The Executive Committee of the SA SKILLS project met on 22 September 2026 at the Blue Economy Training Centre of the Institute of Marine Biology, University of Montenegro, in Kotor. Representatives of all project countries participated in person or online, together with a representative of the Joint Secretariat of the Interreg IPA South Adriatic Programme.

The meeting focused on five priorities:

  • partner implementation and spending profiles;

  • R7–R8 activities and action plans;

  • SKILLS communication;

  • preparation for the High-Level Panel on skills availability for the South Adriatic blue economy;

  • other operational and reporting matters.

From planning to measurable implementation

The Executive Committee reviewed the action plans prepared by each project partner and accepted them as the operational basis for monitoring activities during the forthcoming implementation period.

Partners confirmed their commitment to accelerate procurement, implementation, expenditure and reporting. Progress will be monitored against specific activities, deliverables, deadlines and financial targets.

A comprehensive partner-by-partner review will be conducted by the end of March 2027. Where substantial implementation difficulties remain, the partnership will consider corrective measures, including the possible transfer of activities and related budgets, to safeguard project results and reduce financial risks.

Education and cross-border learning

The Committee reviewed progress in developing and testing the project’s education and training instruments.

LP1 IMBK reported that the draft South Adriatic Blue Qualification Framework – SA BlueComp had been developed and circulated to Executive Committee and Cross-Border Permanent Table members for comments.

The cross-border Higher Education Learning Module in Kotor was successfully implemented and documented, with 31 students participating in the programme.

PP2 Puglia Region presented progress concerning the new First-Level University Master’s Programme. The partnership agreed to continue promoting the programme across Montenegro, Albania, Puglia and Molise, while finalising its curriculum, timetable and practical participation arrangements.

The Executive Committee also confirmed that one joint cross-border Blue Summer School will be organised in Puglia, in accordance with the approved project framework.

Advancing the on-demand voucher schemes

Partners discussed the common methodology for the regional on-demand voucher schemes.

The common framework will provide a shared implementation structure while allowing each participating territory to adapt its procedure to national and regional legal and administrative requirements.

The voucher schemes will connect companies, employees, education and training providers, helping address identified skills gaps through targeted learning and professional-development measures.

Stronger outreach and communication

The Committee agreed to strengthen coordination between project communication activities.

PP3 Molise will coordinate implementation of the project’s Outreach Handbook and activate the Stakeholder Outreach Group, while PP4 SASPAC will align its communication calendar with the common project approach.

Communication will prioritise practical information and concrete opportunities, including:

  • Master’s Programme applications;

  • voucher calls;

  • training and Summer School opportunities;

  • SA BlueComp development;

  • tools for enterprises;

  • stakeholder events and laboratories;

  • project results and success stories.

The official project website, skills.southadriatic.eu, and the South Adriatic skills and collaboration platform, southadriaticskills.org, will serve as complementary communication and stakeholder-engagement channels.

Building the Adriatic Blue Growth Cluster

The Executive Committee confirmed that the Adriatic Blue Growth Cluster is a joint partnership result requiring active participation by all partners.

Each partner will identify potential members, engage relevant blue-economy stakeholders and share institutional, academic and business contacts with the Cluster team.

Through networking, knowledge exchange, education, innovation cooperation and digital collaboration, the Cluster will support the long-term sustainability and wider uptake of SA SKILLS results.

Connecting SA SKILLS with EUSAIR and AdriBioPro2026

The meeting also finalised preparations for the High-Level Panel:

Improving Skills Availability for the South Adriatic Blue Economy

The panel will take place on 23 September 2026 during the international AdriBioPro2026 Conference at the Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay Resort.

It will connect SA SKILLS results with the work of EUSAIR Pillar 1, the Cross-Border Permanent Table, education and training institutions, labour-market actors and blue-economy stakeholders.

Project partners will also contribute to the Interactive Laboratory dedicated to emerging research areas, cutting-edge technologies, future skills needs and cooperation models for the South Adriatic blue economy.

By linking project management, education, policy coordination, enterprise support, communication and stakeholder cooperation, the Executive Committee meeting established a clear operational pathway for the next phase of SA SKILLS implementation.