EUSAIR (EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region) is one of the four EU macro-regional strategies whose overall objective is to promote sustainable economic and social prosperity in the Adriatic and Ionian Region.

Officially launched by the European Commission in 2014, it now brings together ten participating countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia and San Marino, which joined in February 2022.

In order to pursue its objectives, EUSAIR operates through European cooperation mechanisms, structuring its activities around five priority sectors known as Pillars. The fifth Pillar, “Improved Social Cohesion”, was established in May 2025 following a revision of the Action Plan underpinning the Strategy, which had originally identified four Pillars: Blue Growth, Connecting the Region, Environmental Quality, and Sustainable Tourism.

Pillar 1 - Blue Growth 

Objective: to foster innovative growth in the region by promoting sustainable economic development in the blue economy.

Pillar 2 - Connecting the Region

Objective: to improve connectivity in the region's transport and energy networks and with the rest of Europe.

Pillar 3 - Environmental quality

Objective: to improve environmental quality through regional cooperation.

Pillar 4 - Sustainable Tourism

Objective: to develop the region in terms of innovative, sustainable, responsible, and high-quality tourism.

Pillar 5 - Improved Social Cohesion

Objective: to develop skills and the quality of education, and to promote youth engagement, equal opportunities, and social innovation.
 

Following the accession of the Republic of San Marino to the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative - AII (2019) and to the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region - EUSAIR (2022), San Marino was automatically included as an eligible country within the European Transnational Cooperation Programme Interreg IPA ADRION, a financial instrument that facilitates the implementation of the Strategy. Thanks to this important achievement, San Marino has taken a further step towards European integration and, for the first time, has joined a European transnational cooperation network.

San Marino in the IPA-Adrion project: TESI TN MASTER

The University of the Republic of San Marino is participating as an associate partner in the TESI project, funded by the Interreg IPA ADRION programme and coordinated by the University of Bologna. TESI is an international Level II executive master’s programme which aims to develop and promote the culture, design, management, governance and evaluation of a social innovation approach within the social policies of the Adriatic-Ionian region. The aim is to train ‘Social Innovators’ capable of devising, implementing and promoting innovative social solutions and tools to address contemporary social issues, both within public administrations and social organisations, by providing both theoretical and practical knowledge.

The University of the Republic of San Marino will be responsible, in particular, for the module on “Community design and impact assessment for social innovation”.

San Marino citizens or residents may also apply to join the Master’s programme. The participation costs for admitted students are fully funded by the IPA-Adrion programme.

Deadline for submitting applications: 28 September 2026

Joint title: University of Bologna, University of Tirana and University of the Republic of San Marino

Entry requirements: a second-cycle degree/Master’s degree (Bologna Process); self-declaration of English language proficiency (level B1); residence in the Adriatic-Ionian macro-region, including San Marino.

Selection criteria: assessment of academic qualifications and cover letters.

Number of participants: max. 25

Total credits: 60ECTS

Master duration: January 2027 – March 2028

For more information:

https://www.unirsm.sm/internazionale/jm-tesi/

https://www.unibo.it/en/study/phd-professional-masters-specialisation-schools-and-other-programmes/professional-master/2026-2027/tesi-training-and-education-in-social-innovation-2

1st CALL FOR PROPOSALS - IPA ADRION (2021-2027)

Following the new possibility for San Marino to access the Interreg-VI IPA ADRION calls for proposals, the first call for proposals for the 2021-2027 programming will be open from 4 April to 30 June 2023.

The call for proposals constitutes the first important opportunity for public and private entities from San Marino to compete in the design and implementation of European projects, in partnership with the other eligible countries of the Adriatic and Ionian region.

In the next few weeks, an Info Day will be organised in San Marino to present the technical details of the call, during which, thanks to the collaboration with the experts of the IPA ADRION Joint Secretariat, it will be possible to carry out further in-depth analyses.

For a detailed description of the objectives and contents of the call, the possible types of activities, the composition of the partnership and the budget, please visit:

https://www.adrioninterreg.eu/index.php/call-for-proposals/ipa-adrion-first-call-for-proposals/

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For further information, please visit the official websites:
- www.aii-ps.org/
- https://www.adriatic-ionian.eu/
- https://www.interreg-ipa-adrion.eu/

San Marino is a partner in the EUSAIR Facility Point Strategic Project (Interreg IPA Adrion 2021-2027), an instrument to promote and facilitate the implementation of the European Union Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) and of its Action Plan through technical, administrative and operational support to the governance structures of EUSAIR and to the coordination between pillars and Thematic Steering Groups (TSGs).

This project also aims to give visibility and prominence to EUSAIR and its activities through communication and to foster inter-macro-regional cooperation, involving all the stakeholders in the Strategy. EUSAIR Facility Point also monitors and evaluates the Strategy through analyses, documents, studies and sector-specific research.

The project involves all ten EUSAIR participating countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, the Friuli Venezia Giulia region for Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia, San Marino, Serbia and Slovenia.

Coordination is entrusted to the Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development of the Republic of Slovenia, which acts as Lead Partner.

For further information, please visit the official websites:
- www.aii-ps.org/
- https://www.adriatic-ionian.eu/
- https://www.interreg-ipa-adrion.eu/ 
- https://facilitypoint.interreg-ipa-adrion.eu/ 

On 10 November 2023, the event “Skills development for the sustainable growth of the Adriatic-Ionian region”, recognised by the European Union as part of the calendar of activities organised in the framework of the European Year of Skills, took place in San Marino.

This event was aimed at raising awareness on crucial issues such as sustainable growth and non-formal education, by promoting concrete actions to preserve the environment and to ensure a better quality of life for all citizens of the Adriatic-Ionian Macroregion.

The organisation of the conference was boosted by the Forum of Adriatic and Ionian Cities and involved the San Marino institutions which usually collaborate in activities related to San Marino's participation in EUSAIR: Department of Foreign Affairs, University of San Marino, Chamber of Commerce and San Marino Innovation.

Read the meeting report

The inclusion of young people in EUSAIR Governance and Pillars is at the top of the agenda of the Strategy's governing bodies. However, as underlined in the Manifesto for Young People by Young People to Shape the European Cooperation Policy, young people and local communities need to be further informed about the opportunities available and the calls of the various EU cohesion instruments.

This Seminar brings together schools, universities, youth associations, INTERREG programmes and representatives of EUSAIR, with the objectives of: i) informing potential beneficiaries about the EUSAIR strategy for the region and concrete involvement opportunities; ii) informing youth organisations of the opportunities arising from INTERREG IPA programmes, including schools and universities; and iii) raise awareness of Youth Manifesto recommendations for wider inclusion of young people in EU-funded programmes and calls.

This Seminar is part of a series of events organised by the Cooperation and Development Institute (CDI) in collaboration with the European Commission, and is organised in collaboration with the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region and the Directorate of European Affairs of San Marino.

Download the full event programme

Following the new possibility for San Marino to access Interreg-VI IPA ADRION calls (2021-2027), the San Marino National Info Day concerning the first call for proposals of the above-mentioned Transnational European Programme was held on 31 May 2023 in San Marino, at the Sala Montelupo in Domagnano. 

The participation of San Marino in IPA ADRION opens up the possibility for national public and private entities to participate in the implementation of European projects funded by the Programme, in collaboration with partners from other eligible countries in the Adriatic and Ionian region.

The first call for proposals places innovation, the environment, climate change, circular economy and sustainable mobility among its priorities.

Info Day full programme
San Marino Info Day 1st call for proposals IPA ADRION (2021-2027) - Press release