Task Force Representative Ivana Puljiz from the Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Sports pointed out the importance of human capital as a key factor for sustainable economic development, social cohesion and innovation. Therefore, political lobbying and networking in the field of education, training, science and research was a major focus of the RCC. Among others, the RCC envisaged a regional workshop on evidence-based policy making and considered the possibility of organising clusters of knowledge to foster the creation of mechanisms for sustainable cooperation and dialogue.

The Task Force agreed to engage in cooperative action to enable an effective and sustained implementation of its mandate now and up to 2011, focusing on three major action lines:

Action line 1: Human capital as a key factor for sustainable economic development, social cohesion and innovation, containing such areas of activities as political lobbying within the framework of the RCC; the creation of a new policy culture shifting from a fragmented to a holistic approach for human capital development and continued cooperation and promotion of synergies with other initiatives, events and actions.

Action line 2: Partnerships for innovation – innovative partnerships, aiming at the provision of a platform for debate and discussion for the promotion of new strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, at enhanced lobbying and cooperation with European and international institutions, at the implementation of a Capacity Building Programme for Regional Cooperation and at facilitating mobility schemes in the field of education.

Action line 3: Regional cooperation and common areas of interest, including, among others, close cooperation and exchange with relevant regional networks and projects such as ERI SEE, the Steering Platform on Research and WBC-INCO.NET.

Furthermore, partner ministries and institutions were invited to provide “hosting weeks” or grants for sustaining and further developing the Task Force Capacity Building Programme into a regional exchange and mobility programme for public administrators in education, science and research.