We at Adriapol have the potential to stimulate job creation in a structured way by encouraging innovation, skills, and development of industry that are aligned with national policies and donor goals. Building on the concept of “triple helix”, bringing together universities government and industries, this particular eco-system will function on integrated approaches at the regional level with special attention to regional variances related to problems, such as inequality. Leading and quality universities, such as Marin Barleti in Albania and its academic partners, provide a “one stop shopping” experience for the industry as they perform executive education; student recruitment and engagement, philanthropy, commercialization and licensing, corporate relations through colleges, schools and research centers all engaged in research collaborations and joint proposals. Adriapol has decided to take this nontraditional role as it considers it a major potential source of innovation. We try hard to combine skills gained in a localized setting that lead to meaningful employment through participation in the local labor market; we have jump-started projects of self-employment and start-ups thus remaining a key actor to the goals of regional and local government, national reforms, and donor interventions.

The social economy, which is largely generated by NGOs, makes an important contribution to job creation activities by targeting public investments to tackle and target social exclusion and supporting people in terms of employment. The Adriapol Institute for Smart and Creative Growth combines the elements of the triple helix (university – industry – government) to benefit urban innovation. Since its foundation, the Institute has pursued creative and innovative ways to respond to the development and growth challenges in a country like Albania. Beefed up with a team of professionals trained abroad and with high implementing capabilities, the Institute works to provide innovative solutions that simultaneously respond to both urban growth needs and employment needs of the urbanite. The multitude of projects and cooperation activities that have already taken place have made the Institute more programmatic, and as a result, the Institute works with projects that address the city or the urban center as a whole while providing policy guidance and practical solutions to the issues that accompany growth and development.

One of the major challenges facing the Albanian economy is how to provide better training for its workforce. This is essential if the Albanian economy is to develop and modernize. The VET system is not sufficiently geared to the labor market and thus fails to meet its needs. The technical secondary schools, which form part of the VET system, focus on the graduation requirement and neglect the area of practical training. There is very little cooperation between schools and the business sector. Owing to the lack of specific training opportunities in rural regions, and for youths and young adults in migrant influx areas, these individuals are often inadequately equipped to find work and earn an income. At Adriapol we strongly believe that adequate education is vital in a globally competitive labor market. Through our international forums we have pitched forward the concept that the most effective way to address the employment needs is the equipment of the labor force with technical skills effective in a multi-cultural and multi-language setting. This new understanding of the role of post-secondary education will assure Albania of its human development and effective democratic functioning. Recognition of this critical role to be played especially by professional and VET education providers is the first step in trying to seize the opportunity for change. However, the situation is still far from being ideal and we see ourselves in the forefront of training Albanians with the professional skills required for a sustainable future.

A key role in the projects related to the Smart City concept is played by information technology fused in the education of young people. These technologies are converting the current education system more effective by eliminating a range of links and making knowledge transfer chair shorter and stronger while putting the student in the center. Partnerships are needed to improve working conditions and support transitions to formality. The triple helix approach can play an important role in helping regions develop by mobilizing skill and investment within the region. Supporting investments that require skills gained through the universities ensure an increase in formal employment as opposed to the current situation of unskilled labour. Policy support for local job creation will require robust cross-sector coordination at the local level. Local and regional contexts are the settings where “coalitions of purpose” can be effectively built across the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, with local actors often building long-term relationships with each other based on proximity and exchange.

Creative industry is developed on culture and uses an individual's creativity, skill and talent for job and wealth creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property. Combined programs have to be compiled between ITC’s and creative industries to target the sectors of artisanal products, visual arts and music in developing and transition economies by adding the entrepreneurial dimension and providing technical assistance to promote trade opportunities and develop producers’ export capabilities.While working directly with artisans, artists and musicians to increase their benefits by including their creations into domestic and international value chains, ITC enhances the services of the sector’s associations to their clients and encourages the integration of creative industries into national trade development strategies. At Adriapol we are working with cultural stakeholders and together we have developed interventions that based on culture and cultural products would benefit the local economies.

The concept of tourism clusters is becoming central within the tourism development planning process and the EU perceives cluster arrangements as the preferred form of introducing innovations in different economic fields, including tourism. People serving in tourism industry have to be qualified in the area in general and for the particular tools according to each applied direction of tourism and using the tradition of the zone for being attractive for the tourists and creating the sustainability in the sector.Each region has its priorities for sustainable development based on the respective natural and human resources. There are some regions with a lot of traditions in hospitality and culinary for offering to the tourists the best of the area. The others have more historical and cultural or natural resources to be developed for making in the service of tourism. For these reason need to be defined the priorities for each region.

Regional Growth Strategy that has been developed by Adriapol explores asset-based economic development, focusing on how regions can build on their natural and working landscapes, existing infrastructure, historic and cultural resources, industry clusters, and human capital. It engages into drawing the views of all interested stakeholders for providing a comprehensive base for partnership and actions regarding the implementation of different programs.

Being “SMART” in the context of urban growth is a process of guiding businesses and industries into those areas where success for the enterprise and growth for the region are interconnected. Through its activity – guided by research produced at Marin Barleti University (affiliated) – and in support of government policies – Adriapol has provided the business and donor community with a platform for the exchange of ideas that perfect growth processes at the regional level in a country like Albania. Job creation often takes place as industries are convinced to expand their activities in a regional setting that is imbued with start-up initiatives and an existing local drive towards employment. This environment is ripe for innovation. Innovation based on import substitution and the processing of materials and ores found in the region can lead to the development of new/renovated products and services. Innovation is also required in developing flexible training, education, and employment services for those wishing to re-enter the labor market, those needing on-the-job trainings, and those coming from vulnerable populations, such as minorities and low-skilled workers.

As a response to a growing interest in the communities to engage in startup activities and the ecosystems efforts to strengthen and promote startups in Albania, Adriapol Institute seeks to promote emerging and existing entrepreneurs and connect them with the innovation needs of the Albanian enterprises, build national and international business relationships, and facilitate startups fundraising activities through organizing and hosting specific events such as trainings, workshops, pitching, etc. Despite existing new initiatives, there is an absence in Albania of appropriate structures and capacities to facilitate the knowledge flow between policy makers and MSMEs, and there is also a lack of integrated data about demographics, income, and infrastructure for young entrepreneurships that want to engage in a new startup or further develop their existing enterprises.Adriapol activities provide startups and young entrepreneurs with opportunities to receive mentorship, connect with the entrepreneurship and business ecosystems, raise capital while enhancing their capacities through networking with high level mentors, enterprises and CEOs, and connect entrepreneurs with the innovation needs, such as ICT enabling of these enterprises, build national and international business relationships, and support startups with fundraising.