The analysis of the regional potential for collaboration in the ICT sector in the context of Smart Specialisation in the Western Balkans

Project duration: July 2023 - December 2023

Call/Program/Scheme: Direct service contract

Client / Financier: Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC)

Participating institutions: Institute of Economic Sciences, Belgrade

Principal investigator (PI): Dr. Lazar Živković, Institute of Economic Sciences, Belgrade

The role of IEN in the project: IEN is a lead institution

IEN project team (manager/coordinator, team members):

Lazar Živković (Principal investigator)
Dijana Štrbac
Isidora Ljumović

Description:

The project addresses the need to better understand the regional potential for collaboration in the ICT sector in the Western Balkans, particularly in the context of smart specialisation strategies and ongoing digital and green transitions. The main goal is to identify key collaboration niches, strengths and complementarities across Western Balkan economies, providing evidence-based insights for policymakers, research institutions and innovation stakeholders, and supporting more effective implementation of smart specialisation priorities.

The methodological approach combines desk research and analysis of existing data with primary data collection through an online survey and semi-structured interviews with stakeholders from business, academia and public institutions.

The main output is a comprehensive analytical report, published on the Joint Research Centre platform (https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC140887). The report identifies key value chains, maps innovation and research capacities, and highlights promising areas for regional collaboration, supported by targeted policy recommendations. The results strengthen the evidence base for policymaking, support smart specialisation implementation, and facilitate informed stakeholder dialogue.

Keywords: smart specialisation, ICT sector, Western Balkans, regional collaboration, innovation ecosystems