Establishing regular cooperation of Smart Specialization Strategies actors in the countries of Adriatic-Ionian Macro-region

As part of the 5th traditional Mediterranean Coast and Macro-Regional Strategies Week 2020, a workshop on internationalization as an important part of Smart Specialization Strategies in the countries of Adriatic-Ionian Macro-Region is on the agenda today and tomorrow. In addition to all involved countries, the workshop is attended also by representatives of the European Commission: Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Development and Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. JRC Seville, which among other things monitors the implementation and preparation of Smart Specialization Strategies in EU countries and regions for the European Commission, is present as well.

At the workshop, national authorities will present individual Smart Specialization Strategies and focus the discussion on the international component of cooperation between individual stakeholders at the national, regional, local and entrepreneurial levels, as well as between knowledge institutions involved in entrepreneurial discovery processes.

The second day is dedicated to the first pillar of the Adriatic - Ionian Macro-regional Strategy - Blue Growth. Individual projects, that are already being implemented and contribute to Blue Growth in the Adriatic will be presented. On the Slovenian side, two Strategic Development and Innovation Partnerships will participate - Networks for the Transition to a Circular Economy and Sustainable Food Production. Representatives of the Jozef Stefan Institute and the Institute of Chemistry with a presentation of PanoramaMed and PlanetCare projects, will showcase their contribution to international cooperation in the field of smart specializations and covering the field of Blue Growth in the Adriatic.

As this being the first meeting dedicated to cooperation in the field of Smart Specialization Strategies, the participants committed themselves that is will not be the last one, but will strive to grow it into a traditional event within the Mediterranean Coast and Macro-Regional Strategies Week.

The event is organized in cooperation with the strategic project EUSAIR Facility Point, whose leading partner in the region is the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy.

For more information on the topic, with presentations and official report of the meeting with proposed next steps follow this link.