Connecting United Kingdom & Western Balkans Cities Through Digital Technology

The proposed project, "Connecting Cities of the United Kingdom and Western Balkans through Digital Technology", builds on the focus of economic growth through the enhancement of digital capability in preparation for a Western Balkans 'Digital Cities' Summit planned for the UK in summer 2018. The project's aim is to connect 12 cities across the United Kingdom (UK) with 12 cities from across the Western Balkans (WB), including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia through digital industries, with a focus on 'Innovation in Creative Industries and Technology in Education'. A supplier is required to engage with key target audiences at different levels and through a variety of activities which relate to digital industry professionals who focus on innovation, creative industries and/or education, businesses / start-ups / hubs, city administrations and ministries of education. The overall project addresses the following two levels of engagement: a) Digital Policy and Strategy: to collate examples of best practice of city-specific digital policy and strategy in the UK and compare it to the existing policies and strategies in WB. This will require bringing city policy and strategy makers together through events in the UK to present best practice, facilitate dialogue, and produce recommendations for further work on policy development in this area across the UK and WB. b) Connecting, and developing the capacity of, digital industry professionals from the UK and WB, who work in 'Innovation in Creative Industries and Digital Education' in start-ups, digital and creative hubs and digital micro and Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by providing direct networking, collaboration and exchange opportunities.