Entrepreuneurial communities from Georgia, Kazakhstan and Montenegro rewarded for creating local partnerships

The transformational impact of partnerships that promote economic growth and social cohesion was the focus of a European Training Foundation (ETF) conference, hosted by the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels on 9 and 10 March.

Representatives of entrepreneurial communities from Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Montenegro were recognized at a gala awards ceremony for their work in creating local partnerships to create jobs and drive economic development.

The ETF’s Entrepreneurial Communities Initiative, which began in 2013, has explored partnerships in 10 ETF partner countries, picking out enterprising local actors that work together to foster skills and encourage innovation. The ten are Algeria, Belarus, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Moldova, Montenegro, and Serbia.

The partnerships involve entrepreneurs, businesses, education and training providers, local authorities, and civil society groups creating new approaches to learning and delivering relevant skills for the world of work.

These awards mark the conclusion of the first phase of the Entrepreneurial Communities Initiative, which is moving on to focus on the role of human capital in smart territories.

ETF Director Madlen Serban said: "Smart territories are partnerships and networks where good multilevel governance approaches are applied within an integrated vision for growth".

The potential for forward-thinking entrepreneurial partnerships to integrate the ‘soft’ infrastructure of human capital with the ‘hard’ infrastructure of transport, IT, energy, and the built environment affords the ETF’s partner countries the chance to be leaders in the emerging field of strategic territorial policy making.

Markku Markkula, the President of the European Committee of the Regions, said: "We have continuously been very supportive of the European Training Foundation's work. The ETF has successfully turned the concept of multilevel governance into practice beyond the EU's borders, creating incubators for innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. Strategic investment in education needs to be put forward within the EU and its neighbourhood. It is crucial to foster entrepreneurial spirit among young people, to embed digital technologies and develop e-skills to face the Digital Turn. Local and regional authorities' role is to support this process, attract investments and fight corruption."

Source: European Training Foundation