The on-site kick-off meeting of the SHARPEI project was held on 8–9 July 2025 in Bologna, hosted by the Emilia-Romagna Region. Over two days, partners from eight European countries—regional authorities, innovation agencies and policy experts—laid the groundwork for integrating data and artificial intelligence tools to improve the efficiency in managing Cohesion Policy and regional programmes.

Key sessions and activities included:

On the first day, the meeting opened with a comprehensive project overview, during which each partner region presented its existing policy instruments, shared insights into the local context and showcased good practices they intend to build upon. The representative of PBN introduced the Economic Development and Innovation Operational Programme Plus (EDIOP PLUS) as Hungary’s key instrument for fostering competitiveness, innovation, and digital transformation.

At the end of the day, partners attended a live demonstration of the MarghERita Platform—Emilia-Romagna’s digital cohesion tool for data-driven policymaking—and then explored VERA, an AI-powered digital twin that simulates regional air quality to demonstrate practical policy applications.

The second day began with an interactive 3-PATHS Survey workshop, during which participants explored SHARPEI survey tool to capture each region’s AI readiness and needs. This was followed by a detailed session on project and financial management, aligning on coordination mechanisms, reporting guidelines, and funding rules. In the afternoon, partners refined their communication strategy, defining both internal and external channels, assigning roles, and drafting a content plan to ensure consistent, transparent outreach throughout the project. The meeting wrapped up with a final round of discussions on next steps of the project.

For updates and insights, follow SHARPEI on LinkedIn and visit the project website.