Latest from South-Eastern Hub: networking with experts and holding validation workshops

The South Eastern Europe (SEE) Hub of ROSEWOOD4.0, managed by the Competence Centre (CEKOM), covers the countries of the project partners, Croatia, Greece and Slovenia, and coordinates entities such as the Slovenian Forestry Institute and Cluster of Bioeconomy and Environment of Western Macedonia. During nine months of the project implementation period, the SEE Hub collected 26 innovative ideas and examples of best practices, prepared the SWOT analysis of the regions in collaboration with local experts and pre-selected 30 best practices from other European ROSEWOOD4.0 Hubs.

SEE Hub partners participated in different events with the aim of promoting projects, networking and clustering activities with an emphasis on best practices. The CEKOM, in its capacity as SEE Hub manager, took part in the 11th Southeast Europe Sawmills Congress on 25 September 2020 in Slavonski Brod, Croatia, and in the Executive Board meeting of the Croatian Wood Cluster and CROBIOM on 15 September 2020 in Zagreb, Croatia. The aforementioned events were an opportunity for the Competence Centre to present the ROSEWOOD4.0 project and to participate in a round table on the theme “Wood and forest in the centre of regional and rural development”.

SEE Hub 2020

Photo: 11th Southeast Europe Sawmill Congress held on 25th of September 2020.

Validation Workshops in the SEE Hub: SWOT Analysis and pre-selected best practices in the region

More than 50 experts from the forest and wood industry value chain participated in the South Eastern Europe (SEE) Hub Validation Workshops held in June and September 2020. These experts had the opportunity to contribute their experience and knowledge to the assessment of the regional context and the preparation of a sound basis for the South East Europe Hub roadmaps.

The First Validation Workshop was held on 18 June 2020 as a hybrid event due to the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (online and in person). The workshop was attended by 14 experts (6 in person, 8 online) from public and private companies in the forestry and wood industry value chain. The validation workshop was used to present the ROSEWOOD4.0 project, gather examples of SEE Hub best practices, discuss and validate the SEE Hub SWOT analysis. Finally, the SEE Hub partners pre-selected 30 best practices (BPs) from other Hubs that could address the weaknesses identified in the SEE Hub SWOT.

Second Validation Workshop

SEE Hub 2nd Validaton Workshop held on 28th of September 2020. Photo: Competence Centre

The Second Validation Workshop was held on 28 September 2020 as part of the 13th WoodEMA 2020 – International Scientific Conference on the Sustainability of the Wood Industry in the Global Economy. The second SEE Hub Validation Workshop as an event was accredited as an EU 2020 Green Week Partner Event by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment. The workshop was organised as a hybrid event and took place in Vinkovci, Croatia, and as a virtual event through the Zoom application. The workshop was attended by representatives of various public and private organisations from Croatia, Slovenia and Greece. More than 40 international experts from the forestry and wood industry value chain discussed best practices in the forestry and wood industry sectors, with an emphasis on digital solutions, and validated the SEE Hub’s SWOT analysis.