Strategic regional development planning will necessarily contain elements of SMART-specialisation. It is about introduction of innovations, use of modern scientific developments and swot-analysis of projects, as well as creation of new competitive activities in the implementation of regional projects, informed Hennadii Zubko, Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine.

“It is an opportunity to turn synergy of science, business and local self-government into completely new investment prospects of the regions and bring hromadas to a new level of development. We will integrate the EU SMART-specificisation methodology into a regional development strategy. Such approaches and decisions were proposed by MinRegion, and in the nearest future they will be submitted to the Government’s consideration,” said Hennadii Zubko.

According to the official, SMART-specialisation elements should be obligatory in regional development projects, as well as in the state and regional development strategies.