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1、 Smart Specialisation in the Western Balkans and Trkiye Lessons learned Radovanovic,N.,Bole,D.2024 ISSN 1831-9424 EUR 31836 EN This publication is a Technical report by the Joint Research Centre(JRC),the European Commissions science and knowledge service.It aims to provide evidence-based scientific
2、support to the European policymaking process.The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the position or opinion of the European Commission.Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use that might be made of this publicat
3、ion.For information on the methodology and quality underlying the data used in this publication for which the source is neither Eurostat nor other Commission services,users should contact the referenced source.The designations employed and the presentation of material on the maps do not imply the ex
4、pression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the European Union concerning the legal status of any country,territory,city or area or of its authorities,or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.EU Science Hub https:/joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu JRC136309 EUR 31836 EN P
5、DF ISBN 978-92-68-12063-7 ISSN 1831-9424 doi:10.2760/812189 KJ-NA-31-836-EN-N Luxembourg:Publications Office of the European Union,2024.European Union,2024.The reuse policy of the European Commission documents is implemented by the Commission Decision 2011/833/EU of 12 December 2011 on the reuse of
6、Commission documents(OJ L 330,14.12.2011,p.39).Unless otherwise noted,the reuse of this document is authorised under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International(CC BY 4.0)licence(https:/creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).This means that reuse is allowed provided appropriate credit is given
7、 and any changes are indicated.For any use or reproduction of photos or other material that is not owned by the European Union,permission must be sought directly from the copyright holders.How to cite this report:Radovanovic,N.and Bole,D.,Smart Specialisation in the Western Balkans and Trkiye Lesson
8、s learned,Publications Office of the European Union,Luxembourg,2024,doi:10.2760/812189,JRC136309.i Contents Abstract.1 Executive summary.2 1 Introduction.4 2 Background information.5 2.1 EU Enlargement policy in the Western Balkans and Trkiye.5 2.2 Smart Specialisation as a part of the EU approximat
9、ion process.5 2.3 Support for Smart Specialisation provided by the European Commission.6 3 Methodology.8 3.1 Collection of secondary data in public domain.8 3.2 Survey for primary data collection.9 3.3 Data analysis and report generation.10 4 Analysis of progress and best practices of economies in S
10、mart Specialisation.12 4.1 Smart Specialisation progress.12 4.2 Indications of best regional practices.42 4.2.1 Smart Specialisation design phase.42 4.2.2 Smart Specialisation implementation phase.43 5 Analysis of the support provided in the Smart Specialisation process.45 5.1 Evolution of the suppo
11、rt.45 5.2 Feedback from the economies on the support used and future needs.46 6 Horizontal analysis and lessons learned.47 6.1 Duration of the Smart Specialisation process.47 6.2 Resources and funding sources.48 6.3 Key enabling and success factors.50 6.4 Benefits and main challenges.51 6.5 Satisfac
12、tion with the process.52 6.6 Lessons learned.54 7 Conclusions and recommendations.57 References.61 List of abbreviations and definitions.62 List of figures.63 List of tables.64 1 Abstract The Western Balkan region and Trkiye have demonstrated strong progress in the Smart Specialisation process in th
13、e last several years.In this process,the economies have been following the Smart Specialisation design and implementation frameworks for the EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood Region.The nominated working groups for managing Smart Specialisation in the region have accumulated significant experience in
14、 utilizing the mentioned frameworks,which is crucial for the upcoming efforts in implementing not only innovation policies based on Smart Specialisation but also other related policies facing common modern-day challenges.The experiences presented in this report can contribute to the elaboration of f
15、uture directions for developing innovation policy approaches and methodologies across the entire European continent.Authors Nikola Radovanovic-European Commission,Joint Research Centre,Spain Domen Bole-co-creation,Slovenia 2 Executive summary Since 2016,the Smart Specialisation process has gradually
16、 been chosen as the primary approach for building a comprehensive,evidence-based,and participatory innovation policy by the Western Balkan economies and Trkiye.By 2018,all Western Balkan economies and Trkiye embarked on the Smart Specialisation journey and began developing the structures and governa
17、nce mechanisms for implementing the Smart Specialisation exercise.In 2018,the Joint Research Centre developed a framework for pursuing Smart Specialisation in the EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood Region,aiming to facilitate an easier approach to different tasks in the strategy design process.Four ye
18、ars later,the Joint Research Centre published the Smart Specialisation implementation framework for the EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood Region,providing guidance on constructing the mechanism for governing and monitoring the Smart Specialisation implementation process.The frameworks were seen as ve
19、ry helpful tools for navigating through the complex stages of both design and implementation processes.The economies in the region faced diverse challenges in designing and implementing their Smart Specialisation strategies.Most challenges were related to the availability of resources,relevant data,
20、maintaining stakeholders engagement throughout the process,coping with changes imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic,and developing an extensive policy mix for Smart Specialisation.By navigating through these challenges throughout the entire Smart Specialisation journey,with the support of the Joint Rese
21、arch Centre team,the Western Balkan economies accumulated various experiences.These experiences,along with the relevant perspective from the beneficiaries of the process,are invaluable for guiding future endeavours related to wider innovation policy enhancement.This report aims to provide the result
22、s of the Smart Specialisation performance from the perspective of stakeholders in the Western Balkans and Trkiye,focusing on evaluating the entire process and the support provided.The analysis revealed excellence in different actions undertaken within the Smart Specialisation exercise but also some
23、areas that require stronger focus in terms of planning and executing particular stages as given in the Smart Specialisation frameworks for the EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood Region.It has been shown that the governance of the Smart Specialisation process requires firm commitment by both managing a
24、uthorities and national governments,as well as sound and meticulous planning and continuous availability of resources.Capacities for execution of both operational and analytical activities required in the design and implementation stages represent a crucial factor for success.The commitment at the h
25、ighest levels should enable continuous promotion of the Smart Specialisation and demonstrate a clear strategic mandate.Such governance would also reveal capabilities for securing adequate resources for the implementation activities and perform timely planning of potential external financial sources,
26、such as from relevant EU programmes or international donors.The process should be led by the team that is able to navigate through the complex tasks and requirements of the entire process,and that has the abilities to motivate and engage stakeholders and mobilise mentioned necessary resources.Awaren
27、ess raising actions are found to be essential throughout the design process,but also during the implementation phase.The designated Smart Specialisation teams need to develop comprehensive targeted communication strategy and maintain it.This will help in managing stakeholder expectations and keeping
28、 them together.This should,in its turn,positively affect continuous Entrepreneurial Discovery Process,which has been identified as the most critical point of the Smart Specialisation implementation stage.Following the completion of the stakeholder dialogue actions,it would be necessary to invest str
29、ong efforts in designing a feasible monitoring and evaluation system and develop a precise and adequately customised action plan for the implementation.Such system and plan need to be realistic and fact-based,so to enable smooth and efficient execution.The planning should look to engage policy actio
30、ns that are based in other policies but with links to innovation and research system,such as industrial policy,education policy,employment policy,and other.Realistic planning of the monitoring and evaluation system as well as the action plan would take into account all pertinent funding opportunitie
31、s and identify existing and missing capabilities across relevant policies.The methodological guidance and technical expertise provided by the Joint Research Centre was beneficial for the Smart Specialisation teams from the Western Balkans.The tailored frameworks for designing and implementing the Sm
32、art Specialisation strategy in the EU enlargement and neighbourhood context proved to be very helpful in guiding through the necessary steps in the Smart Specialisation process.The satisfaction with the guidance process and mentioned frameworks is very 3 high,while the experiences from the Western B
33、alkans highlighted some areas of further enhancement in this regard,such as additional alignment of the quantitative mapping methodology and imposing certain limitations in the quantitative mapping and the Entrepreneurial Discovery Process.The upcoming guidelines for customised mapping and stakehold
34、er dialogue should provide essential support to national Smart Specialisation teams in tackling these challenges.The support from the European Commission programmes and projects related to Smart Specialisation processes was proven essential,while it was,at times,dispersed across the European Commiss
35、ion services.The results of the analysis propose that by enabling coordination of this processes on the JRC,as the institution with the long-term expertise in assisting managing authorities in Smart Specialisation support,would help in avoiding fragmentation of such support and contribute to the ove
36、rall efficiency.In addition,the expert support provided by the European Commission services should be strengthened by the general EU policy support for ensuring long-term commitment by national authorities to the Smart Specialisation process.Finally,the report includes good regional practices from t
37、he design and implementation stages of the Smart Specialisation process,highlighting main benefits and challenges with the overall objective of contributing to the body of knowledge on the Smart Specialisation approach and the inclusive innovation policy concept that helps tackle some of the main ch
38、allenges of modern societies.4 1 Introduction The aim of the report is to present the progress made in adopting the Smart Specialisation approach in the economies from the EU Enlargement region as an important element of the EU approximation process,to assess the scope of support provided and to off
39、er insights for further improvements in terms of the content and modalities required in the future.The tasks included collection and analysis of existing secondary data,studies,reports,tools,instruments and other relevant publications on Smart Specialisation in the economies of the Western Balkans a
40、nd Trkiye.The study also includes the survey with key national stakeholders from the economies of the Western Balkans and Trkiye in the field of Smart Specialisation.The survey was performed based on a questionnaire targeting key national stakeholders in the field of Smart Specialisation and intervi
41、ews with the relevant country coordinators in the Joint Research Centre.The report includes country-specific feedback and up-to-date data on progress in Smart Specialisation;identified challenges,strengths and needs;examples of good practice and suggestions for best regional practice in Smart Specia
42、lisation;assessment of results of support to the Smart Specialisation process;horizontal issues,similarities,differences and correlations between national and/or regional Smart Specialisation processes;and lessons learned and recommendations.The report is composed of the following chapters:Chapter 1
43、 with background information including basic information on the EU approximation process in the economies analysed,the importance of Smart Specialisation and the EU approximation process,and the European Commissions support for Smart Specialisation.Chapter 2 that includes the methodology for collect
44、ing relevant data,including surveys,as well as the methodology for analysing the data and producing the report.Chapter 3 with the analysis of S3 progress for each of the 6 Western Balkan economies and Trkiye,with indication of best regional practices in S3 design and implementation.Chapter 4 is dedi
45、cated to the assessment of the provided support,including the description of the evolution and availability of support,the analysis of country-specific feedback on JRC support used,the indication of the desired support mix and concrete support needs in the future.Chapter 5 focuses on horizontal anal
46、ysis of key elements of S3 processes across the region and on the description of lessons learned.Finally,Chapter 6 is devoted to general recommendations on the S3 process,recommendations on the existing methodology and tools,and recommendations for supporting the S3 process in the region.5 2 Backgro
47、und information In order to better understand the process of Smart Specialisation in the Western Balkans and Trkiye,this chapter provides a description of the EU Enlargement policy in the Western Balkans and Trkiye,the role of Smart Specialisation as part of the EU approximation process and a descri
48、ption of the available support for Smart Specialisation provided by the JRC.2.1 EU Enlargement policy in the Western Balkans and Trkiye1 The EU Enlargement policy applies to the economies currently seeking to join the EU and to potential candidates.A country can only join the EU if it meets all the
49、membership criteria,which is achieved through a comprehensive enlargement process.During the enlargement process,the European Commission helps countries to meet the necessary criteria for membership and supports them in implementing the related economic and democratic reforms.The process of joining
50、the EU broadly consists of 3 stages:1.When a country is ready it becomes an official candidate for membership but this does not necessarily mean that formal negotiations have been opened.2.The candidate moves on to formal membership negotiations,a process that involves the adoption of established EU
51、 law,preparations to be in a position to properly apply and enforce it and implementation of judicial,administrative,economic and other reforms necessary for the country to meet the conditions for joining,known as accession criteria.3.When the negotiations and accompanying reforms have been complete
52、d to the satisfaction of both sides,the country can join the EU.The EUs relations with the Western Balkan economies take place within a special framework known as the stabilisation and association process.It has the aims to stabilise the economies politically and encouraging their swift transition t
53、o a market economy,promote regional cooperation and achieve eventual membership of the EU2.In this framework,a country is offered the prospect of membership(it becomes a potential candidate).This means that it should be offered official candidate status when it is ready to start to adopt and impleme
54、nt EU law and European and international standards.And the special Wester Balkans stabilisation and association process helps the economies concerned build their capacity for these reforms.Each country moves step by step towards EU membership as it fulfils its commitments in the stabilisation and as
55、sociation process.The Commission assesses the progress made in annual progress reports published every autumn.All the economies analysed in this Report strive to become members of EU.As such,they are all undertaking the necessary reforms to meet the required criteria for membership.With the exceptio
56、n of Kosovo*3,which is a potential candidate,all other Western Balkan economies have the EU candidate status.2.2 Smart Specialisation as a part of the EU approximation process The prospect of membership is a powerful stimulus for democratic and economic reforms in countries that want to become EU me
57、mbers.4 Part of these reforms is the process of Smart Specialisation and therefore the development and implementation of Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation is one of the most important activities in the EU approximation process.As such,it must be carried out according to Eur
58、opean and international standards.As the Smart Specialisation(S3)process plays a crucial role in the progress of negotiations,it is subject to careful monitoring.In the analysed region,the state of progress and the primary recommendations are detailed in Cluster 3:Competitiveness and Inclusive Growt
59、h of the annual progress reports of the countries,specifically in chapters 20(Enterprise and industrial policy)and chapter 25(Science and research).1 https:/commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/eu-enlargement_en 2 https:/neighbourhood-enlargement.ec.europa.eu/enlargement-policy/steps-to
60、wards-joining_en 3*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status,and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.4 https:/commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/eu-enlargement_en 6 Based on data collected through interviews
61、and questionnaires,it is observed that S3-related recommendations in annual reports serve as the main catalysts for initiating or accelerating S3 processes in the analysed economies.For instance,the 2018 Progress Report for Serbia,under chapter 20,highlighted that in the coming year,Serbia should,in
62、 particular,develop a comprehensive industrial policy based on EU principles and using the findings of the Smart Specialisation exercise.This connection with a recognized industrial policy heightened the visibility and importance of S3 in the eyes of high-level government officials,facilitating coll
63、aboration and acquiring necessary resources to continue the paused process at that time.Another example pertains to the S3 process in North Macedonia.The 2020 Report for North Macedonia,under chapter 25,indicated that Some progress was made in the research and innovation capacities in the public and
64、 private sector and in the development of the Smart Specialisation Strategy.In the coming year,the country should continue to work on completing the S3 to underpin national research and innovation strategies and policies.This recommendation increased the significance of S3 in the eyes of top-level g
65、overnment officials,garnering support from the Prime Minister and overarching support from several ministries and donor organizations in the upcoming EDP stage.Additionally,in the most recent reports for Montenegro,Albania,Kosovo*,North Macedonia,Bosnia and Herzegovina,there are recommendations to c
66、omplete,adopt,and start implementing or further implement the Smart Specialisation Strategies.While S3 is also mentioned in the reports for Serbia and Trkiye,there are no concrete recommendations regarding it.2.3 Support for Smart Specialisation provided by the European Commission The European Commi
67、ssion supports countries in implementing reforms during the enlargement process by providing both political and expert support.In the case of the Smart Specialisation(S3)process,this support is mainly provided by the Joint Research Centre(JRC).The JRCs aim is to deliver world-class science for polic
68、y,bringing Europe closer to its citizens and places,and turning territorial diversity into value.In 2017,the JRC launched a pilot project on Smart Specialisation and Organisational Development in Enlargement and H2020 Associated Countries under the Enlargement&Integration Action(E&IA).The overall ob
69、jective of the pilot project was to analyse and support the strategic management capabilities in three target countries(Ukraine,Moldova,Serbia),with a particular focus on mapping and entrepreneurial discovery processes.To address the growing need in the Western Balkans region for the development of
70、Smart Specialisation Strategies,the project was later extended to the entire EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood Region.In this way,the JRCs efforts significantly contributed to the objectives of the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations(DG NEAR),which implements the enlarg
71、ement policy.DG NEAR and the JRC signed an Administrative Arrangement in July 2019 that allowed the JRC to intensify expert support to Western Balkan economies in developing Smart Specialisation strategies.The objective of this Administrative Arrangement was to provide guidance,methodological suppor
72、t,and capacity building for Smart Specialisation in the Western Balkans and Trkiye.Besides the Smart Specialisation platform5 and general guides on S3,such as the RIS3 guide6,the JRC provided extensive set of different types of expert support:-General regional capacity building workshops intended to
73、 raise general awareness and basic capacities related to the S3.-General regional frameworks on S3 design and on S3 implementation7 have been developed based on specific needs of the Enlargement and Neighbourhood region and are tailored to characteristic of policy making in these economies.They incl
74、ude the sequence of crucial stages in S3 design and key building blocks for S3 implementation with general description of every element.As such they provide the key framework to help economies to better envisage the S3 and meet the EU standards.-Tailored capacity-building workshops for specific econ
75、omies are designed to strengthen the capacity of key national stakeholders in relation to specific stages of S3 development or implementation,usually focusing on a particular stage of the process.5 https:/s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/6 https:/s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ris3-guide 7 https:/s3platform
76、.jrc.ec.europa.eu/knowlegde-hub 7-Guidelines for execution of particular stages in S3 design phase with detailed step-by-step guideline for each of the steps following the S3 design framework.-Specially developed national guidelines,adapted to the local context,are tailor-made for interested economi
77、es and represent the step-by-step guidelines for the implementation of particular stages of S3 design or implementation,fully tailored to the local context.-Direct technical support by JRC staff is a continuous support to the national S3 teams in strategic,tactical and operational decisions related
78、to the S3.-Technical support from external international experts contracted by the JRC involves the use of a highly qualified international expert on site to work with the local S3 team and bring in international standards,experience and best practices to solve particular challenges.-JRC-commissione
79、d local expert technical support involves the use of local experts who understand the local context very well and carry out the process in line with international standards and experiences.Besides the expert support provided by the JRC there were other bodies of EU that provided expert support:-DG N
80、EAR provided expert mission and workshops trough the TAIEX program.8-EU delegations in repetitive countries provided funding for international experts.-Directorate-General for Research and Innovation(DG RTD)provided S3 related expert support within their Policy Support Facility programme.9 Complemen
81、ting the support provided by the EU,international donor organisations were also very active and contributed significantly to progress in the design and implementation of S3 in the region.With all the support described,the economies of the EU Enlargement region demonstrated strong progress in designi
82、ng and implementing their respective Smart Specialisation processes in the recent years.This report will analyse the S3 processes and the support to provide:-Overview of diverse country-specific context-related experiences from the Smart Specialisation process.-Conceptualisation of the lessons learn
83、ed from this process.-Insights and recommendations for further development of the innovation policy development concepts based on Smart Specialisation both in non-EU context but also among the EU member states.Sharing such experiences and knowledge could be of utmost importance for addressing curren
84、t and future challenges in innovation policy design and implementation in the Western Balkans,but also for the broader Smart Specialisation community around the world.8 https:/neighbourhood-enlargement.ec.europa.eu/funding-and-technical-assistance/taiex_en 9 https:/ec.europa.eu/research-and-innovati
85、on/en/statistics/policy-support-facility 8 3 Methodology The analysis of lessons learned from Smart Specialisation in the Western Balkans and Trkiye included country-specific feedback and up-to-date data on the progress in Smart Specialisation,identified challenges,strengths and needs,examples of go
86、od practice and suggestions for best regional practice in Smart Specialisation,assessment of the results of the support to the Smart Specialisation process,horizontal issues,similarities,differences and correlations between the national and/or regional Smart Specialisation processes,and lessons lear
87、ned and recommendations.The key research questions included the following:1.What is the overall level of satisfaction with the S3 process?2.What were the main benefits of the S3 process?3.What were the main challenges of the S3 process?4.What are the main enabling factors of the S3 process?5.What ar
88、e the main success factors of the S3 process?6.What is the involvement of academia,government,industry and civil society?7.What were the key resources?8.When did the different stages of the process start and end?9.Could the S3 process be implemented differently/more optimally?10.What were the gaps/p
89、auses in the overall S3 process?11.What are the main reasons why the process stalled(lack of staff,lack of finances,lack of knowledge,political situation,COVID)?12.What kind of JRC support was available and used?13.What is the satisfaction level with JRC support?14.What are the main benefits of JRC
90、support?15.Which support methods were most effective in terms of shorter duration or greater satisfaction with the S3 process?These questions needed to be analysed against each of the S3 design stages following the S3 design framework:1)Decision to start Smart Specialisation process;2)Analysis of st
91、rategic mandates;3)Analysis of existing economic,scientific and innovative potential(quantitative);4)In-depth analysis of priority domains(qualitative);5)EDP-Entrepreneurial Discovery Process;6)Design of monitoring,implementation and financing system.The research questions were also analysed in acco
92、rdance with the following building blocks of the S3 implementation framework:1)Setup of the governance system;2)Setup of the monitoring and evaluation mechanism;3)Setup of the continuous EDP.Data on the research questions can be collected either through available secondary sources or through a surve
93、y with key national stakeholders from the Western Balkan economies and Trkiye as a primary data source.The following subsections describe the methodology that led to the creation of this report.3.1 Collection of secondary data in public domain The first task was to analyse relevant data and informat
94、ion on Smart Specialisation in the economies of the Western Balkans and Trkiye,collecting secondary data from studies,reports,the S3 platform,tools,instruments and other relevant publications.The analysis of relevant data and information on Smart Specialisation in the Western Balkan economies and Tr
95、kiye which was carried out through the analysis of secondary data from studies,reports,S3 platforms,tools,instruments and other relevant publications on Smart Specialisation in the Western Balkans and Trkiye.It led to the following conclusions:1.Progress in developing and implementing Research and I
96、nnovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation(RIS3)varies greatly across economies,ranging from those in the initial phases of RIS3 design to economies already implementing RIS3 and preparing for the next round of 9 the Entrepreneurial Discovery Process(EDP).This involves engaging in dialogue with s
97、takeholders to develop the new RIS3 strategy document.2.There is also a variety of methodological approaches,ranging from economies fully adhering to the S3 framework to those that have followed the framework partially(due to the framework being published when their design process was well advanced)
98、.In the case of Trkiye,the S3 framework was followed voluntarily.3.Additionally,differences exist between national and regional approaches to developing Smart Specialisation strategies.Trkiye has chosen a regional approach,with each region independently carrying out the process.Bosnia and Herzegovin
99、a has opted for a national-level strategy document,but the design process is,to some extent,carried out at the entities level.Other economies have chosen a national approach.4.The availability of country-specific reports and publications varies widely,impacting the accessibility of secondary data.Th
100、is implies that,in most cases,data collection heavily relies on interviews with key stakeholders.3.2 Survey for primary data collection The following task was to collect primary data.For this purpose,a survey was conducted among the main national actors from the Western Balkans and Trkiye in the fie
101、ld of Smart Specialisation.The survey was used to further elaborate the main findings from the analysis of the collected secondary data in the public domain.Furthermore,it was used to collect additional data needed for the preparation of the final Report.The analysis of the secondary data collected
102、revealed a wide range of available answers to the main research questions in the secondary sources is missing,which meant that for the majority of the economies analysed,the stakeholder survey had to be the main source of data.For this purpose,a single comprehensive questionnaire was developed to su
103、pport the semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders from all economies.The content of the semi-structured questionnaire was as follows:1.For each of the S3 design and implementation stages depending on the level of the progress of respective economy:1.1.When did the stage begin?1.2.When was t
104、he stage completed?1.3.If the stage was interrupted or progressed slowly,what were the main reasons(lack of staff,lack of finance,knowledge,political situation,COVID)?(rated on a 1-5 scale)1.4.What were the main resources(human,financial,material),external partners and subcontractors?(rated on a 1-5
105、 scale)1.5.What were the main sources of funding(national,donors,etc)?(rated on a 1-5 scale)1.6.How dynamic were the changes,how much decision-making and planning was required?(rated on a 1-5 scale)1.7.How complex was the management/governance for this stage?(rated on a 1-5 scale)1.8.What was the in
106、volvement of academia,government,industry and civil society?(rated on a 1-5 scale)1.9.What type of support did you receive/use from the JRC and what is the satisfaction level(general CB workshops,national capacity building workshops,general guidelines,adapted national guidelines,direct technical sup
107、port,etc)?(rated on a 1-5 scale)1.10.What would be the desired type of support and level of its relevance(general CB workshops,national capacity building workshops,general guidelines,adapted national guidelines,direct technical support,etc)?(rated on a 1-5 scale)1.11.What are the main enabling facto
108、rs(government commitment,resources,governance model,etc)?(rated on a 1-5 scale)10 1.12.What are the main success factors(resources,governance,time available,etc.)?(rated on a 1-5 scale)1.13.What is the satisfaction level with this particular stage?(rated on a 1-5 scale)Is this stage considered best
109、practice?What could be done better?1.14.Could a particular sub-stage of the S3 process(as defined by the S3 framework)be implemented differently/more optimally?2.Overall,what is your satisfaction level with the S3 process?(rated on a 1-5 scale)3.What were the most important benefits of the entire S3
110、 process?(rated on a 1-5 scale)4.What were the main challenges of the overall S3 process?(rated on a 1-5 scale)5.Could a particular stage of the S3 process(as defined in the framework)be implemented differently/more optimally?6.What are your next planned activities and support needed?The semi-struct
111、ured interviews were conducted between 18.9.2023 and 9.10.2023 with the 15 key stakeholders from all 6 Western Balkan economies and Trkiye,where at least two stakeholders were participating from the same economy.In addition to collecting data from key stakeholders in each economy,data was also colle
112、cted from the JRC to review the availability and use of support,to match proposed regional best practices and levels of satisfaction with the different stages of the S3 process,and to validate the key benefits and challenges for each economy.Data was collected from JRC staff for each of the economie
113、s using the following questionnaire:1.What types of JRC support that were available for that stage?2.What types of JRC support for this stage were used?3.For each of the S3 design and implementation stages depending on the level of the progress of the respective economy:3.1.What is JRC satisfaction
114、level with the country performance in this stage?3.2.Can this stage be considered as an example of good practice?3.3.What were the main issues with the particular stage?4.What is JRC satisfaction level with the overall S3 process in this economy?5.What are the important benefits challenges?6.What ar
115、e the main remaining challenges?7.What type of support would the each of the economies need in the future?3.3 Data analysis and report generation The data obtained during the survey was recorded in an Excel spreadsheet to facilitate further analysis.Data up to October 2023 was analysed;later progres
116、s is not included in this report.The approach to analysing the key elements of the report is as follows:-Analysis of country-specific progress,mainly by calculating the average score of the main S3 actors for each of the elements analysed.-Examples of good practice proposed by key actors from analys
117、ed economies were collected through the questionnaire and are presented directly in the country-specific progress reports.-The challenges and strengths were captured through the questionnaire and are directly presented in the country-specific progress reports.-Suggestions for best regional practices
118、 in Smart Specialisation by matching proposals by key actors feedback from stakeholders and the JRCs country assessment-The country-specific feedback on the support used was analysed by calculating the average satisfaction with the different types of support used in the different S3 stages as well a
119、s the frequency of use in the different S3 stages.11-The Assessment of the results of the support of the Smart Specialisation process was done by aggregating the data on satisfaction with the different types of support used in the different stage of the S3 process.-The need for support future Smart
120、Specialisation efforts was developed through aggregation of needs as expressed by of individual economies.-Horizontal issues,similarities,differences were analysed by comparing average scoring provided by the key S3 actors for each of the analysed elements.Recommendations combining the authors knowl
121、edge and experience,input from key stakeholders from the economies analysed and input from the JRC have been developed for the insights that have emerged from the above analysis.Disclaimer Methodological limitations:Despite the measures taken to avoid bias(scoring,evaluations from national stakehold
122、ers and also JRC),in a methodological approach where qualitative data must be collected from stakeholders heavily involved in the process being analysed,it is not possible to guarantee the complete objectivity of the data collected.12 4 Analysis of progress and best practices of economies in Smart S
123、pecialisation This chapter presents progress in the S3 process in 7 economies of the Western Balkans and Trkiye region and indication of best regional practices.It is based also on data collected through secondary research in available documents and publications.However,the main source of data was a
124、 survey conducted directly with 15 key stakeholders of the S3 process in the respective economies.A JRC assessment of countries S3 performance was also used to indicate best practices.4.1 Smart Specialisation progress Already the first analysis of secondary data has shown that the economies of the W
125、estern Balkans and Trkiye have made great strides in the design and implementation of their respective processes of Smart Specialisation in the last 7 years.Two of them started the implementation phase,while the rest are advancing through the design phase,in accordance with the Smart Specialisation
126、frameworks for the EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood Region.Figure 1.Smart Specialisation progress across the Western Balkan economies Note:AA JRC-DG NEAR marks the start of the project“Support to Smart Specialisation in the Western Balkan and Trkiye”coordinated by JRC and DG NEAR.Source:authors In o
127、rder to learn from past experience,it was essential to collect more detailed data to understand the specificities of the Smart Specialisation(S3)process in each economy.Country-specific feedback was gathered from key stakeholders through the survey,with the following aspects analysed for each econom
128、y:Progress achieved and factors affecting fluidity.Key resources,partners,and sources of funding.Key enabling and success factors.Important benefits and main challenges.Satisfaction with the process and good practices.To better support future efforts towards Smart Specialisation in the region,the re
129、sponses were statistically analysed,primarily by calculating the average score given by the main S3 stakeholders for 13 each of the elements analysed.The following sub-chapters describe the country-specific results and present the key statistics in tables.A.Montenegro Montenegro is the regional lead
130、er in the implementation of S3.Although it did not have a clear methodological framework in the design phase,the process overcame difficulties thanks to the strong commitment of the government.S3 continues to enjoy political support at the highest level,and Montenegro is now a role model in terms of
131、 governance system and operationalization of Entrepreneurial Discovery Process(EDP)innovation working groups in the implementation of S3.Primary data for Montenegro was collected by interviewing the national S3 coordinator and the secretary of the S3 Council.Progress achieved and factors affecting f
132、luidity Despite the fact that the existence of an S3 strategy document would not qualify Montenegro for the European Regional Development Fund or other significant EU funding,as was the case with EU member states,the government was determined to start the process in March 2017.It was clear that the
133、S3 process should have strong national ownership.Therefore,the process was one of the main priorities of the Ministry of Science and the Ministry of Economic Development,supported by the Ministry of Finance.Right after Serbia,Montenegro was the second country to start the design process in the Weste
134、rn Balkans in March 2017.Being very fast in development,Montenegro was quickly ahead of the region.It reached the more complex qualitative analysis and EDP stages even before the S3 design framework was published.Without a clear framework,the fast pace was slowed down in the EDP stage,but in June 20
135、19,Montenegro became the first country to adopt the S3 strategy document outside the EU.The S3 design phase was completed in a record time of 27 months,also thanks to an almost seamless process with no significant breaks between stages.Table 1.Timeline of the S3 process in Montenegro DESIGN PHASE St
136、art of the stage End of the stage Duration of the stage(months)Pause before the next stage(months)Decision to start Smart Specialisation process Mar 2017 May 2017 2 0 Analysis of strategic mandates May 2017 Aug 2017 3 4 Analysis of existing economic,scientific and innovative potential(quantitative)D
137、ec 2017 Mar 2018 3 1 In-depth analysis of priority domains(qualitative)Apr 2018 May 2018 1 0 EDP-Entrepreneurial discovery process May 2018 Apr 2019 11 0 Design of monitoring,implementation and financing system Apr 2019 Jun 2019 2 0 Preparation of S3 strategy document Oct 2018 Jun 2019 8-IMPLEMENTAT
138、ION PHASE(ongoing)Setup of governance system Jun 2019 Dec 2021 30-Setup of monitoring&evaluation Sep 2019 Jun 2021 21-Setup of continuous EDP Dec 2020 Dec 2021 12-14 Source:authors.Montenegro was also the regional forerunner in the S3 implementation phase,which started shortly after its adoption in
139、June 2019,as the first action plan was adopted already in 2019.The strong mandate of S3 was reflected in the initial governance structure under the auspices of the Prime Minister,and also in the fact that the S3 process produced the amendments to the Law on Innovation Activity.This rapid progress wa
140、s halted soon after for reasons beyond the control of the Montenegrin S3 team.In early 2020,the COVID-19 pandemic and related measures were by far the factor that most influenced the S3 process.In the case of Montenegro,the implementation process was brought to a virtual standstill,meaning that ther
141、e was a pause in the establishment of the main building blocks for the implementation of the governance system.Monitoring and evaluation system and pause of the continuous EDP.In addition,the national elections and the formation of a new government in December 2020 also slowed down implementation.An
142、 important factor slowing down implementation was also the unfavourable international political situation.The main factor that affected the smooth running of the S3 concept was the lack of knowledge and experience,especially at the beginning of the process.The lack of technical support also hampered
143、 the process,especially when the decision was made to start the Smart Specialisation process,during the EDP during the design of the monitoring,implementation and financing system and the preparation of the S3 strategy document.Table 2.Factors affecting the fluidity of the S3 process in Montenegro L
144、ack of dedicated staff Lack of knowledge and experience Lack of technical support Lack of finance Lack of domestic political support Unfavourable international political situation COVID measures Design phase 2,7 3,7 3,6 2,9 1,0 1,0-Implementation phase 3,3 2,3 2,0 3,0 3,0 3,3 5,0 Source:authors.Key
145、resources,partners and sources of funding According to key actors in Smart Specialisation(S3)in Montenegro,the most relevant resources throughout the S3 process were those provided by partners to support the S3 team.These partners were either from the government sector(staff of other ministries or t
146、he Prime Ministers Cabinet)or the Chamber of Commerce,Union of Employers,Technopolis,STP MNE,and the University of Montenegro.Important partners also included international donors providing funds for external technical assistance.The second most important resource,as crucial as financial resources i
147、n the implementation phase,is personnel in the S3 management and leadership bodies.Material resources such as venues,equipment,etc.,are important for implementation,while external human resources such as international and local experts and facilitators are very important in the mapping and Entrepren
148、eurial Discovery Process(EDP)stages of the S3 design stage.Table 3.Relevance of resources in the S3 process in Montenegro Human resources Financial resources Material resources Partners(participating pro-bono or providing funding)External human resources(international and local experts,facilitators)
149、Subcontractors(PR,IT,event support,etc.)Design phase 3,4 3,0 2,8 4,1 3,3 3,0 Implementation phase 5,0 5,0 4,0 4,7 3,0 2,7 Entire process 3,9 3,6 3,2 4,3 3,2 2,9 15 Source:authors.The main source of funding for S3 in Montenegro is the state budget,which is particularly important in the implementation
150、 phase.During S3 design,the state budget was a very important source for qualitative analysis and preparation of the S3 strategy document,while in the EDP stage it was crucial.The JRC was the main source of funding for the expertise needed in the EDP,and was also very important for funding the exper
151、tise needed for the quantitative analysis and the setup of the governance system and the continuous EDP.Donors are the main source of funding for national experts in the implementation phase.Table 4.Main sources of S3 funding in Montenegro National budget JRC expert support International loans(such
152、as WB)Donors Other EU sources(delegation,other DGs)Design phase 3,1 3,1 1,0 1,0 1,0 Implementation phase 5,0 3,0 1,0 3,7 1,0 Entire process 3,7 3,1 1,0 1,8 1,0 Source:authors.Key enabling and success factors An important part of the interviews and questionnaires dealt with key enabling factors and k
153、ey success factors.In absence of key enabling factors,the S3 process either comes to a standstill or becomes very difficult.The most relevant enabling factor throughout all stages of S3 in Montenegro is the commitment of the government.An equally important factor in the implementation stage is the p
154、resence of committed and sufficient human resources in the S3 team,which is also important in the final stages of design,i.e.EDP,the design of the monitoring,implementation and financing system and the preparation of the S3 strategy document.Overall,even more significant enabling factor is capacity
155、building for the key actors involved.The availability of funding for external(human)resources is crucial for the quantitative and qualitative analysis,the EDP and the design and implementation of monitoring and continuous EDP.Table 5.Key enabling factors in S3 process in Montenegro Government politi
156、cal commitment Dedicated and sufficient human resources Capacity building Funding for external resources Design phase 5,0 4,3 4,6 4,1 Implementation phase 5,0 5,0 4,7 4,3 Entire process 5,0 4,5 4,6 4,2 Source:authors.In contrast to the key enabling factors,the key success factors are making an S3 pr
157、ocess much more successful.In the case of Montenegro,the key success factor is an adequate governance system,which is especially important in the implementation phase.In the implementation phase,the second most important success factor is the dedicated expertise to tailor the process to the local co
158、ntext,which is also very important in the quantitative and qualitative analysis and the EDP during the design.The most important factor for the success of the S3 design is that there is enough time to carry out each stage in high quality.16 Table 6.Key success factors in S3 process in Montenegro App
159、ropriate governance Dedicated expertise tailoring the process to local context Enough time available Design phase 4,6 3,3 5,0 Implementation phase 5,0 4,7 3,3 Entire process 4,7 3,7 4,5 Source:authors.Important benefits and main challenges The survey also focused on identifying the main benefits and
160、 challenges of the S3 process in Montenegro.Based on the country-specific feedback,the main benefits are new capacity building and improved general awareness of cooperation among key stakeholders.Other key benefits are increased stakeholder engagement and satisfaction with the EDP.Table 7.Benefits o
161、f the overall S3 process in Montenegro Most important benefits of the overall S3 process Relevance(Score 1-5)Engagement of stakeholders 4 Satisfaction of stakeholders with EDP 4 New capacities built 5 New general awareness regarding the collaboration of key stakeholders 5 Source:authors.The biggest
162、challenge during the S3 process was the lack of resources for design.The remaining challenges are the lack of resources for implementation and the generally low recognition of S3 in the government sector,industry and academia.Table 8.Main challenges of the overall S3 process in Montenegro Main chall
163、enges of the overall S3 process Relevance(Score 1-5)Lack of resources for the design 4 Lack of resources for implementation 3 Top level government commitment 1 Recognition of S3 in the government sectors 3 Recognition of S3 in the industry&academia 3 Lack of time 2 Source:authors.Satisfaction with t
164、he process and good practices Key S3 actors in Montenegro are very satisfied with the S3 implementation phase,where the set of the governance system and continuous EDP are considered as strengths and are already recognised as 17 examples of good practices at the regional level.Proper setup and digit
165、alisation of the monitoring and evaluation system remains a challenge.Table 9.Key success factors in S3 process in Montenegro DESIGN PHASE Satisfaction level(Score 1-5)Decision to start Smart Specialisation process 4 Analysis of strategic mandates 3 Analysis of existing economic,scientific and innov
166、ative potential(quantitative)3 In-depth analysis of priority domains(qualitative)4 EDP-Entrepreneurial discovery process 4 Design of monitoring,implementation and financing system 4 Preparation of S3 strategy document 4 IMPLEMENTATION PHASE Satisfaction level(Score 1-5)Setup of governance system 5 S
167、etup of monitoring&evaluation 4 Setup of continuous EDP 5 Source:authors.The level of satisfaction with the design phase is rather low,as none of the stages was carried out in a fully satisfactory manner,especially the analysis of the strategic mandates.According to the respondents in the analysis o
168、f the strategic mandates,the S3 mandates could be extended to a broader group of stakeholders,not only 2-3 ministries.The quantitative analysis could have also been done in a more efficient way.Satisfaction with the preparation of the S3 strategy document is mixed,as all available resources were use
169、d to prepare the strategy.However,the quality of the document was affected by time pressure,which did not allow for a better analysis and synthesis of the inputs from the EDP.Montenegro rated satisfaction with the overall S3 process at 4 out of 5.This corresponds to the average of the individual rat
170、ings for each of the stages.It can be concluded from this that the breaks between the stages had no influence on satisfaction,which is understandable since the main cause of obstruction of the process was COVID-19 pandemic a“force majeure”.According to key national actors,two good practices have bee
171、n proposed in Montenegro:Setup of governance system in the implementation stage-the Council for Innovation and Smart Specialisation,a key advisory body to the government,enables S3 in Montenegro to maintain its top position and strategic mandates in the national political landscape.To complement tac
172、tical and operational governance,there is also an inter-institutional S3 group,as well as an S3 secretariat and innovation working groups to maintain the involvement of Entrepreneurial Discovery Process(EDP)stakeholders.Operationalisation of continuous EDP working groups with hired and dedicated wor
173、king group leaders-this has led to the joint development of flagship initiatives,very successful needs-based programs that can be disseminated across the EU.B.Serbia 18 Serbia was pioneering the S3 process in the region.It was the first country to formally enter the process with the European Commiss
174、ion and the second one to enter the implementation phase.Serbia was the first one to conduct the entire design process,apart from the first decision,according to the S3 design framework.Today,it is still a role model in terms of qualitative analysis,EDP,ability to prepare for the upcoming stages and
175、 significant support from alternative resources.Primary data for S3 in Serbia was collected by interviewing the national S3 coordinator as well as the analytical expert and a key member of the S3 team who was following the project from the beginning.Progress achieved and factors affecting the fluidi
176、ty Serbia entered the Smart Specialisation design process in November 2016 and made rapid progress until the end of the quantitative stage,remaining the regional leader during this period.Subsequently,the pace slowed down significantly.Before proceeding to the qualitative analysis,the strategic mand
177、ates of S3 had to be reassessed to create conditions for a smooth continuation of the design process.Good preparation by a great team led to rapid qualitative analysis and Entrepreneurial Discovery Process.After that,progress slowed down a bit,but the S3 strategy document was adopted 39 months after
178、 the process started,which is still well below average.Following Montenegro,Serbia was the second country in the region to enter the S3 implementation phase.The establishment of the governance system was relatively quick,but similar to Montenegro,Serbia experienced problems with the system of monito
179、ring and evaluation.This rapid progress was halted soon after for reasons beyond the control of the Serbian S3 team.In general,the design process in Serbia was smooth with mainly very short pauses between stages,apart from the long pause after the quantitative analysis.However,there are more issues
180、slowing down the progress in the implementation phase.Table 10.Timeline of the S3 process in Serbia DESIGN PHASE Start of the stage End of the stage Duration of the stage(months)Pause before the next stage(months)Decision to start Smart Specialisation process Nov 2016 Jan 2017 2 3 Analysis of strate
181、gic mandates Apr 2017 May 2017 1 1 Analysis of existing economic,scientific and innovative potential(quantitative)Jun 2017 Nov 2017 5 10 In-depth analysis of priority domains(qualitative)Sep 2018 Mar 2019 6 0 EDP-Entrepreneurial discovery process Mar 2019 Jun 2019 3 3 Design of monitoring,implementa
182、tion and financing system Sep 2019 Jan 2020 4 0 Preparation of S3 strategy document Oct 2019 Feb 2020 4-IMPLEMENTATION PHASE(ongoing)Setup of governance system Nov 2020 Apr 2021 5-Setup of monitoring&evaluation Sep 2019 Jun 2021 21-Setup of continuous EDP Dec 2020 Dec 2021 12-Source:authors.The main
183、 factor affecting the fluidity of the process in the design phase was the lack of funding,which mainly affected the initial phase and caused the major pause after the quantitative analysis and the delay in designing the monitoring,implementation and financing system.The lack of political support at
184、19 the national level was also a problem that played a major role in the last two stages of the design.The lack of dedicated and available staff and the lack of knowledge and experience were relatively important factors that slowed down the process.In the implementation phase,by far the most importa
185、nt factor hindering the smooth running of the process is the lack of domestic political support,which is of great importance for all elements.Also of great importance is the lack of dedicated staff available to continuously drive all elements of the process,including governance,monitoring and evalua
186、tion,and the implementation of a continuous EDP.Lack of finance is usually a problem in non-EU economies that do not have access to structural funds.The COVID-19 measures have led to a significant delay between the adoption of the strategy and its implementation,as well as a disruption of the contin
187、uous EDP,also due to the lack of knowledge and experience.Table 11.Factors affecting the fluidity of the S3 process in Serbia Lack of dedicated staff Lack of knowledge and experience Lack of technical support Lack of finance Lack of domestic political support Unfavourable international political sit
188、uation COVID measures Design phase 2,4 2,6 1,3 3,1 3,0 1,0 1,0 Implementa-tion phase 4,7 2,7 1,0 3,3 5,0 1,0 3,0 Source:authors.Key resources,partners and sources of funding According to feedback from key S3 stakeholders in Serbia,the most important human resources in the S3 management and governanc
189、e bodies.Aldo important throughout the S3 process were those provided by partners to support the S3 team.Very important were also the external human resources such as international and local experts as well as coordinators and facilitators,which were particularly important in the design phases after
190、 the analysis of the strategic mandates and also in the continuous EDP.Financial resources for the process are especially important in phases with greater stakeholder participation,such as quantitative analysis,the EDP process and the continuous EDP process.The use of subcontractors for PR,IT and ev
191、ent management is similarly important.Table 12.Relevance of resources in the S3 process in Serbia Human resources Financial resources Material resources Partners(participating pro-bono or providing funding)External human resources(international and local experts,facilitators)Subcontractors(PR,IT,eve
192、nt support,etc.)Design phase 3,4 3,0 2,8 4,1 3,3 3,0 Implementation phase 5,0 5,0 4,0 4,7 3,0 2,7 Entire process 3,9 3,6 3,2 4,3 3,2 2,9 Source:authors.The main source of funding for S3 in Serbia was initially the state budget,but after the quantitative analysis it was taken over by the programme fi
193、nanced by World Bank loans and has remained the main source of funding ever since.The JRC provided expert support needed in the quantitative analysis and throughout the S3 design process.Donor support was only used for the analysis of the strategic mandates.20 Table 13.Main funding sources for the S
194、3 process in Serbia National budget JRC expert support International loans(such as WB)Donors Other EU sources(delegation,other DGs)Design phase 1,9 2,1 3,1 1,2 1,0 Implementation phase 2,3 1,0 4,0 1,0 1,0 Entire process 2,0 1,8 3,4 1,2 1,0 Source:authors.Key enabling and success factors An important
195、 part of the interviews and questionnaires dealt with key enabling factors and success factors.Without the most key enabling factors,the S3 process either comes to a standstill or becomes very difficult.The most relevant enabling factor in all stages of S3 in Serbia is government commitment.The seco
196、nd most important factor,equally relevant to the whole process,is having dedicated and sufficient human resources in the S3 team.Capacity building for the key actors involved is also a very important factor,especially in phases with more stakeholder involvement,such as qualitative analysis and EDP.F
197、unding from external resources is important in stages where more resources are needed for external expertise and material costs,such as in qualitative and qualitative analysis,EDP and continuous EDP.Table 14.Key enabling factors in the S3 process in Serbia Government political commitment Dedicated a
198、nd sufficient human resources Capacity building Funding for external resources Design phase 4,4 3,9 3,8 2,9 Implementation phase 4,7 3,8 3,7 3,0 Entire process 4,5 3,9 3,8 3,0 Source:authors.As opposed to key enabling factors,the key success factors make an S3 process more successful.In the case of
199、Serbia,the most important success factor is an adequate governance system,mainly relevant for the implementation phase.In the implementation stage,the second most important success factor is dedicated expertise that tailors the process to the local context,which is also crucial in the quantitative a
200、nd qualitative analysis and the EDP during the design.Another very relevant factor for the success of the S3 design is that there was enough time to carry out the stages in high quality.Table 15.Key success factors in the S3 process in Serbia Appropriate governance Dedicated expertise tailoring the
201、process to local context Enough time available Design phase 3,7 3,8 3,4 Implementation phase 4,8 4,5 2,8 Entire process 4,1 4,0 3,3 21 Source:authors.Important benefits and main challenges The survey also focused on identifying the main benefits and challenges of the S3 process in Serbia.Based on th
202、e country-specific feedback,the main benefits are stakeholder engagement,new capacity building and improved general awareness regarding the collaboration of key stakeholders.Another important benefit is stakeholder satisfaction with the EDP.Table 16.Most important benefits of the overall S3 process
203、in Serbia Most important benefits of the overall S3 process Relevance(Score 1-5)Engagement of stakeholders 4,5 Satisfaction of stakeholders with EDP 3,5 New capacities built 4,5 New general awareness regarding the collaboration of key stakeholders 4,5 Source:authors.The main challenges during the S3
204、 process were the lack of resources for implementation and the lack of commitment from the government at the highest level.This is also related to the lack of recognition of S3 in the government sector.During design,an important challenge was also the lack of time,which affected the quality of execu
205、tion.Lack of resources for design and low recognition of S3 in industry and academia were less important challenges.Table 17.Main challenges in the overall S3 process in Serbia Main challenges of the overall S3 process Relevance(Score 1-5)Lack of resources for the design 3,5 Lack of resources for im
206、plementation 5 Top level government commitment 5 Recognition of S3 in the government sectors 4 Recognition of S3 in the industry&academia 3,5 Lack of time 4 Source:authors.Satisfaction with the process and good practices Key S3 actors in Serbia are very satisfied with the S3 design phase,where the q
207、ualitative analysis and the EDP were,in particular,carried out in a very satisfactory manner.Satisfaction is also quite high with the analysis of the strategic mandates.However,satisfaction with the design of the monitoring,implementation and financing system and the preparation of the S3 strategy d
208、ocument is lower,due to the lack of government commitment and expertise in the preparation of the S3 strategy document.Satisfaction is significantly lower in the implementation phase.The continuous EDP is considered good,but the implementation of the governance system and the monitoring and evaluati
209、on system is progressing slowly,as expected,also due to the lack of available resources for implementation and the lack of commitment from the government.22 Table 18.Key success factors in the S3 process in Serbia DESIGN PHASE Satisfaction level(Score 1-5)Decision to start Smart Specialisation proce
210、ss 4 Analysis of strategic mandates 4 Analysis of existing economic,scientific and innovative potential(quantitative)3,5 In-depth analysis of priority domains(qualitative)4,5 EDP-Entrepreneurial discovery process 4,5 Design of monitoring,implementation and financing system 2,5 Preparation of S3 stra
211、tegy document 3 IMPLEMENTATION PHASE Satisfaction level(Score 1-5)Setup of governance system 2,5 Setup of monitoring&evaluation 2,5 Setup of continuous EDP 3 Source:authors.Serbia rated satisfaction with the overall S3 process at 3.5 out of 5.This is the average of the individual scores for each of
212、the phases.It can be concluded that the breaks between the stages had no influence on satisfaction,and the slowed progress in the implementation phase did not affect the overall impression of the main stakeholders.According to key national actors in Serbia,two good practices are proposed within the
213、S3 process:The qualitative analysis is considered exemplary because of the tailored planning and capacity building,the selection of TOP coordinators and facilitators who have already been selected to implement the Entrepreneurial Discovery Process(EDP)as well.These top coordinators and facilitators,
214、respected in the preliminary priority areas,were highly motivated and able to identify and attract very important stakeholders to join and stay with the process.The EDP in the design stage in Serbia is recognised as an example of good practice due to the tailored planning,ensuring adequate resources
215、,and intensive training before and during the EDP.The same team conducted the qualitative analysis and the EDP,resulting in continuity and many synergies.The tailor-made plan also included PR activities that made the EDP very visible.C.North Macedonia North Macedonia is currently at the very end of
216、the design phase of the S3 implementation and is drafting its strategy document,which should be adopted in early 2024.This would make it the third country in the Western Balkans to adopt the RIS3 document.The process in North Macedonia has been challenging due to varying levels of government support
217、,availability of resources,disruptions caused by COVID 19 and periodic lack of timely and quality technical support.Despite these setbacks,S3 in North Macedonia is a role model for the implementation of a very effective EDP process in the middle of the COVID 19 pandemic.Primary data for North Macedo
218、nia was collected by interviewing the national S3 coordinator and the deputy S3 coordinator.Clarifications regarding EDP and subsequent developments were provided also by EDP coordinators.Progress achieved and factors affecting the fluidity 23 The S3 design process in North Macedonia began in Januar
219、y 2018.The first phase of the process went smoothly,but then the process was interrupted for almost a year.After a burst of activity,the strategic mandate analysis and quantitative analysis were completed in 2019.Then the process was interrupted again before the qualitative analysis was conducted.Th
220、is period was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic,and the qualitative analysis was only completed in May 2021.Preparations for the EDP began in the middle of one of the COVID-19 peaks.However,given the circumstances,the entire stage,including preparation and reporting,was carried out very effectively.Th
221、ereafter,the pace of S3 development slackened again.With the first draft of the strategy document in preparation,there is a good chance that the S3 strategy document will be adopted before the end of the 6 years since the process started.Table 19.Timeline of S3 process in North Macedonia DESIGN PHAS
222、E Start of the stage End of the stage Duration of the stage(months)Pause before the next stage(months)Decision to start Smart Specialisation process Jan 2018 Mar 2018 2 14 Analysis of strategic mandates May 2019 Sep 2019 4 0 Analysis of existing economic,scientific and innovative potential(quantitat
223、ive)Feb 2019 Nov 2019 9 11 In-depth analysis of priority domains(qualitative)Oct 2020 May 2021 7 9 EDP-Entrepreneurial discovery process Feb 2022 Jul 2022 5 2 Design of monitoring,implementation and financing system Sep 2022 Oct 2022 1 5 Preparation of S3 strategy document Mar 2023 ongoing 8-Source:
224、authors.The analysis of the duration of the S3 design process in the case of North Macedonia concludes that,apart from the ongoing quantitative analysis and preparation of the strategic document,all other stages were concluded within the expected time.What hampered the process were the lengthy pause
225、s between the stages.These pauses were mainly caused by a lack of finances needed to hire experts to compensate for the lack of knowledge and experience.With very limited resources,the S3 management could only move the process forward when it secured funding for technical support.With this secured,t
226、he administrative procedures needed to engage skilled experts took additional time,in the case of support for the S3 strategy document,almost one year.The COVID-19 pandemic came at a very awkward time for the S3 process in North Macedonia.After the quantitative analysis was completed,the stages requ
227、iring active stakeholder consultation were set to begin.The COVID-19 pandemic initially delayed the start of the qualitative analysis and made it difficult to conduct in-depth interviews,so this stage took longer.In the EDP,the adjustments to COVID-19 were even more significant and required the deve
228、lopment of a new hybrid approach,which caused difficulties and stalled the process,but in the end,it was recognised as a regional best practice.The lack of dedicated and available staff is a drawback that has also hindered the fluidity of the process from the beginning.This is a consequence of fluct
229、uating political support at the top level,which was very high during the EDP but has been decreasing since then,greatly affecting the speed of development of the monitoring and implementation system and the strategy document.24 Table 20.Factors affecting the fluidity of S3 design process in North Ma
230、cedonia Lack of dedicated staff Lack of knowledge and experience Lack of technical support Lack of finance Lack of domestic political support Unfavourable international political situation COVID measures Design phase 2,3 3,9 2,9 4,4 1,3 1,3 2,1 Source:authors.Key resources,partners and sources of fu
231、nding According to the key actors in S3 in North Macedonia,the most important resources throughout the development of S3 are committed human resources in the S3 management and governance bodies.Also very important are the financial resources,which have been crucial at every stage,apart from the anal
232、ysis of the strategic mandates.The resources provided by partners to support the S3 team are very important throughout the process,apart from the first few stages.These partners include other ministries and government institutions involved in the development of strategic documents,clusters,hubs,dono
233、rs,RDI institutions and chambers.Also,very important in later stages are external human resources such as international and local experts,coordinators and facilitators.Table 21.Relevance of resources in S3 process in North Macedonia Human resources Financial resources Material resources Partners(par
234、ticipating pro-bono or providing funding)External human resources(international and local experts,facilitators)Subcontractors(PR,IT,event support,etc.)Design phase 5,0 4,7 2,0 4,3 4,1 2,1 Source:authors.The main source of funding for S3 in North Macedonia is the state budget.The JRC provided technic
235、al expertise needed for conducting all stages after the analysis of strategic mandates,which is very similar to the donors that strongly supported the process.Among the most represented donors were GIZ-Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit and the World Bank.North Macedonia also use
236、d the funds provided by the EU delegation in Skopje to finance the engagement of an expert for the preparation of the S3 strategy document.Table 22.Main funding sources in the S3 process in North Macedonia National budget JRC expert support International loans(such as WB)Donors Other EU sources(dele
237、gation,other DGs)Design phase 5,0 3,9 1,0 3,9 1,6 Source:authors.Key enabling and success factors Key enabling factors and key success factors have been analysed.In absence of key enabling factors the S3 process either comes to a standstill or becomes very difficult.The most relevant enabling factor
238、 for the whole S3 process in North Macedonia is the existence of committed and sufficient human resources in the S3 team.Almost as important is the commitment of the government,which according to the feedback of the key S3 stakeholders is only less important in the analysis of the strategic mandates
239、.25 Capacity building and availability of funding for external(human)resources are seen as crucial in the quantitative and qualitative analysis,EDP and design of the implementation system,and preparation of the S3 strategy document.Table 23.Key enabling factors in the S3 process in North Macedonia G
240、overnment political commitment Dedicated and sufficient human resources Capacity building Funding for external resources Design phase 4,7 5,0 4,4 4,3 Source:authors.In contrast to the key factors that enable the success of an S3 process,the key success factors are much more successful.The most impor
241、tant factors for the success of the S3 design are the existence of specific expertise that tailors the process to the local context and the availability of sufficient time to carry out each stage in a high-quality manner.In the case of North Macedonia,according to feedback from key S3 actors,an adeq
242、uate governance system is a crucial success factor in all stages of the design process,except the analysis of the strategic mandates.Table 24.Key success factors in the S3 process in North Macedonia Appropriate governance Dedicated expertise tailoring the process to local context Enough time availab
243、le Design phase 4,4 5,0 5,0 Source:authors.Important benefits and main challenges The survey in North Macedonia also revealed the main benefits and challenges of the S3 process.According to the feedback from the interviews,the most important benefits are the engagement of the stakeholders and their
244、satisfaction with the EDP.The improvement of the general awareness regarding collaboration among key stakeholders is also a key benefit.Building new capacity is also important.Table 25.Most important benefits of the overall S3 process in North Macedonia Most important benefits of the overall S3 proc
245、ess Relevance(Score 1-5)Engagement of stakeholders 5 Satisfaction of stakeholders with EDP 5 New capacities built 4 New general awareness regarding the collaboration of key stakeholders 5 Source:authors.There are many key challenges that S3 management has identified,all of which are considered very
246、important.The main challenges are the lack of commitment from the government at the highest level,which led to a lack of resources for design and implementation.This led to low recognition of S3 in the government sector,industry and academia.The lack of resources led to pauses in the process and whe
247、n resources were available,time constraints were not seen as a challenge.Table 26.Main challenges of the overall S3 process in North Macedonia Main challenges of the overall S3 process Relevance(Score 1-5)26 Lack of resources for the design 5 Lack of resources for implementation 5 Top level governme
248、nt commitment 5 Recognition of S3 in the government sectors 5 Recognition of S3 in the industry&academia 5 Lack of time 1 Source:authors.Satisfaction with the process and good practices The degree of satisfaction with the different stages varies but is predominantly moderate.According to the respond
249、ents,the quantitative analysis is very complicated and the methodology is not clear.Due to the lack of datasets and the lack of expertise in analysing statistical data,a specific expert is needed to first analyse the available datasets and then define a tailor-made methodology for implementation.Acc
250、ording to the main stakeholders,qualitative analysis is also a complex method,especially when it is done for the first time.A dedicated local expert is needed,able to adapt to the local context,building the capacity of the local team to adequately map the stakeholders to be interviewed,analyse secto
251、r data and especially understand value chains,research and innovation capacities and trends in order to define sub-sectors.Preparation of the local team that will conduct the interviews is also required.The design of the monitoring and evaluation and governance structure should also be supported by
252、local experts who are able to adapt to the local context.The preparation of the S3 document should also be supported by a specific expert who knows the national specificities and should be tailored to the local contact.On the other hand,the satisfaction with the EDP is high.According to the intervie
253、wees,the EDP was carried out perfectly even under the constraints of Covid-19.Table 27.Key success factors in S3 process in North Macedonia Stages in the design phase Satisfaction level(Score 1-5)Decision to start Smart Specialisation process 4 Analysis of strategic mandates 4 Analysis of existing e
254、conomic,scientific and innovative potential(quantitative)3 In-depth analysis of priority domains(qualitative)3 EDP-Entrepreneurial discovery process 5 Design of monitoring,implementation and financing system 3 Preparation of S3 strategy document 3 Source:authors.North Macedonia is very satisfied wit
255、h the overall process,rating it 4 out of 5.This is higher than the average of the individual scores for each of the stages.It can be concluded that the breaks between the stages have not affected satisfaction and that the benefits outweigh the challenges.According to the key national actors,one good
256、 practice in North Macedonia is proposed:-The combination of online and face-to-face workshops enabled the successful delivery of all thematic EDP workshops in compliance with the S3 principles and provisions of the S3 27 framework,even under the tight constraints caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.Thr
257、ough this experience,approaches were developed that will improve EDP implementation in the future.As such,it has already been recognised as regional best practice in the EDP guidelines for the EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood Region.D.Kosovo*Following the conclusion of the EDP earlier in 2023,at the
258、 time of preparing this report,the S3 process in Kosovo was in the stage of designing monitoring,implementation and financing system.Progress is evident and steady,whereas in the past it was characterised by a fast start and long pauses between the stages,mainly due to fluctuations in the level of g
259、overnment support and interruptions by COVID-19 pandemic.Despite these problems in the initial stage,S3 in Kosovo is a model for the analysis of strategic mandates.Primary data for Kosovo was collected through interviews with the national S3 coordinator and a representative from the Ministry of Educ
260、ation and S3 team.Progress achieved and factors affecting the fluidity The process of designing S3 in Kosovo began in March 2018,when the government sent the European Commission a letter of interest to participate in the S3 platform.This first stage went smoothly and was completed in August 2018 whe
261、n the government decision to establish the national S3 team was adopted.However,the process was then suspended for a long period of time and resumed only in February 2020,when the analysis of the strategic mandates conducted by the Office of Strategic Planning of the Prime Ministers Office also clar
262、ified the issues remaining after the first stage.After that,the process was again interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the quantitative analysis,where Kosovo struggled with the lack of available data and which was only completed in July 2021.Thereafter,the pace in the S3 design was increased and
263、 the qualitative analysis and EDP were completed in the expected timeframe.In total,the whole process so far took 67 months.Table 28.Timeline of the S3 process in Kosovo DESIGN PHASE Start of the stage End of the stage Duration of the stage(months)Pause before the next stage(months)Decision to start
264、 Smart Specialisation process Mar 2018 Aug 2018 5 18 Analysis of strategic mandates Feb 2020 May 2020 3 8 Analysis of existing economic,scientific and innovative potential(quantitative)Jan 2021 Jul 2021 6 5 In-depth analysis of priority domains(qualitative)Dec 2021 Jul 2022 7 2 EDP-Entrepreneurial d
265、iscovery process Sep 2022 May 2023 8 4 Design of monitoring,implementation and financing system Sep 2023 ongoing 2-Preparation of S3 strategy document-Source:authors.Analysing the causes of the lengthy S3 design process in the case of Kosovo,one can conclude that all stages were completed within the
266、 expected timeframe,but that the pauses between the individual phases of the process were the cause of the long duration.The factor with the greatest negative impact on the fluidity of the whole process is the lack of dedicated and available staff,which was particularly noticeable in the period betw
267、een the start of the analysis of the strategic mandates and the end of the quantitative analysis.The biggest interruption in the process,which lasted 18 months,occurred immediately after the decision to start the Smart Specialisation 28 process was finalised and was caused by the lack of domestic po
268、litical support.This was also a consequence of the lack of knowledge and experience,which moderately hindered all design stages,with the greatest negative impact being in EDP.The COVID-19 pandemic affected the S3 process in Kosovo during the quantitative analysis and not only slowed down the process
269、 at this stage but also postponed the qualitative analysis.Table 29.Factors affecting the fluidity of S3 design process in Kosovo Lack of dedicated staff Lack of knowledge and experience Lack of technical support Lack of finance Lack of domestic political support Unfavourable international political
270、 situation COVID measures Design phase 3,3 3,0 1,7 2,2 3,2 1,0 2,0 Source:authors.Key resources,partners and sources of funding According to key actors in S3 in Kosovo,the most important resources in S3 design are dedicated human resources in the S3 management and governance bodies,which were mainly
271、 needed in the quantitative analysis and EDP.Financial resources have practically the same importance.Resources provided by partners to support the S3 team are very important.Their importance increases after the analysis of the strategic mandates and becomes crucial during the EDP.In the phases afte
272、r the analysis of the strategic mandates,material resources were also important,i.e.venues and equipment for events and external human resources such as international and local experts,coordinators and facilitators.Table 30.Relevance of resources in the S3 process in Kosovo Human resources Financial
273、 resource Material resources Partners(participating pro-bono or providing funding)External human resources(international and local experts,facilitators)Subcontractors(PR,IT,event support,etc.)Design phase 2,8 2,8 2,3 2,7 1,8 1,2 Source:authors.The JRC provided expert support needed to carry out all
274、stages following the analysis of the strategic mandates.A very important and consistent source of funding for all phases of S3 in Kosovo was the state budget,which was crucial,especially in the initial stage.Donors were important funders of the experts who implemented the EDP and are now working on
275、the design of the monitoring,implementation and financing system.Kosovo also used funds from the EU-funded project to finance the deployment of experts to analyse the strategic mandates.Table 31.Main funding sources in the S3 process in Kosovo National budget JRC expert support International loans(s
276、uch as WB)Donors Other EU sources(delegation,other DGs)Design phase 3,0 3,5 1,0 2,0 1,5 Source:authors.Key enabling and success factors If these key enabling factors are missing,the S3 process either comes to a halt or becomes very difficult.The most relevant key enabling factor for the S3 process i
277、n Kosovo is the availability of funding for 29 external(human)resources,which is particularly important from the analysis of the strategic mandates until the end of the EDP.Equally important is capacity building throughout the process and government commitment,which is crucial in the first two stage
278、s of the process.Committed and sufficient human resources are only of medium importance for Kosovo.Table 32.Key enabling factors in the S3 process in Kosovo Government political commitment Dedicated and sufficient human resources Capacity building Funding for external resources Design phase 3,5 2,5
279、3,5 4,7 Source:authors.In contrast to the key factors that enable the success of an S3 process,the key success factors are much more successful.The most important factor for the success of the S3 design in Kosovo was an adequate governance system,which was important throughout the process.In the lat
280、er stages of the S3 design,it was important that there was sufficient time to carry out each stage in a high quality manner and that dedicated experts tailored the process to the local context.Table 33.Key success factors in the S3 process in Kosovo Appropriate governance Dedicated expertise tailori
281、ng the process to local context Enough time available Design phase 3,3 3,0 3,2 Source:authors.Important benefits and main challenges The survey also identified the main benefits and challenges of the S3 process in Kosovo.Based on the feedback from the interviews,the most important benefits are stake
282、holder engagement,their satisfaction with the EDP and the new general awareness regarding the collaboration of key stakeholders.New capacity building is also an important benefit.Table 34.Most important benefits of the overall S3 process in Kosovo Most important benefits of the overall S3 process Re
283、levance(Score 1-5)Engagement of stakeholders 4 Satisfaction of stakeholders with EDP 4 New capacities built 3 New general awareness regarding the collaboration of key stakeholders 4 Source:authors.S3 management has identified a number of very important challenges.These include the lack of government
284、 commitment at the highest level,resulting in a lack of resources for development and low recognition of S3 in the government sector,industry and academia.Very important challenges also include the lack of resources for implementation and the lack of time,which affects the quality of results.Table 3
285、5.Main challenges of the overall S3 process in Kosovo Main challenges of the overall S3 process Relevance(Score 1-5)30 Lack of resources for the design 5 Lack of resources for implementation 4 Top level government commitment 5 Recognition of S3 in the government sectors 5 Recognition of S3 in the in
286、dustry&academia 5 Lack of time 4 Source:authors.Satisfaction with the process and good practices The level of satisfaction with the different stages varies,but on average is quite high.According to the survey,quantitative analysis was difficult due to the lack of data and a methodology that was not
287、tailored to the context.Similarly,Kosovo struggles with the design of the monitoring,implementation and financing system,which should improve with the technical assistance acquired.The decision to start the Smart Specialisation process went very well,but the lack of support from the government stall
288、ed the process,which was later rectified,and the process has been sustainable ever since.The key stakeholders are also very satisfied with the qualitative analysis carried out by a local expert/company,which brought benefits.The analysis of the strategic mandates as well as the EDP phase were consid
289、ered excellent.Table 36.Key success factors in S3 process in Kosovo Stages in the design phase Satisfaction level(Score 1-5)Decision to start Smart Specialisation process 4 Analysis of strategic mandates 5 Analysis of existing economic,scientific and innovative potential(quantitative)3 In-depth anal
290、ysis of priority domains(qualitative)4 EDP-Entrepreneurial discovery process 5 Design of monitoring,implementation and financing system 3 Preparation of S3 strategy document-Source:authors.According to the national key national actors there are two proposed good practice examples in S3 design in Kos
291、ovo:-Analysis of the strategic mandates,with the process coordinated by the Office of Strategic Planning in the Prime Ministers Office,which allowed for the repositioning of S3 among the top-level strategies,thus resolving the 18-month pause in the process.-The EDP is considered a complete success a
292、s the same local experts who were involved in the qualitative mapping supported the S3 team in the EDP process.E.Albania Albania has completed the EDP and is now at the stage of designing a monitoring,implementation and financing system under the S3 approach.Progress is evident and steady.However,in
293、 the past it was characterised by a fast start and a very long stages mainly due to fluctuations in the level of government 31 support,lack of resources and interruptions caused by COVID 19.Despite these issues after the initial stage,S3 in Albania is still a model in terms of comprehensive preparat
294、ion and quality implementation of the first stage,the decision to start Smart Specialisation process.The primary data for Albania was collected by interviewing the national S3 coordinator and a member of the Albanian S3 team responsible for the EDP.Progress achieved and factors affecting the fluidit
295、y The S3 design process in Albania started in November 2017 when the country joined the S3 platform.This first stage went smoothly and was completed in February 2018 when the Minister of Education formalised the establishment of the national S3 team.The analysis of the strategic mandates was complet
296、ed within a month,but then the process slowed down.The quantitative analysis took a long time and was only completed more than 2 years later when the first mapping report was revisited taking into account the COVID-19 pandemic and the final report was completed by December 2020.During the COVID-19 p
297、eriod,qualitative analysis was also carried out,followed by EDP,which was particularly lengthy in the case of Albania and ended in October 23,when S3 entered the stage of developing the monitoring,implementation and financing system.In total,the whole process has been lasting for 69 months.Table 37.
298、Timeline of the S3 process in Albania DESIGN PHASE Start of the stage End of the stage Duration of the stage(months)Pause before the next stage(months)Decision to start Smart Specialisation process Nov 2017 Feb 2018 3 0 Analysis of strategic mandates Feb 2018 Mar 2018 1 6 Analysis of existing econom
299、ic,scientific and innovative potential(quantitative)Sep 2018 Dec 2020 27 0 In-depth analysis of priority domains(qualitative)Dec 2020 Dec 2021 12 1 EDP-Entrepreneurial discovery process Jan 2022 Oct 2023 21 0 Design of monitoring,implementation and financing system Oct 2023 ongoing 1-Preparation of
300、S3 strategy document-Source:authors.Analysing the reasons for the lengthy S3 design process in the case of Albania,one can conclude that Albania,after a very good start,had extremely lengthy stages after the analysis of the strategic mandates,especially the qualitative,quantitative and EDP phases,wh
301、ich together took more than 5 years.The factor with the greatest negative impact on the fluidity of the whole process was the lack of knowledge and experience,which strongly influenced the initial stages including the qualitative analysis.A similar,very significant effect was the lack of funding,whi
302、ch affected fluidity especially in the first two stages,but also in the EDP.A very important negative factor was also the lack of technical support,mainly in the sense that it was not available in time due to administrative procedures.According to the national S3 coordinator,“an EUD IPA project for
303、innovation,which was supposed to support the EDP and other phases of the S3 process in Albania,failed for two consecutive years,which significantly delayed the process.”The lack of dedicated and available staff had a moderate impact on the analysis of strategic mandates,32 quantitative and qualitati
304、ve analysis.The COVID-19 pandemic influenced the process in the quantitative and qualitative analysis stages,but the impact was moderate.Table 38.Factors affecting the fluidity of the S3 design process in Albania Lack of dedicated staff Lack of knowledge and experience Lack of technical support Lack
305、 of finance Lack of domestic political support Unfavourable international political situation COVID measures Design phase 2,2 4,2 2,8 4,2 1,4 1,0 1,8 Source:authors.Key resources,partners and sources of funding Key actors in S3 in Albania found dedicated human resources in the S3 management and gove
306、rnance bodies the most relevant in the S3 design which were especially need after the Analysis of strategic mandates.The financial resources and external human resources,such as international and local experts,EDP co-ordinators and facilitators,were also extremely important after the analysis of the
307、 strategic mandates,but not so crucial in the two early stages of the process.Resources provided by partners to support the S3 team were used throughout the process but were only extremely important in the EDP.Partners included other ministries and government agencies,the Office of the Prime Ministe
308、r and his Deputy,the Bureau of Statistics,municipalities,business associations,regional entities,universities,the Patent Office and several international donor organisations.Material resources,i.e.venues and equipment,as well as resources provided by subcontractors for event management,PR,IT and med
309、ia dissemination,were very important for the EDP.Table 39.Relevance of resources in the S3 process in Albania Human resources Financial resources Material resources Partners(participating pro-bono or providing funding)External human resources(international and local experts,facilitators)Subcontracto
310、rs(PR,IT,event support,etc.)Design phase 4,3 3,5 2,5 3,5 3,7 2,8 Source:authors.The JRC provided support in technical expertise needed to carry out all stages following the analysis of the strategic mandates.Of similar importance was the national budget,which was also needed in the initial stage.An
311、interesting feature in Albania was the national quadruple helix actors and business associations,which were important for the EDP.Table 40.Main funding sources in the S3 process in Albania National budget JRC expert support International loans(such as WB)Donors Other EU sources(delegation,other DGs)
312、National quadruple helix actors/business associations Design phase 2,7 3,0-1,0-3,0 Source:authors.Key enabling and success factors 33 If key enabling factors are missing,the S3 process is either paused or becomes very difficult.The most relevant key enabling factor for the S3 process in Albania is t
313、he availability of funding for external(human)resources,which is particularly crucial from the analysis of strategic mandates onwards.Government commitment was a crucial factor,especially at the beginning but also after the EDP.The availability of committed and sufficient human resources was also ve
314、ry important,especially from the analysis of the strategic mandates onwards.Capacity building is least important in the early stages of the process.Table 41.Key enabling factors in the S3 process in Albania Government political commitment Dedicated and sufficient human resources Capacity building Fu
315、nding for external resources Design phase 3,8 3,5 3,3 4,3 Source:authors.In contrast to the key factors that enable the success of an S3 process,the key success factors are much more successful.The most important factor for the success of the S3 design in Albania was the appropriate governance syste
316、m which was significant throughout the process.Having dedicated expertise tailoring the process to local context is especially crucial from the analysis of strategic mandates on.Having enough time to carry out the stages in a quality manner is the least important overall,but is still considered cruc
317、ial in the context of the EDP and further on in the process.Table 42.Key success factors in S3 process in Albania Appropriate governance Dedicated expertise tailoring the process to local context Enough time available Design phase 3,8 3,5 2,7 Source:authors.Important benefits and main challenges Bas
318、ed on the feedback from the interviews the extremely relevant benefits are engagement of stakeholders and their satisfaction with the EDP and new general awareness regarding the collaboration of key stakeholders.Also new capacities built were considered as an important advantage.Table 43.Most import
319、ant benefits of the overall S3 process in Albania Most important benefits of the overall S3 process Relevance(Score 1-5)Engagement of stakeholders 5 Satisfaction of stakeholders with EDP 5 New capacities built 4 New general awareness regarding the collaboration of key stakeholders 5 Source:authors.A
320、 very important challenge for S3 in Albania is the low recognition of S3 in the government sector,industry and academia.This is probably related to the problem of commitment from the top level of government,which varied from stage to stage due to the change of ministers,as the process took several y
321、ears.Commitment was high in the first stage and in the EDP where the process was led by the Deputy Prime Minister,but it fluctuated in between.The rather relevant challenge of lack of resources for design is most likely related to the fact that.34 Table 44.Main challenges of the overall S3 process i
322、n Albania Main challenges of the overall S3 process Relevance(Score 1-5)Lack of resources for the design 3 Lack of resources for implementation -Top level government commitment 3 Recognition of S3 in the government sectors 4 Recognition of S3 in the industry&academia 4 Lack of time 1 Source:authors.
323、Satisfaction with the process and good practices The level of satisfaction with the different stages varies but is on average very high.As the survey revealed,the quantitative analysis was challenging and lengthy.This stage started in February 2018 and after the first mapping report was produced,it
324、was later revised to take into account the COVID-19 pandemic period and the final document was only completed in December 2020.Albania is very satisfied with the analysis of the strategic mandates,which was completed very quickly,and the qualitative analysis,which took one year.The decision to start
325、 the Smart Specialisation process is considered excellent by key stakeholders in Albania,as it was aligned with the needs of the innovation ecosystem at that time.The EDP is considered a complete success,as it was decisively supported by the key stakeholders.Table 45.Key success factors in the S3 pr
326、ocess in Albania Stages in the design phase Satisfaction level(Score 1-5)Decision to start Smart Specialisation process 5 Analysis of strategic mandates 4 Analysis of existing economic,scientific and innovative potential(quantitative)3 In-depth analysis of priority domains(qualitative)4 EDP-Entrepre
327、neurial discovery process 5 Design of monitoring,implementation and financing system-Preparation of S3 strategy document-Source:authors.Albania is very satisfied with the whole process and rates it 4 out of 5.This corresponds to the average of the individual ratings for the individual stages.Satisfa
328、ction tends to increase as the design nears completion.According to the national key national actors,the proposed examples of good practice in S3 design are related to the next stages with the following justifications:-Decision to start Smart Specialisation:the process began in December 2016 as a ne
329、ed to bring together HE and business sector to align academic offer with labour market need.The dialog of stakeholders continued and in 2017 Albania registered in the S3 JRC platform.The 35 process got top-level political support as it was sponsored by the PM office.The decree to formalise the S3 te
330、am was signed by the minister of education in 2018.-EDP:The involvement of quadruple helix actors has been very satisfactory and crucial for the success of this stage.Namely,the IPA funded project EU for Innovation was dedicated to support EDP and further stages of S3 process in Albania;however,it f
331、ailed to do so in 2 consecutive years.The intervention and readiness of all the actors of the quadruple helix actors to contribute and support the process was fundamental to its success.F.Bosnia and Herzegovina The process in Bosnia and Herzegovina was very challenging at the beginning and made litt
332、le progress.Hampered by various factors,it took several years to complete the first stage of the design,but in recent years the S3 process has gained momentum and is now progressing steadily.At the time of writing this report,Bosnia and Herzegovina was completing the qualitative analysis by finalisi
333、ng the report on mapping the existing economic,scientific and innovative potential.This document was drafted at the national level and serves as the basis for the EDP,which will be carried out at the entity level with strong territorial coverage.The primary data for the S3 in Bosnia and Herzegovina was collected through interviews with the national S3 coordinator and a local expert involved in the