SMART Innovation Centres for the Development of Innovative and Entrepreneurial Thinking to Facilitate the Development of Sustainable Smart Solutions in the Western Balkans

Mission 

The UNISHK SIC mission is to fully achieve the objectives of the SMART project. The mission of the “SMART Innovation Center/ Business Hub” is to foster innovation and support the growth of businesses, especially startups and emerging enterprises.  It intends to become a primary actor in the Innovative development of the whole region of Shkodra, as the Quintuple Helix Model suggests.

 

Smart Innovation Centre 

The primary goal of our Innovation Business Hub is to create an environment that nurtures innovation, accelerates the growth of startups, and contributes to the overall economic and social development of the community. 

 

Objectives of SMART Project

The Innovation Centre to make a sustainable impact must be situated firmly within local needs and the local context of the partner universities of the SMART project, but able to fully comply with and understand each other’s dynamics to achieve the following objectives: 

• Create a space where individuals and businesses from diverse backgrounds can come together to collaborate on innovative projects. This involves providing physical and virtual spaces that encourage interaction and idea exchange. 
• Foster a strong network of entrepreneurs, professionals, investors, and mentors. Networking opportunities can lead to valuable connections, partnerships, and the sharing of knowledge and resources. 
• Provide support services and resources to startups and entrepreneurs, including mentoring, access to investors, and educational programs. The goal is to help startups grow and succeed. 
• Organize events, workshops  and innovation challenges to stimulate creativity, knowledge sharing, and problem-solving. These activities can also attract talent and investment to the hub. 
• Foster a culture that values and rewards innovation. This involves promoting a mindset of continuous learning, risk-taking, and adaptability among the hub's community. 
• Establish strong connections with the local, regional, and national innovation ecosystem. This includes engaging with government agencies, industry associations, and other stakeholders to create a supportive ecosystem for innovation. 

 

SMART Project Partners

1. Doba Faculty, Maribor, Sllovenia (Coordinator of this project)
2. Fondazione Politecnico Di Milano (FPM)
3. Politecnico Di Milano (POLIMI)
4. Technische Universitaet Dresden (TUD)
5. Universitetit Te Vlores (UNIVLORA)
6. Universiteti Fan S Noli Korce (UNKO)
7. Universeti Shkodres Luigj Gurakuqi (UNISHK)
8. Shoqata Per Zhvillimin Ekonomik Lokal Te Qarkut Te Vlores Auleda (AULEDA
9. Univerzitet u Banjoj Luci (UNIBL)
10. Univerzitet u Istocnom Sarajevu (UES)
11. Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Republika Srpska (CCIRS)
12. Univerzitet Donja Gorica Podgorica (UDG)
13. Javna ustanova Univerzitet Crne Gore Podgorica (UOM)
14. Privredna komora Crne Gore Podgorica (PKCG)

 

Addressing the challenges of HEIs in the field of smart specialization and the related innovation and entrepreneurship competence development with the introduction of new smart specialization-related learning modules and teaching approaches into HEIs’ curricula, including online teaching, approaches, methods and tools, cross-curricula learning, and virtual mobility.

• Supporting the professional development of HEIs academic staff in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship competencies development for the requirements of smart specialization along with hybrid and online teaching practices
• Setting up 7 SMART Innovation Centres at HEIs in target countries and integrating them into the existing HEI structure.
• Facilitating sustainable cooperation between HEIs and businesses through the SMART Knowledge Exchange Network
• Encourage student and staff work placements and (virtual) mobility.
• Increase the competitiveness of HEIs and their staff and the employability of their graduates with new offers of counselling and training services.
• To make the Smart Innovation Centre a reality the following steps will be taken in the following months:
• Preparing a proposal to be presented at the Rectorate, University of Shkodra, with a presentation of the main purpose and objectives of SIC, in line with the objectives of SMART project – 101082938.
• Finalize details about the selection and preparation of the Centre’s location.
• Selection of academic staff and students who are going to be staff of the innovation center.
• Finalize the integration of the innovation center into the university structure through a confirmation letter stating that the innovation center will be part of the university structure and attached to the Business Department, Faculty of Economy.