Biljana Radonjanin

URBACT Validated Expert | URBACT Local Mentor | Verified Expert in Local Economic Development | Integrated Urban Development | Participatory Governance & Innovation

Urban and local development expert with 15+ years of experience supporting municipalities, public institutions, businesses and local stakeholders in integrated urban development, participatory governance, local economic development, innovation and capacity building across Europe and the Western Balkans.

As a URBACT Validated Expert and URBACT Local Mentor (Pioneers Accelerator 2025–2026), I support municipalities in applying the URBACT Method through participatory Action Labs, stakeholder engagement, co-creation and integrated local action planning. My work focuses on turning local challenges into practical and collaborative solutions, including in areas such as urban resilience, inclusion, waste management and local innovation.

I am also a Verified Expert in Local Economic Development, appointed by the Ministry of Local Self-Government of North Macedonia (2026) and included in the national Expert Database supporting municipalities in strategic planning, policy implementation, capacity building and sustainable local development.

My experience combines local and urban development with European programmes, innovation ecosystems and multi-stakeholder processes. I have worked with municipalities, public authorities, startups, SMEs, entrepreneurs, civil society organisations and international programmes, facilitating cooperation between different sectors and helping translate European approaches into practical local action.

Key experience

• URBACT Local Mentor – Pioneers Accelerator 2025–2026, supporting the cities of Vinica and Shtip through Action Labs, stakeholder engagement, co-creation and integrated urban development processes based on the URBACT Method.
• Local economic development and capacity-building expertise, supporting municipalities and local stakeholders in strategic planning, participatory processes, entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainable territorial development.
• Stakeholder engagement and facilitation, bringing together municipalities, businesses, civil society, citizens and other local actors to identify challenges, co-design solutions and build local ownership.
• Mentoring and innovation support within European and international programmes, working with municipalities, startups, SMEs, women entrepreneurs and public-sector actors through initiatives linked to EIC, EIT Community, UN Women and EU programmes.
• Extensive EU programme assessment experience, with 400+ independent project evaluations across innovation, research, entrepreneurship, technology transfer, capacity building and local development programmes, including Horizon Europe, MSCA COFUND, EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities and national Innovation Funds.
• Panel Chair, evaluator and rapporteur, experienced in leading consensus processes, working with international expert teams and contributing to transparent and evidence-based funding decisions.

Areas of Expertise

Integrated Urban Development • URBACT Method • Local Economic Development • Participatory Governance • Stakeholder Engagement • Co-creation • Capacity Building • Urban Innovation • Innovation Ecosystems • Entrepreneurship Support • Strategic Planning • Digital Transformation • EU Programmes • Monitoring & Evaluation • Access to Finance

My work is centred on connecting European methodologies with local realities, facilitating collaboration between public authorities and local stakeholders, and helping communities move from identified challenges to practical, integrated and sustainable solutions. My evaluation background complements this work with a strong understanding of EU programmes, project design, impact, implementation and funding mechanisms.