National S3 Draft Strategy and the Action Plan
Over the past year, an extensive and inclusive process has been undertaken to develop the Albanian Smart Specialization Strategy (S3). This initiative engaged over 1,600 stakeholders from the quadruple helix—central and local government, businesses, academia, and civil society—adopting a novel approach that prioritized stakeholder engagement from the outset. This collaborative effort resulted in the collection of valuable insights and proposals regarding the strategy’s priority sectors, vision, content, and actionable measures.
Guided by these contributions, the National S3 Team, in close collaboration with institutional coordinators of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on S3, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ms. Belinda Balluku, and supported by the Joint Research Center of the European Commission and sectoral experts under the EU4Innovation project, has finalized the draft S3. This draft is now available for public consultation and can be accessed at:
We express our deepest gratitude to all stakeholders who have contributed to shaping this pivotal document for our country. The S3 is closely aligned with three EU integration chapters (20, 22, and 25) and the EU Innovation Agenda for the Western Balkans 2021–2027.
Its implementation promises to foster innovation, unlock new opportunities, and provide transformative benefits for all stakeholders, particularly those operating in the priority sectors identified within the Smart Specialization Strategy.