The Digital Agenda for the Western Balkans aims to support the transition of the region into a digital economy and bring the benefits of digital transformation, such as faster economic growth, more jobs, and better services.
In 2018, the Commission together with Ministers from six Western Balkan partners – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia – committed to:
- Investing in broadband connectivity
- Increasing cybersecurity, trust and digitalisation of industry
- Strengthening the digital economy and society
- Boosting research and innovation
Digitalisation is a key priority for regional progress and the POLICY ANSWERS project also aims to put it into focus, aligning priorities between the regional stakeholders and the EU.
Thematic domains:
DigitalisationNews:
- GÉANT strengthening collaboration in the Western Balkans
- Three Western Balkans Regions are part of the Regional Innovation Valleys Receiving Support from the European Commission
- Watch the Recordings of the POLICY ANSWERS Webinars!
- Digital Europe Programme open to Bosnia and Herzegovina
- First Auction for the 100 MW Solar Energy Park in Kosovo
- The POLICY ANSWERS Policy Report and Brief: Digital Transformation in the Western Balkans have been published
- Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Participation in the Digital Europe Programme has been endorsed
- The European School Education Platform offers a rich Set of Courses, Webinars and Events on Digital Education and AI
- Guidelines on the responsible use of Generative AI in Research Developed by the European Research Area Forum
- Challenges and Opportunities for Improvement – An Overview of the Digitalisation Process in North Macedonia
- Digitalisation: A New Boom for the Financial Sector of North Macedonia
- E-signature in Action in BiH – Progress in the Implementation of Electronic Identification in Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Seminar on “Intellectual Property at the University” was held at the University of Banja Luka
- Lecture on the Role of Generative AI in Teaching Preparation was held at the University of Banja Luka
- A two-day Workshop on Personal Data Protection was held at the University of Banja Luka
- The University of Sarajevo hosted a two-day Workshop on the Establishment of RESILIENCE Infrastructure
- Kosovo joined the Digital Europe Programme
- A new Erasmus+ Project on Digital Education will equip Higher Education Institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania
- Progress on Digital Education Initiatives in Kosovo
- Women in Tech Kosovo represented at Global Summit
- Information and Communication Technology Association of Kosovo (STIKK) Approves New Services for Continuous Growth of the ICT Sector in Kosovo
- Artificial Intelligence in Education – Uses and Impacts introduced to Teachers in Bosnia and Herzegovina
- EC has launched AI Innovation Package to support Artificial Intelligence Startups and SMEs
- European Approach to Artificial Intelligence
- Europe’s Digital Decade: Digital Targets for 2030
- EC has opened Calls to invest over €176 million in Digital Capacities and Tech
- Panel Discussion on report “An Absent Therapy for Healthcare Financing” was organised by Riinvest
- EC presents New Initiatives in Advanced Materials, a Key Enabling Technology for the Twin Green and Digital Transition
- Regional Digital Innovation Hubs Workshop in Podgorica
- The ETF is skilling up the Western Balkans agri-food sector: digitalising, greening
- POLICY ANSWERS major events: Conference on Aligning Priorities in the Western Balkans and two workshops successfully organised
Events:
- The Future of Digital Innovation – Academia and Industry Collaboration Symposium
- Digital Universities Europe 2024 – promo code for reduced fee available for Western Balkans
- POLICY ANSWERS event “Advancing Study Programs and Curricula with Contents of Green Agenda, Digitalisation and Research & Innovation at Universities in Kosovo”
- European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) Symposium 2024
- Digital Education Action Plan in Review
- Digital Entrepreneurship in the Western Balkans
- 8th International Conference on Engineering Technology and Innovation – ICETI 2024
- International Conference On Advances In Traffic And Communication Technologies – ATCT 2024
- POINT 12 Conference
- 2nd International Conference on Digital Transformation in Education and Artificial Intelligence Applications
- Fair, Green and Digital Transition in Education and Labour Market Policies – 12th International Stakeholder Conference of EUSDR Priority Area 9 “People & Skills”
- AI Data Robotics Association (ADRA) Partnership Information Day and Brokerage Event 2024 (Horizon Europe Cluster 4, Digital Europe programme and EIC Accelerator)
- EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative Info Session March 2024
- International Workshop on Promoting AI-Supported Eco-Activism in the Western Balkans
- Info session – AI topics under the Digital Europe Programme
- Online b2match Meeting for Innovative Companies: FINNOvation MeetEENg
- South East European Software Testing Conference Zagreb SEETEST 2024 (with participation fee)
Calls:
- 3rd Butterfly Innovation Award by the Regional Cooperation Council
- Albania: Support to improve the legal and regulatory framework and capacities for digital connectivity based on EU acquis
- Call for Application: Regional Open Data Challenge 2024
- Call for Participation: Genesis StartUp Academy
- Fundingbox is looking for Deep-tech Experts
- Digital Europe Progamme: DIGITAL-2024-AI-ACT-06-TESTAI – Pilot action for the establishment of future Union Testing Facilities in AI
- Digital Europe Progamme: DIGITAL-2024-AI-ACT-06-SANDBOX – AI regulatory sandboxes: EU-level coordination and support
- Digital Europe Progamme: DIGITAL-2024-AI-ACT-06-INNOV – EU AI Innovation Accelerator preparatory action
- Digital Europe Programme: Cloud, data and artificial intelligence (DIGITAL-2024-CLOUD-DATA-06)
Documents:
- The Western Balkans on the Pathway towards Digital Transition
- Emerging ICT Clusters in the Western Balkans: A Convergence Model based on Financial Statement Analysis
- POLICY ANSWERS Policy Report and Brief: Digital Transformation in the Western Balkans
- Living Guidelines on the Responsible Use of Generative AI in Research
- Open Data Maturity (ODM) Reports 2023
- Policy Programme: a Path to the Digital Decade – factsheet
- Guidelines for the Digitisation of Cultural Heritage in the Republic of Serbia
- Rulebook on National Standards for the Digitisation of Library Materials
- Mapping of Digital Innovation Hubs and Identification of Needs within Western Balkans and of Prospective Regional Cooperation Actions
Links:
- First POLICY ANSWERS Webinar: Overview of the Western Balkans’ Digital Agenda Implementation
- Doing business in the United States: what you need to know about the US start-up ecosystem (webinar 2024)
- Kosovar Research and Education Network Digital MOODLE Online Learning Platform
Institutions and Organisations:
Initiatives:
- Digitalisation of Schools in Montenegro
- Digital, Inclusive and Transformative Montenegro: Quality Education for all
- 3F-COOP: Footwear Fast Forward Cooperation – Innovative Agile Training Programme and Training Opportunities for the Digital and Green Twin Transition in Bosnia and Herzegovina
- 3D printesr and scanner lab
- Supporting Digitalisation in Schools Across Kosovo
- SMART4ALL – Selfsustained Cross-border Customized Cyberphisical System Experiments for Capacity Building among European Stakeholders