Dr Milena Stefanović (b. 1976) is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade, at the Department of Production and Management in Theatre, Radio, and Culture. She teaches general management courses at all levels of study: Strategic Management and Marketing; Introduction to Management; Economics and Financial Operations; Creative Entrepreneurship; and Cultural Sustainability Studies.
**Education**
She graduated in Philosophy from the Department of Philosophy at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade. She holds a Master in Public Administration (MPA) from SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan and earned her PhD in 2018 from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts (mentor: Prof. Emerita Milena Dragićević Šešić). Her doctoral thesis was titled: “New Public Management in Culture: A Tool of Standardization or Development?”
Dr Stefanović brings more than fifteen years of professional managerial experience in the private and civil sectors, along with strong competencies and practical knowledge in advocacy processes and public diplomacy.
From 2017 to 2024, she served as Programme Manager at the European Fund for the Balkans (European Fund for the Balkans), where she represented the “Network of European Foundations” (https://nef-europe.org). She led several key programmes, including the “Western Balkans Advisory Group” (bipeag.eu), public administration scholarship programmes for Western Balkan countries, cooperation with the Austrian Parliament, and the development of the BEE EFB Alumni Network, which now includes over 500 alumni from Southeast Europe (balkanfund.org).
She previously worked at Delta Holding, Office for Public Affairs (2008–2010), focusing on international marketing and PR activities in the office of the Vice President.
She was also an intern at the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament and worked as a producer/reporter for the South East TV Exchanges service in Brussels (2006–2008).
Dr Stefanović publishes scientific papers, participates in conferences, research projects, and initiatives in the fields of cultural management and media (including AI Media HUB, Share Foundation’s Media Talent Network, reviewer of the Museum of Yugoslavia Development Strategy, Swisspeace’s “Culture for Democracy,” etc.). She is also a frequent guest lecturer (University Ca’ Foscari Venice, ELIA network, among others).
Main research interests: strategic management and leadership, branding, organisational culture, and governance.