Today’s competitive advantage is built through sustainability. Regional competitiveness is undoubtedly one of the most important components for achieving sustainability of development at the local level. The analysis of key factors and their correlations, aimed at gauging regional competitiveness, yields valuable insights into the multifaceted elements that impact the growth and advancement of underprivileged regions. However, a crucial question remains: What precisely are the factors that form the foundation for assessing and measuring regional competitiveness? The literature review and analysis initially identified the ten most frequently mentioned factors for measuring regional competitiveness. The overarching aim of the research is the understanding of the ten main determining factors of regional competitiveness and the extraction of ten propositions based on those ten factors and exploring the relationship between various factors and regional competitiveness. This study’s time frame was from August 2023 to January 2024. In this research, our aim was to undertake a traditional literature review, concentrating on the context of doing a more traditional and critical literature review rather than a systematic literature review. We assess and evaluate published research spanning the last five years (2018–2023); we have identified and emphasized ten central and widely published factors that span various domains, including (1) economy, (2) labor market, (3) poverty and social inclusion, (4) healthcare, (5) educational infrastructure, (6) environmental considerations, (7) transportation infrastructure, (8) science and technology, (9) high-tech industries, and (10) innovation. Our main findings on these ten reviewed factors indicate the following. (a) The economy factor should be expanded to include education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability parameters, while (b) there is a need to address youth employment differences in the labor market. (c) Collaborative, multidimensional approaches are important, together with improving health infrastructures and services, to improve poverty and social exclusion. (d) Investments on education and innovation are required to improve prosperity and competitiveness, as are more informed policies and collaborative actions for a greener, healthier, and more sustainable future, and finally, (f) well-planned investments in transportation, the essential link between R&D, innovation, and economic progress, as well as additional high-tech industry development and innovative actions should be taken for permanently sustainable and economic growth of the regions. Overall, the research highlights how economic, social, and environmental factors intertwine to shape successful societies, forming a fundamental understanding of regional competitiveness. The research underscores the interconnectedness of economic, social, and environmental factors in shaping prosperous societies, providing a foundational understanding of regional competitiveness.

In the contemporary landscape, the foundation of competitive advantage lies in sustainability, particularly within the context of regional competitiveness. This topic explores the impact of sustainability on regional competitiveness. In this study, we assessed experts’ opinions on the impact of the main ten key factors of evaluation on regional competitiveness, namely the economy, labor market, poverty and social inclusion, health, education, environmental and energy considerations, transport infrastructure, science and technology, high-tech industries, and innovation. The study aims to understand how these factors influence regional competitiveness. A sample of 93 experts participated in a questionnaire survey through the Google platform from October to December 2023. This methodology was chosen to gather diverse expert opinions efficiently. The collected data were analyzed with statistical tools, combining cross and chi-square tests. Statistical analysis methods such as cross and chi-square tests were employed to analyze the collected data. Our findings indicate that experts recognize the economy (up to a positive level of 69.1%), the labor market (up to 64.7%), and the health infrastructure (up to 52.9%) as the main impact factors on regional competitiveness. Collective efforts and improvements in these factors are essential to alleviate poverty and social exclusion (up to 50.8%). Investments in education (up to 41.9%) and technological science and the digital society (up to 39.2%) are considered key after the main factors to promoting prosperity and competitiveness. Following them, there is a growing call for creating a greener, healthier, and more sustainable future, reflected in the focus on environmental and energy issues (up to 36.7%) and toward transport developments (up to 35.7%). At the bottom of the list are high-tech industry (up to 32.5%) and the innovation factor (up to 28.2%). These factor groups are highlighted as critical aspects for promoting prosperity and addressing social challenges in the region. The findings underscore the multifactorial nature of regional competitiveness, emphasizing both the important and less critical factors. It becomes apparent that the interpretation of regional competitiveness requires a comprehensive analysis of multiple factors, each contributing differently to overall competitiveness. Further examination and analysis are necessary to fully understand these dynamics.

This paper aims to explore the integration of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) into Sabadell’s territorial policies, focusing on the development of an inclusive innovative ecosystem. Through various methodologies, the study seeks to enhance territorial specialization in design applied to industry within a sustainable framework. By embedding RRI principles, the objective is to foster a balanced approach that promotes social inclusion, sustainability, and economic growth in Sabadell's innovation landscape. The study involves defining the policy and scientific objectives tailored to Sabadell’s territorial needs and reviewing relevant literature on strategies and measures that support policy advancement. A qualitative system analysis was conducted to identify key system elements serving as leverage points for embedding RRI and AIRR (Anticipation, Inclusiveness, Reflexivity, and Responsiveness) dimensions into Sabadell’s innovation ecosystem. This included assessing how each system element influences others, leading to the development of a system grid that highlights the most active and ambivalent elements crucial for advancing the city’s policy objectives. Additionally, stakeholder engagement was emphasized to ensure diverse perspectives were considered, promoting collaboration across sectors. The combination of literature review, system analysis, and impact assessment aims to create a robust, evidence-based framework for embedding RRI principles into Sabadell’s policies, fostering a more inclusive and sustainable innovation environment. The qualitative system analysis identified 20 leverage points crucial for advancing Sabadell’s policy focus and embedding RRI/AIRR dimensions in the territory. These elements involve diverse stakeholders, including policymakers, industry leaders, academia, and civil society, ensuring a holistic approach. From these, 14 elements were selected based on their impact potential, forming the core drivers of policy advancement in Sabadell. These drivers will serve as a foundation for future actions aimed at strengthening Sabadell’s policy initiatives and embedding sustainable innovation practices across the territory. This paper contributes to the ongoing discourse on embedding Responsible Research and Innovation into regional policies within a European context. By presenting Sabadell as a case study, it offers a practical model for integrating RRI into territorial strategies to build an inclusive, sustainable innovation ecosystem that enhances industrial specialization while addressing social and environmental challenges. The methodology provides a replicable framework for other regions aiming to align innovation policies with RRI principles.

Regional competitiveness is essential for sustainable development, driven by complex and interrelated factors. This study applies the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to assess experts’ perspectives of the primary factors influencing regional competitiveness, including factors like the economy, the labor market, poverty and social inclusion, health, education, environmental sustainability, transport infrastructure, technology/science and the digital society, high-tech industry growth, and innovation. From a comprehensive list of over 250 regions in the EU, selection of regions was made based on their ranked Regional Competitiveness Index (RCI), from the region with the highest index to the region with the lowest index. This involved choosing one representative region from each of the fifty RCI rankings. The selected regions included SE11 (Stockholm, Sweden, RCI: 1.08), BE22 (the Flemish Region, Belgium, RCI: 0.46), FRH0 (Île-de-France, France, RCI: 0.11), ITC3 (Lombardy, Italy, RCI: −0.30), PL43 (Masovia, Poland, RCI: −0.69), and EL53 (Western Macedonia, Greece, RCI: −1.44). By applying the AHP methodology, the prioritization sequence of the aforementioned regions was validated, confirming the robustness of the ranking derived from the Regional Competitiveness Index (RCI). The AHP analysis reinforced the importance of addressing region-specific factors and highlighted the alignment of expert judgments with the established RCI-based rankings. This study highlights the critical role of region-specific factors in driving competitiveness and sustainable development, with the AHP methodology effectively validating the prioritization of regions and providing a robust framework for aligning expert insights with established rankings.

Disasters, whether natural or human-induced, present persistent challenges, necessitating effective strategies for risk reduction and resilience enhancement. Recent advancements in disaster risk reduction (DRR) encompass dynamic risk assessment models, behavioral insights integration, and cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence and remote sensing. Cross-border collaborations further strengthen resilience efforts, exemplified by programs such as the European Union’s Horizon 2020 initiative, Interreg and Directorate of Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (DG ECHO). Technological innovations, particularly in AI and machine learning, have revolutionized early warning and decision-making systems and rapid damage assessment, while policy frameworks increasingly advocate for integrated risk reduction and management approaches and climate resilience. Community engagement emerges as a cornerstone of that approach, incorporating local communities’ values and priorities in DRR and DRM strategies. It is a necessity to empower communities through participatory and interactive tools, collaborative mapping, and planning processes and foster inclusive practices, crucial for vulnerable groups’ protection. Interdisciplinary approaches and collaborative partnerships underscore the multifaceted nature of DRR, emphasizing the necessity of sustained investment and political commitment. Together, all these efforts can pave the way for building safer, more resilient societies equipped to confront the challenges of tomorrow’s disasters.

Information and communications technology (ICT) encompasses the infrastructure and components that enable modern computing. In the context of Europe, the adoption of cutting-edge ICT is rapidly accelerating competitiveness, innovation, and job creation. However, this progress depends on a skilled workforce capable of implementing these advanced technologies effectively. This study aims to explore current ICT trends while addressing the digital skills gap in Southern Europe. The research focused on three countries: Greece, Cyprus, and Bulgaria. To gather relevant insights, two rounds of the Delphi technique were employed to reach a consensus on the most crucial digital skills shaping the future. The findings reveal a rapidly evolving landscape of digital competencies essential for navigating the transformative era of advanced ICT technologies. The study highlights emerging megatrends in the ICT sector, such as AI integration, cybersecurity challenges, and the shift toward 5G, underscoring the need for continuous upskilling to remain competitive in the global market. As ICT continues to evolve, it is clear that developing a skilled workforce will be vital to unlocking the potential of these technologies in Southern Europe.