PhD Project: Understanding the mechanisms driving strain partitioning during oroclinal bending associated with continental indentation. The aim is to quantify the main controlling parameters of deformation transfer between the indenter margins and oroclinal bending rotations and their contribution to strain partitioning. Furthermore, effects of lateral upper plate back-arc extension driven by a slab retreat on the evolution of indentation systems and oroclinal bending are studied. The process-oriented concepts of oroclinal bending are validated and applied to the evolution of the southern Carpatho-Balkanides orocline (SE Europe) by combining analogue modelling approach and structural study in the area of the Serbian Carpathians, which connects all segments of the orocline.