IN4BLUE Transnational Residency Program Exchange between Apulia and Split-Dalmatia County
12/11/2026
From 2 to 4 September 2026, IRI Centar hosted three residents from Tecnopolis PST (Apulia, Italy) for the Transnational Residency Program Exchange aimed at promoting collaboration, knowledge transfer and the co-development of innovative solutions.
The initiative brought together participants from Croatia and Italy in a dynamic environment focused on knowledge exchange, co-development and the transferability of innovative solutions.
A key moment of the programme was the Co-Development Workshop, during which participants explored potential areas of collaboration and reflected on how innovative approaches developed at local level could be transferred and tailored to other regional realities.
The visit also included a series of study tours showcasing examples of community-driven innovation and territorial regeneration. At the site Nove starine managed by NGO Permakultura Dalmacija, participants discovered how a former quarry has been successfully transformed into a nature-based destination that creates social, environmental and economic value for the local community. The experience stimulated a fruitful exchange on similar initiatives in Italy.
Another significant stop was the DO’KU Centre in Zagvozd, where visitors learned about the development of the facility, its business model and the story behind it.
The exchange reaffirmed a central principle of the IN4BLUE project: innovation extends beyond technology and includes people, local knowledge, places and the capacity to learn from diverse experiences. By facilitating cooperation between stakeholders from Apulia and Split-Dalmatia County, the initiative contributed to strengthening cross-border relationships and advancing the shared objective of building more resilient and innovative local ecosystems.
