International project – SMART: Pohorje, Drava and its bridges, commitment to sports and hospitality are of key importance for Maribor’s identity

Maribor has a strong local identity, rooted in its geographical location and the character of its inhabitants. Although the city is currently facing untapped potential, the opportunity for Maribor lies primarily in a focused development orientation, the development of the economy and bioeconomy, which requires competent staff, investors and a clear sustainable development strategy if the city is to have a high quality of life for future generations.

These are just some of the highlights of the focus group that we held on 29 March 2023 at DOBA Business School in the context of the Erasmus+ project, SMART Innovation Centres for the Development of Innovative and Entrepreneurial Thinking to Facilitate the Development of Sustainable Smart Solutions in the Western Balkans, in which DOBA Business School is the lead partner.
The roundtable discussion identified good (and bad) practices in the implementation of smart and green solutions with different stakeholders of the Quintuple Helix Innovation Model, with the aim of developing guidelines for the setting up of new SMART Innovation Centres at seven universities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro.

During the focus group meeting, the following participants shared their experiences, views and reflections on the realities, opportunities, threats, ambitions and sustainable development and identity of the city of Maribor:

• Neva Pipan, Municipality of Maribor,
• Nina Meglič, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Štajerska (ŠGZ) and SRIP – Circular Economy,
• Matjaž Fras, Regional Development Agency for Podravje (RRA Podravje),
• Mateja Karničnik, PRIZMA Foundation,
• Andrej Žižek, ZUM d.o.o.,
• Klemen Risto Bizjak, InTeRCeR Institute for Sustainable Development and Holistic Solutions,
• Anita Maček, DOBA Business School, and
• Nuša Lazar, Dekorina d.o.o.

The conclusions of the focus group will be presented in more detail in the final document – a comparative analysis of efforts made in smart specialisation and the Quintuple Helix Innovation Model in all six project partner countries, which is expected to be finalised before the summer.