“South-East European countries must focus on developing regional incentives for innovation, investing in education and skills development, and harnessing the potential of women in STEM” shared Marija Risteska, the executive directress of CRPM, during the 2023 GTIPA Summit in Berlin, hosted by the German Economic Institute.
Marija laid out a roadmap for transformation, highlighting these essential steps:
- 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬, by leveraging the power of public procurement and implementing investment policies that perform well;
- 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, since the South-East and Central European regions possess excellent technical education institutions and a higher representation of women in STEM, which can help retain young talent and reduce emigration;
- 𝐅𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, particularly in regions with historical ties to post-Soviet and post-socialist traditions;
- 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐠𝐚𝐩 – governments should facilitate access to data or collaborate with private enterprises to develop comprehensive datasets. In South-East Europe, safeguarding privacy and client data safety should be a top priority.
By implementing these steps, the SEE countries can foster innovation, enhance their workforce, and drive economic growth.
