Publications

In 2025, the SustainX project progressed from conceptual framing to concrete, region-specific implementation work, with a strong focus on translating green and digital transition ambitions into operational regional pathways. A core pillar of this phase was the development of Regional Action Plans across five participating regions, each reflecting distinct innovation capacities, policy frameworks, and ecosystem maturity levels. Rather than producing static strategy documents, the project partners worked collaboratively to develop living action frameworks—designed to evolve, be fine-tuned, and...

People over the age of 50 are becoming an increasingly large number of the population; consequently, they are also acquiring a significantly bigger role in the economic activity of both Bulgaria and other countries. Due to the prevalence of this phenomenon, the Applied Research and Communications team is focusing on the access of women in their silver age to the labour market through its participation in the project INSPIRE: Intersectional Spaces of Participation: Inclusive, Resilient, Embedded, financed under the Horizon Europe programme. In a broadcast by Radio Focus, sociologist Slavyanka...

The SYNCLUSIVE project aims to implement a systematic approach to bridging the employment gap and creating a more inclusive labour market for vulnerable groups. Its second policy brief draws on the experiences derived from national living labs held in Bulgaria, Finland, the Netherlands and Portugal, and explores how coalition-based strategies may address the systemic barriers in the labour market faced by vulnerable groups. If they are left unaddressed, these barriers often result in fragmented service provision, mismatched priorities, and governance gaps. The role and impact of regional...

With the adoption of the euro in 2026, Bulgaria faces a unique opportunity to make a qualitative leap in its global competitiveness. Building on a solid foundation of macroeconomic stability, fiscal discipline, and a dynamic technology sector, the country has the potential to fully capitalize on its membership in Europe’s economic elite. However, this progress is threatened by structural problems which, if left unresolved, could undermine its future growth. This analysis examines the advantages, opportunities, and challenges facing the Bulgarian economy through the lens of the four pillars of...

With over 30 years of leadership in fostering innovation, international cooperation, and knowledge transfer, the Applied Research and Communications Fund (ARC Fund) has been a key driver of Europe and Bulgaria’s transition to a knowledge-based economy. We are proud to announce our membership in the Global Trade and Innovation Policy Alliance (GTIPA), a global network of over 50 leading think tanks dedicated to advancing innovation-driven, open, and evidence-based economic policies. At a time of growing global trade tensions and economic uncertainty, GTIPA promotes cooperation, productivity...

The first SYNCLUSIVE policy brief is intended for EU stakeholders, as well as those on a national and regional level, that are involved in the inclusion of vulnerable groups in the labour market. It introduces the project and its main objectives, presents the ENGINE approach and regional coalitions as innovative strategies to improve the recruitment, retention and career development of vulnerable groups in the labour market, updates the findings on the challenges faced by vulnerable groups, and shows how SYNCLUSIVE can align with and potentially improve existing policies. SYNCLUSIVE aims to...

SustainX – Fostering Sustainable Digital Innovation Investment Empowering European Regions for a Green and Digital Future The SustainX project (Grant Agreement No. 101184410), funded by the European Union under the Interregional Innovation Investments Instrument (I3), brings together leading innovation actors from across Europe with the shared ambition of accelerating regional transitions toward sustainability and digital competitiveness. The initiative focuses on strengthening the innovation ecosystems of less developed and transition regions by providing them with tailored tools, capacity...