USE IPM at the TVET Alliance Summit 2025 in Ancona

Members of the USE IPM research team participated in the international TVET Alliance Summit 2025, held on 9–10 July 2025 in Ancona, Italy. The conference brought together researchers, representatives of the education sector, industry, and institutions with the aim of exchanging experiences and strengthening cooperation in the fields of vocational education and training, innovation, and sustainable entrepreneurship.

At this prestigious event, USE IPM team members presented the following research papers:

• Sustainable Entrepreneurship in the Western Balkan Countries: Key Constraints
  Aleksandra Andjelković, Vesna Janković Milić, Marija Radosavljević
• Aligning Serbia’s R&D Investment with the EU’s Green Deal Objectives: Gaps and Opportunities
  Marija Radosavljević, Sonja Jovanović, Vesna Janković Milić
• Catalyzing Sustainable Innovation: The Transformative Impact of Academia–Business Collaborations
  Stojan Debarliev, Aleksandra Janevska-Iliev, Saša Petković
• Educating Future Innovators: A Conceptual Model for Empathy-Based and Digitally-Enabled Entrepreneurship
  Aleksandra Janevska-Iliev, Stojan Debarliev, Danijela Stošić Panić, Mijalche Santa
• Innovation Ecosystem Paradox: How Strong External Support Weakens the Project Management–Sustainability Innovation Link
  Saša Petković, Stojan Debarliev, Aleksandra Janevska-Iliev, Marko Kolaković
• Cross-Country Analysis of Sustainability Attitudes: A Statistical Comparison Based on Likert-Scale Survey Data
  Mirjana Milijević, Milica Marić
• From Local to Global: Assessing the Internationalization Pathways of SMEs in Albania
  Ditjona Kule, Ogerta Elezaj
• Bridging the Soft Skills Gap for a Sustainable Future: A Comparative Study of Student and Employer Perspectives in Albania
  Alba Skendaj, Ada Bici

In addition to presenting their papers, USE IPM team members actively participated in workshops and discussions with stakeholders from outside academia, where they received valuable, practice-oriented feedback. The discussions highlighted the importance of developing creative thinking, leadership, and teamwork skills among young people, applying digital tools in education, integrating open innovation frameworks into learning processes, and creating inclusive educational environments in line with Industry 4.0 requirements.

Participation in the TVET Alliance Summit further strengthened the international visibility of the USE IPM team and opened new opportunities for collaboration within European initiatives and programs.