mixed methodology, various aspects of education and innovative teaching methodologies, restorative practice, as well on integration and migration.
Migration-related publications
Ćumura, Lj., Barbanti, E. and Trevisan, L. (2021). The Use of Social Theatre along the Mediterranean. In: FrancoAngeli Journals. Welfare e Ergonomia. 2/2021, pp. 117-132, DOI:10.3280/WE2021-002009
Ćumura, Lj. and Barbanti, E. (2020). Educational Poverty and Social Inequality. Comparative Approach – Italy and Serbia. In: FrancoAngeli Journals. Welfare e Ergonomia, 1/2020, pp. 101-118, DOI:10.3280/WE2020-001010
Ćumura, Lj. and Barbanti, E. (2019). Good practices towards tackling early leaving from education and training (ELET). Comparative approach: Malta, Italy and Serbia. In: Early Leaving from Education and Training – The Way Forward, pp. 187-196. Malta: Directorate for Research, Lifelong Learning and Employability, Ministry for Education and Employment, ISBN 978-99957-1-874-9
Ćumura, Lj. and Ragia, M. (2019). Integration of Migrants through the Food and Art. In: EMN Newsletter, 1/2019, European Migration Network, NCP Malta
Ćumura, Lj. and Trevisan, L. (2019). European Values of Social Life and Vocational Integration. In: EMN Newsletter, 2/2019, European Migration Network, NCP Malta
Ćumura, Lj. (2019). Caring for Children Moving Alone: Protecting Unaccompanied and Separated Children. In: EMN Newsletter, 3/2019, European Migration Network, NCP Malta
Ćumura, Lj. (2018). New forms of European Citizenship in Migration Era. In: EMN Newsletter, 8/2018, European Migration Network, NCP Malta
Ćumura, Lj. i Kuburić, Z. (prir.) (2017). Sistemi socijalne sigurnosti – između teorije i prakse. Bačka Palanka: Društvo članova Matice srpske Bačka Palanka, ISBN 978-86-921049-2-3, 978-86-499-0219-0
Migration-related projects
2018-2022: Migration, Integration and Governance Research Centre (MIGREC), Horizont2020
2020-2021: TAS – Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis – Migration Labs, Europe for Citizens
2019-2020: MYgrant METAMORPHOSIS – Professionalization of Youth Workers – Integration of Migrants through Multi-Medial & Art-Based Learning, Erasmus Plus
2016-2020: Risk Change (construct migration policies in EU and wider in innovative ways), Creative Europe
2017-2020: InterCap: Develop Capacities Together – Migration, Sustainable Development and Global Learning, EuropeAid
2017-2019: European Values of social Life and Vocational Integration of Migrants (EVOLVE), Erasmus Plus
2017-2019: New forms of European Citizenship in Migration Era (NECME), Erasmus Plus
2016-2017: Mobile Youth Club for Migrants, UNDP, IOGT-NTO
2012-2015: Developing alternative understandings of security and justice through restorative justice approaches in intercultural settings within democratic societies (ALTERNATIVE), FP7 Framework Programme for Research
2013-2014: Civic Help for Anti-Racist Measures in youth work: CHARM yourself, Youth in Action
2014 Between Leaving and Arriving – On Aspects of European Migrational Policies, Erasmus Plus
2014 In Others Shoes, Erasmus Plus
2012 The Charm of Supremacy – European Youth against xenophobia, fanaticism and nationalism, Youth in Action
2012 Europe BaGpackers!, Youth in Action
2012 Break the bricks! Youth for solidarity and respect in a common Europe 2.0, Youth in Action
2012 Cap it all off! Diversity beyond trapped barriers, Youth in Action
2012 Creating Creative European Citizens, Youth in Action
2011 Wilderness ventures – challenging youth at risk, Youth in Action
2011 Tear down this wall! Youth for a common future in Europe, Youth in Action
2011 LOL! Sketching Europe! – Jokes and caricatures for breaking down racism and xenophobia through Youth, Youth in Action
2011 Take a walk on the European Side, Youth in Action
2009 Pick you up…in Europe! Cross European Intercultural Youth Information, Youth in Action
2008 International project about human right: Johnny on the spot!, Youth in Action
Migration-related conferences
2018 Conference: The European Pillar of Social Rights (Malta)
2018 Migrant Women in Social Enterprise Development (Malta)
2018 EMN MT Conference: Legal Migration and the Labour Market in the EU (Malta)
2019 EMN MT Conference: The Inclusion and Empowerment of Migrant Students (Malta)
2019 Conference: Lost in Migration, 3rd edition (Malta)
2019 Training: Migration, the SDGs and Participatory Learning (Malta)
2019 Training: Cultural Mediators in Health Care (Malta)
2019 Course: Caring for Children Moving Alone: Protecting Unaccompanied and Separated Children
2020 Visibility of the Invisible – series of events about inclusion and integration (Malta)
2020 EMN Vienna Conference: Forecasting the Future of Global Migration (online)
2021 People on the Move – Why Do People Disagree About Migration? (online)
2021 Bridging Legal and Empirical Research Methods in Migration Research: What are the Challenges? (online)
2021 Conference: Voice for Youth – Migration Labs results (Brussels)
2021 ICMPD Vienna Migration Conference: Re-imagining migration partnerships: Challenges, opportunities and strategies (online)
2021 Migration Policy Workshop: Towards sustainability and adoption, The Migration06 projects (online)
2022 MIDEX workshop: Mixed Methodologies: Qualitative and/or Qualitative Research on Migration: A Matter of Ethics? (online)
2022 EMN MT Study Forum: Integration of Migrant Women – Policies and Measures (online)
Active Participation
Ljiljana Cumura, Educational projects and initiatives in the EU for migrants and refugees, at the EMN MT Conference: The Inclusion and Empowerment of Migrant Students, Sliema, Malta, 16.10.2019.
Seminar: Education of Migrants and Refugees: The Maltese Context from a Sociological Lens. Guest speakers: Erika Borg, the Human Rights Directorate and Ljiljana Cumura, sociologist researcher, MSA Board (online), 15.12.2021.