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The POLICY ANSWERS project contributed to policy discourse in Kosovo not only by convening stakeholders, but by producing a substantial set of concrete policy outputs that fed directly into debates on research and innovation, energy, circular economy, digital transformation, higher education, innovation policy and health. RIINVEST, the project partner, translated analysis into actionable documents that were discussed with ministries, parliamentary actors, universities, business representatives and civil society. This made the project visible in policy discourse as a source of structured recommendations rather than general advocacy.
In research and innovation, RIINVEST supported the drafting and discussion of Kosovo’s new National Science Programme 2023-2028 through a package of specific documents. These included a Research Report on the state of play of the R&I environment in Kosovo, a Policy Paper on Increasing Financing and Advancing Policies, and formal Input on the draft National Science Programme 2023–2028. These were later complemented by a follow-up analytical report and a Policy Brief prepared in 2025 to assess progress and remaining gaps in implementation. Together, these documents helped move policy discussion towards the practical issues of funding levels, budgeting, governance, legal frameworks and Kosovo’s integration into the European Research Area.
The project also generated implementation-oriented outputs in higher education and innovation policy. In higher education, RIINVEST prepared a report with recommendations on advancing university curricula in relation to the Green Agenda and digital transformation, which was presented to universities and other stakeholders in July 2024. In the area of innovation and entrepreneurship, RIINVEST prepared a paper on the current state of play of the innovation ecosystem, accompanied by policy recommendations linked to the draft Law on Innovation and the planned Innovation Fund. It also developed a Concept Note for establishing the Strategic Advisory Council for Kosovo’s S3, proposing a Quadruple Helix format to strengthen coordination between government, academia, business and civil society.
A particularly rich set of outputs was produced in the area of the Green Agenda and energy transition. The document records seven policy briefs and reports that fed directly into public debate: The Future of Gas in Kosovo (7 December 2022), Strategy of Energy 2022–2031 (4 December 2022), Water Resources in Kosovo (26 January 2023), Decarbonisation and implications of Carbon Tax in Kosovo (7 June 2023), Renewable Sources of Energy (2024), and the comprehensive report What Mix of Energy Sources for Kosovo (2025). In parallel, RIINVEST prepared a baseline study on Circular Economy development, based on desk research, business and expert surveys, and case studies. These outputs gave the policy debate a much more operational basis by linking green transition goals to concrete questions of energy mix, regulation, carbon pricing, resource management and investment.
In digital policy, the project combined monitoring with document-based policy support. RIINVEST first prepared a baseline report on the state of play regarding Digital Transformation, presented in November 2024, and then produced a Policy Brief reflecting developments during 2024 and 2025, discussed at the POLICY ANSWERS Stakeholder Forum in October 2025. These documents were supported by regular monitoring of the Digital Agenda and by RIINVEST’s contributions to Kosovo’s Smart Specialisation process, including recommendations for institutional coordination. This gave policymakers and private-sector stakeholders a clearer evidence base for discussing implementation gaps in digital transformation.
In health policy, the project again moved beyond dialogue to specific outputs. RIINVEST prepared the report on health underfinancing An absent Therapy for Health Financing, while an external expert produced a report on health sector digitalisation in Kosovo. These were later followed by a Policy Brief on developments in 2024 and 2025, presented at the Stakeholder Forum in October 2025. According to the document, these outputs contributed to debate on budget allocation, the efficiency of public investment, digitalisation, the health management information system and the implementation of health insurance.
Taken together, the Kosovo strand of POLICY ANSWERS made a distinctive contribution to policy discourse because it anchored discussion in a visible portfolio of reports, policy papers, briefs, baseline studies and concept notes. The project did not merely call for reform; it produced named documents that structured debate, supplied evidence and helped policymakers and stakeholders engage with concrete options for implementation across R&I, education, green transition, digitalisation and health.