Strengthening regional innovation and digital transformation through capacity-building and collaboration
European Academy was honoured to participate in the “Discover the North-East” Tourism Gala 2025, a landmark event organised by the North-East Regional Development Agency of Romania (ADR Nord-Est), celebrating a decade of excellence in regional tourism. Held between 9 and 11 December 2025 in Botoșani, the event brought together hundreds of stakeholders from across Romania and neighbouring countries, including representatives from public authorities, tourism associations, cultural institutions, businesses, and academic and research bodies.
European Academy’s presence at the Gala reflects a longstanding and deepening collaboration with ADR Nord-Est, built on a shared commitment to strengthening the region’s digital, entrepreneurial, and innovation capacities.
A Platform for Dialogue and Knowledge Exchange
The Tourism Gala 2025 was more than a celebration of regional tourism achievements. It served as a high-level platform for discussion on the future of cross-border cooperation, cultural heritage valorisation, digitalisation in tourism, and institutional capacity building. The event included:
- Thematic panels on sustainable tourism and the circular economy
- Presentations of major regional development initiatives
- Regional exhibitions and a gastronomy showcase
- Awards celebrating excellence and innovation in tourism
Participants included mayors, county officials, national and regional government representatives, academics, tourism entrepreneurs, digital startups, and journalists from Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine.
European Academy’s Contribution: Linking Digital Tools with Local Innovation
European Academy was represented by Ms. Alexia Voutsina and Mr. Harry Konstantopoulos, who delivered a keynote presentation on “Tourism Innovation Labs: How to Link Digital Tools and Entrepreneurship.” The session examined how public and private actors can go beyond digital promotion to embed digital tools into strategic tourism development and value creation.
Key messages included:
- Viewing websites not as brochures but as visitor journey engines
- Using tourism data to inform pricing, partnerships, and service design
- Transforming social media activity into measurable outcomes
- Promoting a shift from passive digital consumption to platform-based tourism models
- Encouraging public-private experimentation through innovation labs
Building Regional Capacity Through Targeted Training
This participation builds on an established training partnership with ADR Nord-Est, under which European Academy has designed and delivered several in-house training programmes, specifically tailored to the needs of professionals across the region.
Innovation Management for EU-Funded Projects
Online | 20–22 & 27–29 May 2024
Delivered remotely, this six-day programme focused on:
- Developing Minimum Viable Products (MVPs)
- Intellectual Property rights management
- Certification and commercialisation of innovation
Participants included professionals from regional development agencies, higher education institutions, and local innovation ecosystems.
Digital Transformation in Practice: Strategic Tools for Business Innovation
Brussels | 10–12 June 2024
Held in person at Warwick Brussels Hotel, this programme equipped SMEs and development professionals with tools for:
- Business model transformation
- Customer network strategies
- Data-driven value creation
The course welcomed representatives from private consultancies, innovation support organisations, and university-industry liaison offices.
Digital Transformation in Public Services – Edition I
Thessaloniki | 28–30 May 2025
This first edition targeted municipal leaders and regional administrators, exploring:
- Differences between digitalisation and digital transformation
- Use of data as a strategic asset
- Designing citizen-centric public services
The training was interactive, including problem-solving workshops and practical exercises in digital public service design.
Digital Transformation in Public Services – Edition II
Thessaloniki | 29 September – 1 October 2025
The second edition deepened the exploration of:
- Platform thinking for the public sector
- Minimum viable public services
- Disruption theory in local governance
Participants engaged in hands-on exercises and exchanged best practices during a study visit to the Region of Central Macedonia, showcasing sustainable digital governance in practice.
Promoting EU-Funded Innovation: Visibility for Strategic Projects
During the Gala, European Academy also took the opportunity to raise awareness about its ongoing EU-funded projects, engaging a wide and relevant audience of tourism and development stakeholders.
Featured projects included:
- GreenTech Horizons
GreenTech Horizons supports the green and digital transition of higher education by creating a practical curriculum that combines environmental technologies, digital tools, and entrepreneurship. Through collaboration between universities and businesses in the EU, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia, the project delivers modular courses, online resources, and applied learning tools to prepare students and professionals for sustainable innovation.
- SPM² – Sustainability in Project Management
SPM² enhances the PM² project management methodology by embedding sustainability principles directly into its structure. The project offers a revised guide, online learning tools, and modular training for universities and professionals, aiming to equip project managers with the competencies needed to align their work with EU green and digital policy objectives.
- ESG4PMChange
ESG4PMChange focuses on integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria into project management education. It develops an ESG-aligned learning framework, training modules, and Living Labs to help professionals and institutions move beyond compliance and actively embed ESG thinking into project design and delivery.
- Smart Researchers
SMART Researchers aims to improve the career development environment for early-stage researchers by introducing micro-credentials, tailored training, and upgraded support centres. The project aligns with European research policy and helps institutions build long-term capacity to recognise and develop key skills in line with the ResearchComp framework.
The Gala provided an ideal environment for sharing these initiatives with professionals, public officials, and education providers, many of whom expressed interest in future collaboration or training opportunities.
Acknowledgements
European Academy would like to thank the North-East Regional Development Agency (ADR Nord-Est) for the invitation and for the smooth and well-organised execution of the event.
We would also like to express our appreciation to Ms. Roxana Șlemco, Director of the North-East Regional Center for Studies, for the ongoing collaboration and coordination. We also acknowledge the valuable support of Mr. Mihai Parfeni and Ms. Alexandra Albu, whose efforts have contributed to the success of both the event and the wider capacity-building initiatives across the region.
Continue the Journey: Training, Knowledge, and Collaboration
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