The Ruse Creative Center is an active educational and innovation hub that has rapidly established itself as a driving force for digital learning, creative industries and regional development. The center combines modern infrastructure, practical training and a direct connection to labour market needs, becoming a real tool for skills development and sustainable employment opportunities.

Behind this success stands a comprehensive and proven working model for engaging young people and local communities, developed and implemented by the Human Resources Development Agency – Ruse. This model gained international recognition after being awarded “Project of the Year for Youth Engagement and Regional Development” by the Government of Latvia. Thanks to its effectiveness, sustainability and measurable impact on young people’s skills and employability, the approach was applied in Latvia and is now being scaled up in the Bulgaria–Romania cross-border region.

When Municipalities Rely on Proven Solutions

Instead of starting from scratch, Lyaskovets Municipality chose a tested and successful approach – building upon an already proven model. This led to the creation of the ETLLIA – Enhanced Territorial Learning and Labour Integration Action project, which builds on the experience of the CODE project and the Ruse Creative Center, expanding it to a broader cross-border scale through real investments in educational infrastructure and innovative forms of learning.

The project was developed by the Human Resources Development Agency – Ruse and approved for funding under the INTERREG VI-A Romania–Bulgaria Programme 2021–2027.

The Lead Partner is Lyaskovets Municipality, with Oltenia de 10 Association and Radu Greceanu National College participating as project partners.

What ETLLIA Will Bring to Lyaskovets

Within the framework of the project, a new creative and digital training center will be established in Lyaskovets, offering training in digital technologies, design, gaming and distance learning. The programmes will be accessible to both young people and adults, including representatives of vulnerable and remote communities.

In addition, the project includes innovative specialised training programmes with no equivalent in the country. For the first time in Bulgaria, hot air balloon pilot training courses will be implemented, combining education, tourism and new high value-added professions. This is a clear example of how education can be directly linked to real economic niches and regional potential.

From International Recognition to Local Impact

ETLLIA is a natural continuation of the internationally recognised success of the CODE project and the Ruse Creative Center, with an even stronger focus on sustainability and long-term regional development. The project will be implemented in the period November 2025 – November 2027, with a total budget of EUR 932,014.24.

Through the implementation of ETLLIA, Lyaskovets joins a network of municipalities that invest in people, skills and the future by relying on proven models rather than experiments. This is an example of how successful solutions can be scaled and adapted to deliver tangible benefits for local communities and the entire cross-border region.

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