It contributes to improving research and innovation management capacities in the Western Balkans, and it supports national policy reforms through targeted actions. A key element in this is the support to the development and implementation of Smart Specialisation Strategies and macro-regional strategies in cooperation with the JRC and the Policy Support Facility. Essentially, actions stemming from the present call will foster the capacity building in the Western Balkans to allow successful participation in the R&I process, improve the Technology Transfer Process, promote networking of and access to excellence, thus optimising the participation in and impact of Horizon Europe across the region. Activities undertaken under the selected project will strengthen and foster the development of the human capital base in the region, they will promote the establishment of open, inclusive and responsible national research and innovation systems, support an institutional change through the development of inclusive gender equality plans in line with Horizon Europe and the ERA objectives, as well as support evidence based policy making.

 Project results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes:

• Support to the Western Balkans Steering Platforms for Research and Innovation, and Education and Training as valuable instruments of policy dialogue with the region (incl. support to the annual Ministerial meeting of the Western Balkans Platforms on Education and Training, Research and Innovation and Culture);
• Facilitation of the implementation of the Western Balkans Agenda on Innovation, Research, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport;
• Provision of support to the accession process and facilitate the association of Western Balkan countries to relevant European funding programmes;
• Identification of common priorities agreed among the participating national and regional R&I, education and cultural programmes as well as activities in the field of youth and sport, taking into account international developments where relevant;
• Contribution to joint initiatives, resulting in the funding of cross-border innovation actions, design/implement a portfolio of complementary actions which would enable Western Balkans stakeholders and policy makers to better internationalise and integrate in EU actions and policy making;
• Implementation of and financial support to other joint activities supporting R&I, regulatory or societal uptake of results.