UNZE and CIP: Participation in the Week of Macroregional Innovations at the Joint Research Center of the European Commission in Ispra

Joint Research Center of the European Commission (JRC EC) (https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/about/jrc-site/ispra) held from January 24 to 26, 2018 in Ispra (Italy) the so-called Innovation Week, entitled "Knowledge and Technology Transfer in Macroregions", which aimed to promote the exchange of innovation related to best practices, knowledge, tools and methods between practitioners and relevant policy makers in the EU macroregions, including the Western Balkans . This was also an opportunity to present the key results derived from the activities of the General Directorate of the aforementioned Center and its scientific support for the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), which may be relevant for other macro-regions as well.

Two introductory speeches were held: 1. Perspectives of ESOF 2020 in Trieste - the role of Central and Eastern Europe and 2. Strengthening the development of human resources for building research and innovation capacities in the Western Balkans region. A total of seven round tables were also held, which related to: Best practices/lessons learned for the Western Balkans; Opening of research infrastructure and laboratories; Connecting smart specialization agendas in European macro-regions: their synergy potential; Innovations in support of policies: environment, energy and transport; Innovations in support of policies: agriculture and food/rural development and industrial modernization; Innovations in biotechnologies; Research and innovation in the Western Balkans; and Synergy of instruments and competences: linking strategies of smart specialization and technology transfer, innovation ecosystem, research, education and skills.

About 150 representatives from EU countries and the Western Balkans participated, and the University of Zenica was represented by the vice-rector for international cooperation and quality assurance, prof. Ph.D. Malik Cabaravdic.