Western Balkans Regional Innovation Academy

Discover the Academy

The Western Balkans Regional Innovation Academy is an online collection of useful resources for anyone who has a stake in managing, promoting and understanding innovation in the region: students, researchers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, educators, youth workers and all stakeholders who can contribute to increasing capacities towards innovation and technology transfer in the Western Balkans economies.

The Resources are grouped into four main Categories

Funding Innovation

This section points to relevant funding opportunities for innovation and R&D projects in the Western Balkans region, as well as educational resources for those who want to act as fundraisers and funding managers.

Innovation Basics

This section includes materials that can be used for an entry-level guide on how to collect and interpret data on Innovation and Research and Development, R&D, in the region or economy of interest.

Managing Innovation

This section is focused on ideas and guidelines that policymakers can use to steer innovation, including several examples of Pilot Programmes at the regional level and by SMEs to organise their innovation processes and maximise their efficacy.

Stories

This section includes relevant success stories of innovation management in the Western Balkans region, focusing on stories from the public sector, SMEs, Youth Entrepreneurship, Women Entrepreneurship and Inclusive Innovation.

About us

The RIA is curated by the POLICY ANSERTS project, a strategic initiative founded by the European Commission through the Horizon Europe project “R&I POLICY making, implementation and Support in the Western Balkans”. The project focuses on enhancing research and innovation (R&I) policymaking and governance system in the Wstern Balkans, while also addressing aspects of education, culture, youth, and sports. By providing essentaial support to the region’s development, POLICY ANSWERS plays a crucial role in strengthening the Western Balkans’ potential for successful participation in regional and multilateral research and innovation activities.