WIN National Innovation Group Meeting Held – Focus Group for Qualitative Evaluation

WIN National Innovation Group Meeting Held – Focus Group for Qualitative Evaluation

30.01.2026

As part of the European WIN project – Improving the position of Women in the labour markets of peripheral INdustrial regions , the Association of Business Women in Serbia (ABW Serbia) organized a meeting of the national innovation group, focusing on the qualitative evaluation of activities carried out in the pilot regions. The meeting was held online and brought together group members, including key stakeholders involved in local pilot activities.

Participants included: Dragana Panajotović (Executive Director of ABW Serbia and national coordinator of the WIN Innovation Group), Zoran Milovanović (Director of the National Employment Service branch in Loznica), Danijela Ćirić (National Employment Service branch Loznica), Ljilja Matković (Owner/Executive Director of EKO Team, Loznica), Marija Ignjatović (Social Entrepreneurship Expert and Co-owner/Executive Director of Novitas Consult, Šabac), and Snežana Perić (Owner of Hospitality and Consulting IN Loznica, ABW Creative Vision Loznica). From ABW Serbia, Ivana Petrović, Marketing and Communications Manager, and Jelena Vujičić, Office Manager, also attended the meeting.

The main objective of the meeting was to conduct a focus group – field research interviews with key actors involved in the pilot projects, covering:

  • Evaluation of the selection and implementation process of pilot activities,
  • Assessment of the WIN project results from the perspective of local stakeholders,
  • Identification of challenges and proposals for improvements in the next project phases,
  • Discussion of future perspectives for women in the local labour market and potential supporting policies.

The focus group provided valuable qualitative insights, which will be included in the national reports of regional partners and subsequently compiled into a final report prepared by the University of Graz (Uni Graz), a project partner. This report represents a crucial step in analyzing achieved results and developing recommendations to improve the position of women in peripheral industrial regions.

Meetings of the WIN National Innovation Group continue regularly to ensure ongoing evaluation of pilot projects and to identify innovative measures to strengthen women’s competitiveness in the labour market.