The SMARTLABOR project, led by the Public Policy Research Centre from Serbia, with partners CREDI from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Impetus from North Macedonia, is advancing innovation, digitalization, and labor market development in the agri-food sector across the Western Balkans. Through this initiative, the project aligns with European Union trends under the EU Cohesion Policy framework, leveraging the Smart Specialisation approach to foster sustainable growth.
Recognizing the agri-food sector’s pivotal role in economic development, innovation, and scientific potential, SMARTLABOR aims to systemize and expand the knowledge base of Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3). By ensuring this knowledge is accessible to all stakeholders and involving civil society organizations (CSOs) as essential contributors, the project is paving the way for enhanced collaboration and evidence-based policymaking.
Key Objectives
- Developing an Open-Source Platform
The project is creating an innovative platform to support policy design and implementation. This platform will feature methodologies, stakeholder maps, a data repository, and interactive tools, fostering regional knowledge exchange and accessible policy development across all Western Balkan countries. - Strengthening the Smart Labour Network (SLN)
The project aims to enhance the capacities of the SLN to act as a central CSO for policymaking related to S3. Through the open-source platform and related activities, the SLN will play a vital role in research, advocacy, and regional collaboration. - Facilitating Policy Co-Creation
Stakeholders from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and North Macedonia are actively engaged to co-create effective policy solutions tailored to the needs of the agri-food sector. This collaborative approach ensures the sustainability and relevance of the policies at both national and regional levels.
SMARTLABOR is funded by the SMART Balkans – Civil Society for Shared Society in the Western Balkans program, implemented by Centar za promociju civilnog društva (CPCD), Center for Research and Policy Making (CRPM), and Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM), with financial support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA).
With a duration of 18 months, the SMARTLABOR project demonstrates the strength of regional partnerships in fostering innovation, empowering civil society, and driving economic growth in the Western Balkans through evidence-based strategies and collaboration.
For more information about SMARTLABOR, please visit the project website or follow updates on social media.