The Impact of the POLICY ANSWERS project

The impact of POLICY ANSWERS can be understood as a multi-level and systemic contribution to strengthening Research & Innovation (R&I) ecosystems in the Western Balkans, combining capacity building, policy support and stakeholder engagement, while laying the foundations for sustained cooperation and long-term transformation.

This assessment builds on project self-evaluation (including survey-based evidence and stakeholder feedback), complemented by qualitative insights collected throughout the project activities and during the final event.

1. Strengthening capacities and skills across the R&I ecosystem

One of the most significant impacts of the project was the development of skills, knowledge and operational capacities across all stakeholder groups; including academia, public institutions, industry and civil society.

Through targeted training programmes, workshops and pilot schemes, POLICY ANSWERS has:

• improved understanding of EU R&I frameworks (e.g., Horizon Europe, MSCA);
• strengthened proposal writing and project development and implementation capacities;
• supported strategic planning, IP management and innovation-oriented skills;
• contributed to the integration of new competencies in academia, including digitalisation, green transition and technology transfer.

This capacity building effort was not only theoretical but practice-oriented and directly linked to funding and cooperation opportunities, ensuring immediate usability.

2. Creating a connected and collaborative R&I community

POLICY ANSWERS significantly contributed to enhancing cooperation and building trust among stakeholders at regional and international level.

Key results include:

• strengthened networks across the quadruple helix (policy, academia, industry, civil society);
• increased cooperation among the Western Balkans economies and links with EU actors;
• enhanced creation of stable partnerships to continue beyond the project.

Physical events as well as peer-learning and mobility activities played a crucial role in building long-term relationships and mutual trust, which are essential for sustainable collaboration.

3. Supporting evidence-based policy making and policy alignment

The project generated a wide range of high-quality outputs, including strategic documents such as policy briefs and analytical reports, to support evidence-based policy making in the region.

These outputs:

• addressed concrete needs of policy makers and institutions;
• contributed to a better understanding of R&I challenges and opportunities;
• supported the alignment with EU priorities (e.g., Digital, Green, Health);
• provided structured inputs for policy dialogue and decision-making.

In parallel, POLICY ANSWERS strengthened the policy dialogue between the EU and the Western Balkans, supporting a structured and continuous exchange platform.

4. Increasing participation in EU programmes and improving access to funding

A key impact of the project was the enhancement of participation of the Western Balkans in EU funding programmes.

This includes:

• increased number of applications to EU programmes;
• improved proposal success rates over time;
• stronger positioning of Western Balkans stakeholders within EU research networks;
• improved access to funding opportunities and European markets.

These results will further consolidate in the long term and thus contribute to better integration of the Western Balkans into the European Research Area (ERA).

5. Raising awareness and fostering a culture shift in R&I

POLICY ANSWERS contributed to a significant increase in awareness of R&I opportunities and challenges across the region.

Importantly, the project:

• addressed both successes and good practices as well as structural challenges and needs;
• promoted R&I systems;
• contributed to a cultural shift, particularly in academia, towards participation in EU initiatives and innovation-oriented approaches.

This awareness-raising is a critical precondition for long-term systemic change.

6. Delivering impact across multiple levels

POLICY ANSWERS’ multi-level impact acted simultaneously at:

• individual level (skills, knowledge, mobility experiences, trust);
• institutional level (strategies, frameworks, capacities);
• economy level (policy development, stakeholder engagement);
• regional level (cooperation, alignment, shared initiatives);
• European level (awareness raising, stakeholder involvement).

This balanced approach ensured that the project did not focus on isolated actions but contributed in a coherent way.

7. Building lasting structures for knowledge and cooperation

The project created durable assets that will continue generating impact beyond its lifetime.

In particular:

• the Western Balkans Info Hub provides a long-term, accessible knowledge base to be further updated;
• stakeholder mapping, reporting and monitoring support policy and research activities and cooperation;
• methodologies and frameworks developed (e.g., for monitoring and evaluation, pilot programmes) are already being used by institutions in the Western Balkans.

These elements represent a key legacy component of the project.

8. Establishing POLICY ANSWERS as a recognised reference point

Beyond tangible outputs, the project achieved an important intangible result: it established POLICY ANSWERS as a recognised and trusted brand in the R&I landscape of the Western Balkans.

Stakeholders now associate the project with:

• expertise in research and innovation;
• access to knowledge and opportunities;
• a platform for dialogue and cooperation.

This positioning creates a strong foundation for the follow-up initiative POLICY ENLARGE and future activities.

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Overall, POLICY ANSWERS has not only delivered results, but has contributed to a structural process of transformation, whose full impact will continue to unfold through sustained cooperation, policy alignment and capacity development in the region.