The Opening of the Regional Innovation Center of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology for raw materials
The opening of the Regional Innovation Center of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology for raw materials marks a decisive moment in Albania's path towards the modernization and advancement of the raw materials sector and its preparation for the challenges of the future.
The Albanian EIT Raw Materials Regional Innovation Center, as a center for innovation, cooperation and sustainable practices, will be an important step in the transformation of the raw materials sector in Albania, reinforcing the Albanian Government commitment to achieve the objectives of the EU Act on critical raw materials (EU CRM Act) and to turn Albania into a strategic partner of the EU for this sector. Considering that the raw materials sector is part of the priorities of the growth plan for the Western Balkans, this initiative will contribute substantially to the regional development and strategic positioning of Albania also within the EU value chain.
The special support of the Albanian Government for the sector of raw materials, as reflected in the Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3), which aims to turn Albania into a key player in the industrial landscape and as a strategic partner of the EU in the integration in the global supply chains, but also the inclusion of this sector in the Albanian Government's priorities to be supported by the Growth Plan, evidences Albania's ambitious goal in the EU integration pathway.
The prioritization of this sector, including the establishment and strengthening of this Center, came as a result of extensive consultations with quadruple helix actors in Albania (government, academia, business, civil society), within the framework of S3 as well as the round tables organized by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy, which highlighted the need and the interest of the actors of this sector to invest in technology and innovation and grow with the objective to be integrated into the EU value chain, but also to invest in human capital, a very important aspect for the development of priority sectors, and already a priority for the Albanian Government..
The cooperation established with EIT RawMaterials will be very important to advance the goals of the Green and Innovation Agenda for the Western Balkans with the objective of turning this Center into a regional center for the entire WB area, turning Albania into a vanguard of innovation and cooperation in the region.
The center will become the main hub for stakeholders of the raw materials sector in Albania and beyond, supporting the mutual exchange of information, creating synergy with Albanian and European national programs, helping to advance entrepreneurship and skills and promote STEM education tailored to future industry needs, with special focus on:
- raising human capacities by investing in the training and development of the skills of specialised staff in the field of raw materials;
- creation of research capacities through open research infrastructure thus optimizing investments in laboratories and equipment and the application of new technologies and innovative approaches in the sector;
- the modernization of the mining sector, extractive and processing industries to adapt it to the requirements of the time and international standards, as well as to meet the requirements of a technologically advanced industry and create spaces for the creation of strategic partnerships.
These commitments will enable the mining sector to be equipped to adapt and operate in a wider international, European environment, creating new approaches and partnerships that help Albania to be a strategic partner of the EU and positioning Albania at the head of the Western Balkans in its trajectory towards EU integration.
Below you can find the video of the launching event held for this purpose and the speeches of Mrs. Belinda Balluku, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Mr. Berndt Sheffer, CEO of EIT Raw Material and Mr. Silvio Gonzato, Ambassador of the European Union in Tirana:
