The ETF Network for Excellence (ENE), facilitated by the European Training Foundation, brings together Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) and key stakeholders committed to innovation, quality, and systemic impact in vocational education and training (VET).
Smart Specialisation (S3), a policy approach developed by the European Commission, helps regions identify their unique strengths and focus investments where they can achieve the greatest impact. It encourages regions to:
- Identify regional strengths and opportunities – assess the industries, skills, and technologies with the highest potential for growth and innovation.
- Engage stakeholders in strategic planning – bring together education providers, businesses, research institutions, and policymakers to align priorities.
- Focus resources for maximum impact – target funding and programmes to sectors or activities where the region can become internationally competitive.
- Monitor and adapt progress – use indicators and evaluation tools to track results and refine strategies over time.
For Centres of Vocational Excellence, S3 provides a practical way to link vocational education, innovation, and regional economic development, ensuring that training, research, and industry needs reinforce each other. It also helps CoVEs to secure funding, build partnerships, and strengthen their regional impact in a strategic and measurable way.
Focus of the Session
This session will explore:
- Introduction to Smart Specialisation strategies and methodology
- Platforms, tools, and governance approaches for S3 in EU and neighbouring regions
- Regional cooperation and practical experiences from North Macedonia
- Opportunities for cross-regional collaboration and capacity building
The objective is to inspire ENE members with practical examples and strategic reflections that can inform their own implementation of Smart Specialisation within CoVEs.
Programme
- Framing Smart Specialisation – Susanne Nielsen, ETF Expert
- Smart Specialisation Concept – Nikola Radovanovic, ETF Expert
- Technical Insights Joint Research Centre – Emanuele Fabbri / Manuel Gonzalez Evangelista
- Regional Cooperation and Smart Specialisation – North Macedonia Example – Radmil Polenakovikj
- Q&A / Discussion
- Closing Reflections – Susanne Nielsen, ETF Expert
The detailed agenda and registration link will be available very soon. Please stay tuned.
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