Members of the UZOR project team attended the first kick-off meeting of the SMILE Incubator project, which is part of the Interreg Danube Programme, held on 28 May in Ljubljana and organized by the lead partner – School of Advanced Social Studies (SASS). The meeting brought together representatives of 15 project partners and 4 associated partners from across the Danube Region.
The meeting began with a welcome address by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Simona Kukovič, the project manager from the lead partner, followed by opening remarks from Prof. Dr. Borut Rončević, Dean of SASS, Mr. Johannes Gabriel, Project Officer from the Joint Secretariat of the Interreg Danube Programme, and Mr. Jernej Grahor from the Centre for European Perspective.
Setting the Course for the SMILE Incubator
The project overview, presented by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kukovič, emphasized the need for timely organization and internal deadlines, encouraging partners to nominate Steering Committee members and start planning the upcoming deliverables. Regular monthly meetings will be held every fourth Friday of the month, with the next scheduled for 27 June 2025. The next in-person Steering Committee meeting is planned for December 2025 in Sarajevo.
Focus on Strategic Objectives
SC1 – Mapping Youth Participation and Leadership
Led by Prof. Dr. Martin Žagar (RIT), SC1 aims to analyze and enhance youth engagement across the Danube Region. A key component includes the development of a multi-author edited volume showcasing best practices and case studies, as well as the introduction of the SMILE Incubator Badge, a recognition for youth excellence in leadership and social media skills.
SC2 – Building a Cooperation Network
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alenka Pandiloska Jurak (RUDOLFOVO) and her team presented activities related to stakeholder cataloguing, sustainability strategy development, and the encouragement of inspirational cooperation. Partners were updated on the development of the stakeholder database and future institutional platform initiatives.
Our project manager, MSc Tijana Raičević, presented Activity 2.3 – Development of the Institutional Platform of the SMILE Incubator, for which UZOR is the lead partner at the activity level. During the presentation, she outlined the planned deliverables and results.
SC3 – Rural Youth Capacity-Building Hub
Ms. Inez Fekete (STRIA) presented the key deliverables of SC3, including toolkits, workshops, and the Social Media Leadership Competition, which will also award the SMILE Incubator Badge. A new objective (O.3.4) was introduced to broaden the project’s outreach and engagement.
Effective Project Management
Financial procedures were clearly presented by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alenka Pandiloska Jurak, with a focus on eligibility rules, budget reallocations, and the timely submission of financial reports.
Project management guidelines were provided by Ms. Jasmina Jakomin (SASS), covering document availability, reporting procedures, and the importance of monitoring partner cooperation with target groups.
In terms of communication, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erika Uršić Džajič (FIS) introduced the project’s official web and social media presence (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok), dissemination planning, and visual identity rules.
The meeting concluded with a brief summary and an open discussion, further strengthening the collaborative spirit and shared commitment of the SMILE Incubator project towards empowering young leaders from rural areas across the Danube Region.
