Balkan Universities Network

Balkan Universities Association
	Logo used by the Trakya University Presidency
Abbreviation	BAUNAS
Type	University Association
Legal status	higher education associations
Purpose	Facilitation of higher education sector dialogue in the region of Balkans
Headquarters	Rotating among the member universities
Region served	Balkans and neighboring areas
Website	www.baunas.org

The Balkan Universities Network or Balkan Universities Association (BAUNAS) in its present form was created after the end of the SFR Yugoslavia, the founding of new universities, and the implementation of the Bologna Process in Balkan Universities. The aim of the network is the exchange of know how and experience in research and education, mutual acceptance of certificates, encouragement of professors and students for more mobility between the universities and the use of support programs for student exchange.^[1] Besides bilateral meetings, conferences rotating between the member universities take place.

The 2010 conference was organized by the Trakya University in Edirne.^[2]Rector Enver Duran Trakya University Edirne (Turkey), President; Dean Hilmi Ibar Trakya University Edirne (Turkey), Vice-President; Rector Faruk Čaklovica University of Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Member; Rector Dhori Kule University of Tirana (Albania), Member; Rector Ioannis P Gerothanassis, University Ioannina (Greece), Member; Rector Anelia Klissarova, Varna Medical University (Bulgaria), Member.

In addition to the bilateral meetings, conferences of the Balkan universities take place at changing member locations. ^[3] The 2018 meeting took place in the University of Tetovo.

In 2016, the Rector of Trakya University Erhan Tabakoglu in Edirne has taken over the general secretariat of the association. Since 2018, Enver Duran has been honorary president and Pericles A. Mitkas president of BAUNAS. The new additional goal is to work more closely with the network of Black Sea Universities Network (BSUN).

Members

Country	Institution(s)
Albania	University of Tirana University of Medicine, Tirana Epoka University Eqerem Çabej University University of Korça Luigj Gurakuqi University Vitrina University
Bosnia and Herzegovina	University of Sarajevo University of Mostar University of Tuzla University of Zenica
Bulgaria	Agricultural University of Plovdiv American University in Bulgaria University of Sofia Burgas Free University^[4] St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo State University of Library Studies and Information Technologies Technical University of Varna Technical University of Gabrovo Medical University of Varna University of Shumen Episkop Konstantin Preslavski University of Food Technologies^[5] Varna Free University^[6] Medical University Pleven
Croatia	University of Zadar
Northern Cyprus (de facto)	European University of Lefke
Greece	Aristotle University of Thessaloniki University of Macedonia University of Ioannina Democritus University of Thrace University of Thessaly
Kosovo^[a]	Iliria Royal University^[7] University of Pristina^[8]
North Macedonia	FON University Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje State University of Tetovo International Balkan University St. Clement of Ohrid University of Bitola South East European University
Moldova	Comrat State University
Montenegro	University "Mediterranean" University of Montenegro
Romania	Ovidius University University of Bucharest Andrei Saguna University
Serbia	University of Belgrade University of Arts in Belgrade University of Novi Sad University of Priština University of Kragujevac
Turkey	Trakya University Dokuz Eylül University Galatasaray University University of Istanbul Namik Kemal University Fırat University Süleyman Demirel University Atatürk University Bozok University^[9] Kirklareli University^[10] Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University