From December 20, 2023, to January 19, 2024, the national selection process was held for participation in the European Commission’s competition to join the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) network within the EU’s Digital Europe program. A total of 60 applications were submitted and evaluated by the commission. It included representatives of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, the Office for Entrepreneurship and Export Development, and international experts.
Khmelnytskyi National University became a finalist in the selection process, leading a consortium comprising: Khmelnytskyi National University, the NGO "ASTAR Sustainable Development Agency," the public association "Podilskyi Fashion Cluster," and the NGO "IT Cluster of the City of Khmelnytskyi." The project "EDIH "Clothing Technology & Textile Hub" (CLOTEX-HUB)" took eighth place in the ranking of fifteen selected consortia. The finalists of the national selection were organisations that are ready to implement innovations and digital transformation for Ukrainian enterprises and state institutions. The future EDIH CLOTEX-HUB will specialise in the garment industry and mechanical engineering, which are among the region’s smart specialisations.
Organisations were selected based on the following criteria:
- compliance with the objectives of the Digital Europe program, as well as national or regional digital objectives;
- plan and ability to implement planned activities;
- expected results and potential long-term effects;
- competitiveness and benefits for the local innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem as a whole.
The finalists of the national selection have moved on to the second stage and are preparing applications to participate in the European Commission competition. The competition will run until April 10, 2024.
Throughout the week from February 26 to March 1, 2024, in Lviv, selected candidates, including the coordinator from Khmelnytskyi National University, Oksana Zakharkevych, head of the research department, participated in a training session on preparing applications for the main competition from the European Commission (LVIV Workshop for EDIH Candidates: How to apply to DIGITAL-EDIHCall). An integral part of the training was presenting their own concepts, followed by a step-by-step review of the application submission process.
In the summer of 2024, the winners will be announced, who will join the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) network. They will receive a grant to implement their projects.
The initiative is being carried out within the framework of the EU's Digital Europe program, whose strategic implementer in Ukraine is the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, with practical advice from the Office for Entrepreneurship and Export Development, and with the support of the GIZ Ukraine program "Digital Transformation of SMEs in the Eastern Partnership Countries,” which is funded by the German government.