Regional chamber of commerce Zrenjanin, Association of entrepreneurs Zrenjanin and Tourist center of Zrenjanin organized 17th international fair of innovation, cooperation and entrepreneurship INOCOOP 2016. In line with “Year of entrepreneurship” campaign in Republic of Serbia main topics on this fair was entrepreneurship, innovation and creation of partnership between different social and economical institutions and business community.

Main exhibitors were Regional chambers of commerce Kraljevo, Sombor, Užice, Novi Sad, Beograd, Kikinda, Pančevo. Niš, Zaječar, Valjevo, Požarevac, Subotica, Kraguevac, Hungarian-Serbian chamber of commerce, Chamber of commerce Timis (Romania), Croatian chamber of Vukovar, Chamber of commerce Banja Luka (BiH), Chamber of commerce Zilina (Slovakia), Cantonal chamber of commerce Tuzla (BiH). Local governments and Regional Developmental agencies with associated partners (mostly SME and clusters of producers) had their own stands like City Novi Pazar, Unsko Sanski canton (BiH), City Zrenjanin. Number of SME, Banks and educational institutions had exhibiting space and all exhibitors had number of local partners important for economic development in the respective areas presented.

Fair was opened by Igor Mirovic president of the government of Vojvodina, he emphasized need for supporting entrepreneurs. Economic development of province and whole country is one of the main objectives and in this way further cooperation can be established with offices for local economic development development and local self-governments.

Since starting of implementation of IF4TM project one of the main component in developing third mission on Serbian HEI is social engagement, corresponding contacts with local self governments, Regional Developmental Agencies and SME clusters in Novi Pazar area were established. One of the result of these contact is that City of Novi Pazar and Sandzak Economic Development Agency invited SUNP to present project and expected deliverables on the exhibition stand. Stand had joint presentation of different socio economic partners: Tourist organization of Novi Pazar, NP Shoes cluster (cluster of shoes producers), Pester agro cluster (agricultural producers cluster) and ProDenim (tailors and denim producers). On the stand IF4TM project was presented by dr. Edis Mekic from SUNP and dr. Milorad Rancic and dr. Olga Deretic from TCAS.

Main part of IF4TM project presentation was about development of social engagement dimension at Serbian HEIs. Partners and guests were interested in development of social engagements plans and establishing of Creativity Centers witch will be spaces for promotion of entrepreneurship among young people. Local partners feel that high education institutions in Serbia should be important par of socio economic development and that we lacking organized and planned approach for involvement of HEI. Special attention was put on engagement of centers in mapping of HEIs resources and mobilizing them in innovative projects with enterprises, and open-innovation campaigns were local entrepreneurs can provide problems they are facing and students and researcher can work on possible solutions. Representatives of chambers of commerce expressed interest in this type of campaigns, and show willingness to support these activities and to develop contact with partner institutions corresponding their geographic area.

Beside this representatives of Sandzak Economic Development Agency and Regional Center for Socio Economic Development Banat with their correspondent local government and SME and cluster partners expressed special interest in innovation campaigns for students and offered support in promotion and implementation of this type of action since there were engaged in similar innovation campaigns and more of this campaigns are planned for future period of time. Exchange of experience between regional developmental agencies and universities can be important addition for successful and sustainable implementation of similar project activities.

First day of the fair representatives of Timis county form Romania presented economical, tourist and possibilities for cross border cooperation since this county one of the largest in Romania have border line with Serbia and Hungary. Reginal chambers of commerce had joint meeting on the topics of how the chamber system should be reorganized since new law of the economic chambers is adopted in Republic of Serbia.

Second day Kraljevo region presented economic and tourist resources, and signed protocol of cooperation between tourist center of Zrenjanin city and tourist organization Kraljevo. Also Intellectual property office had presentations about understanding and recognizing intellectual property, and how entrepreneurs can provide registered trade marks their importance and steps how to acquire trade marks.

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