Abstract

Centre for Social Sciences has taken significant steps towards strengthening its international presence since 2012. The initially small number of international publications and applications increased by leaps and bounds, which was due to a complex institutional program.
The leaders of the Research Centre had a strong intention to strengthen the institution's international visibility: they believed that more prestigious international journal publications and conference participation would lead to more project invitations, and more projects would result in a greater number of new publications. They built up a system which encouraged and supported such activities, and a reward-evaluation system to recognize it.
The program consisted of several elements: skill development of researcher competencies such as academic writing and proposal development courses, providing funding for proofreading services.
The other important element was the motivation of researchers to enter the international arena. They tried to achieve this goal by introducing a performance evaluation system and creating a reward and promotion system.
Also the establishment of an effective research support team, consisting of highly qualified research administrators, was indispensable for successful operation.
The presentation highlights the challenges the institution faces and the answers given to them, and formulates practical tips and ideas, which might be a great use for other institutions.