Association of Business Women in Serbia at the Fourth WOMEX IPLE Event in the Basque Country

Association of Business Women in Serbia at the Fourth WOMEX IPLE Event in the Basque Country

26.10.2026

As part of the WOMEX – The Role of Women in the Competitiveness of Exporting SMEs project, implemented under the Interreg Europe programme, the fourth Interregional Policy Learning Event (IPLE) took place on 21–22 October 2026 in the Basque Country, Spain, across the cities of Bilbao and Aretxabaleta.

The first day of the event, held at Euskalduna Palace in Bilbao, focused on integrating a gender perspective into public policies related to industry and internationalisation. Representatives of Basque institutions presented their experiences and support mechanisms aimed at strengthening women’s participation in the economy and international business.

The programme continued with presentations of best practices from Spain and Ireland in promoting women’s entrepreneurship and internationalisation. A dedicated WOMEX workshop, “Strategic Visual Language for Gender-Responsive Internationalisation”, provided an opportunity for participants to explore, through interactive activities, how communication and visual language can contribute to a more gender-responsive approach to internationalisation.

The first day concluded with the open event B-WOMENIN Global “Business Gathering 2026”, which brought participants together to discuss talent, leadership and internationalisation, while also providing opportunities for discussion and networking.

The Association of Business Women in Serbia was represented by Jelena Vujičić, Office Manager, who joined project partners and representatives of stakeholders from the participating regions in the two-day programme dedicated to exchanging experiences and approaches to strengthening women’s role in entrepreneurship, leadership and international business.

On the second day, in Aretxabaleta, the focus shifted to the industrial sector and the experience of MONDRAGON Corporation, one of Europe’s best-known cooperative business groups. Participants learned about the organisation’s approaches to gender equality, as well as practical experiences from the industrial cooperatives IDEKO and Bexen Medical, illustrating how gender equality principles are put into practice in the business environment.

During their stay in the Basque Country, participants also had the opportunity to learn about the local ecosystem supporting women in business and professional development, while exchanging views on how successful European models and practices could be adapted to different national and regional contexts.

For the Association of Business Women in Serbia, participation in the fourth IPLE event represents a continuation of knowledge and experience sharing with European partners, as well as an opportunity to explore new approaches to supporting women in entrepreneurship and internationalisation. The practices presented and connections established during the event will further support the Association’s work towards empowering women entrepreneurs, strengthening their networks and creating better conditions for business growth and access to international markets.

The WOMEX project aims to improve public policies that can strengthen the role of women in enhancing the competitiveness of export-oriented small and medium-sized enterprises through interregional cooperation, the exchange of experiences and the transfer of successful practices among partner regions.

Read more about the WOMEX project here.