The panel began with introductory remarks in which the speakers presented the Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3) concept from both a theoretical and empirical perspective. They outlined the EU’s experience with S3 in the previous programming periods, highlighting its role as a key policy framework for innovation-driven growth. Particular attention was given to the challenges of implementation, as practice often shows a gap between the priorities defined in strategies and the actual allocation of resources and policies needed to support them.
The discussion further addressed the differences between the two EU programming periods. In 2014–2020, S3 strategies were more concrete in identifying priority sectors for support, while in 2021–2027 there have been more priority sectors identified. The panelists highlighted the issue of limited collaboration between priority sectors across EU Member States. Experience indicates that companies are generally more inclined to collaborate within their national borders than across them.. This raised questions about how well the current approaches capture regional diversity and strengths.Also, the experiences in S3 design and implementation in the EUSAIR and Western Balkan countries were presented. A key point of the panel was the presentation of the Erasmus+ project Smart Innovation Centres, which underscored the importance of building innovation centres at partner universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Albania. These centres are expected to strengthen research and innovation capacities, foster university–industry collaboration, and support the broader S3 process in the Western Balkans.
Regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina, panelists underlined that the S3 drafting and adoption process is excessively long, due to political issues. Nevertheless, S3 was assessed as a perspective framework. Recommendations focused on improving monitoring and evaluation, ensuring stronger involvement of regional actors, and securing access to EU and international funding opportunities.
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