ReSPA is organising the Regional Development Academy to gain knowledge about the latest approaches of EU policies in stimulating territorial development. In doing so, special emphasis is placed on the key public policies of the European Union and the experiences with their implementation in the member countries. At the same time, the program wants to enable the transfer of Croatian experiences using various EU instruments to encourage territorial development.

This program is designed for senior public officials directly involved in EU integration and regional and territorial development processes coming from the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine, specifically:

• Heads of Members of the Negotiation Group for Chapter 22 – Regional Policy & Coordination of Structural Instruments (where applicable), representatives of the Union or Association of Municipalities, officials from the Ministry of Regional Development or the Ministry of Finance, particularly those working in units responsible for EU funds programming, management, or coordination.
• Representatives of local Governments working in the project development and implementation units, especially those funded by the EU.

Given the key role of local and regional authorities in implementing EU-funded projects, the programme places strong emphasis on practical, field-based learning. Through study visits and case studies of successful Croatian projects, participants will gain insights into regional development, integrated territorial planning, and the use of EU funds. Particular attention will be given to designing quality development programmes, aligning local priorities with EU policies, and applying participatory approaches. The programme also fosters networking and peer learning, encouraging future cooperation among participants working on regional and local development.

More information about the Programme is available in the Provisional Agenda.