The Center for Technology Transfer and Innovation – INNOFEIT at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies (FEEIT), Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje (UKIM), together with 10 other partners from the country, has opened the first European Digital Innovation Hub – INNOFEIT EDIH. With this, North Macedonia becomes part of the European network of digital innovation hubs, creating new opportunities for companies, public institutions, and research organizations to support their digital transformation.
Speakers at the opening ceremony included Prof. Dr. Dimitar Taškovski, Head of INNOFEIT, Prof. Dr. Biljana Angelova, Rector of UKIM, Prof. Dr. Vesna Janevska, Minister of Education and Science, and Mr. Stefan Andonovski, Minister of Digital Transformation. They emphasized that this center represents the culmination of FEEIT’s efforts to promote innovation, digital transformation, and collaboration among academia, industry, and society. It symbolizes the potential of UKIM and North Macedonia to keep pace with global trends, introduce digital and green innovations, and create a future that is sustainable, competitive, and humane.
INNOFEIT EDIH serves as a bridge connecting the latest technological advancements with the real needs of our companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as the public sector. Through training programs, mentorship, and access to state-of-the-art technology, it will cultivate a new generation of digital professionals ready to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
The Minister of Education and Science, Prof. Dr. Vesna Janevska, highlighted that the Ministry recognizes the importance of INNOFEIT EDIH, which is also part of the 2024–2027 Reform Agenda. For this reason, the Ministry provided co-financing for half of the required funds for its establishment. Congratulating everyone involved, particularly Professors Taškovski and Atanasovski, for their perseverance and dedication in making this center functional, the Minister expressed her expectation that the Macedonian hub will soon be featured among the award-winning hubs in the EDIH network.
The second part of the official opening featured a panel discussion on “The Role of EDIHs in the Digital Transformation of Society.” Moderated by Prof. Dr. Vladimir Atanasovski, Dean of FEEIT, the panel included the Ministers of Digital Transformation and Education and Science, Prof. Orce Simov, Vice President of the Union of Chambers of Commerce, Prof. Sašo Kocevski, Dean of the Faculty of Informatics at UGD – Štip, and Mr. Slobodan Jovanovski, General Director of Kontron Macedonia. The panel sparked a broad discussion on the significance and role of EDIHs in digital transformation, the need for networking and collaboration, the expectations of all stakeholders within the quadruple helix model, and the strong support provided by the state.
INNOFEIT EDIH is the first European Digital Innovation Hub in North Macedonia, co-financed by the EU and the Macedonian government. The project started on January 1, 2025, and will last for four years with a total budget of 2 million euros. It brings together three public universities and the Military Academy, two business chambers, four companies, and is led by INNOFEIT, which has already proven to be a leader in the Macedonian innovation ecosystem.
