DiaLab - Business and Social Impact Academy: A bridge between the diaspora and domestic companies for sustainable development

27.09.2024.

The Bosnian diaspora, which lives in more than 50 countries, has significant potential for the development of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Considering the decrease in the number of inhabitants in the country, projects for cooperation with the diaspora are crucial for strengthening business ties with the external market and creating new opportunities for economic progress.

"Diaspora Invest" USAID project of the American government, in cooperation with Bit Alliance, implemented DiaLab - Business and Social Impact Academy, which aimed to connect experts from the diaspora with the business community in BiH through the transfer of knowledge and practices that can have a social impact on domestic companies through new ways of managing and working with the community.

“Through these activities, we have managed to build a community of experts from the diaspora who want to contribute to the growth of social responsibility in domestic companies. This year, our focus was on the IT sector, but we want to expand this further and continue to raise awareness that every investment also carries with it an important social impact on the environment where it is implemented. USAID wants to bring modern practices to the business of companies in BiH, using the knowledge of successful experts from the diaspora. In the two years since the beginning of the project, over 70 companies seeking connections, knowledge, and new opportunities will have gone through the mentoring program,” said Dobrila Boba Vukmanović, Project Manager of the USAID Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Representatives of IT companies in BiH had the opportunity to improve their skills and build useful contacts through the academy. During eight sessions, lecturers from the diaspora shared experiences in sales, business strategies, networking, and sustainable development, providing participants with practical tools and opportunities for learning and networking.

"My desire is to contribute to the development of a business culture that recognizes and appreciates human potential as a key success factor. I am delighted with the enthusiasm and knowledge of the participants and their desire to learn and develop. This project shows how cooperation between different sectors can result in concrete and measurable successes, and sets an example for other organizations to use the potential of the diaspora for economic and social progress. I believe that projects like this have enormous potential to transform society and the economy, and I am very proud to have been part of this initiative," she said. Lamija Bašić, professor from the University of California and one of the lecturers within the academy program.

"DiaLab Academy was a wonderful experience for me and an opportunity to get acquainted with the inspiring stories of our speakers, but also to share experience with colleagues from the industry. A kind of broadening of horizons and the acquisition of knowledge that I could further apply to my work, brought a kind of refreshment to my day-to-day work," said Sara Avdagić from Atlantbh and a participant of the academy.

Cooperation with USAID through this initiative proved to be very important for opening up new opportunities with the local partner Bit Alliance.

"I think that in the last 30 years we have not used the potential of our diaspora, but we have not offered them the opportunity to stay longer in Bosnia and Herzegovina and feel welcome. My contacts in the diaspora, scattered all over the world, are looking for an opportunity to invest in BiH, they are looking for a reason to stay here as often as possible, and one of the reasons can certainly be the business opportunities that we in BiH should provide for them. The inclusion of the diaspora in projects such as DiaLab helps to create stronger connections between the local community and the global market, especially in IT industry, where the exchange of knowledge and experience is key to innovation and growth. This cooperation can open the door to new technological solutions and enable local talents to connect with global trends and opportunities," said Damir Maglajlić, executive director of Bit Alliance.

A final event is planned for October 10, which will enable networking with representatives of IT companies in BiH, lecturers from the diaspora, and representatives of USAID, opening new opportunities for cooperation. The project showed the importance of cooperation between the diaspora and local companies, and the final event will show the achieved results and open the door to new initiatives for the development of social responsibility of the business community in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The USAID project "Diaspora Invest" Bit Alliance invites those interested to register for the final meeting of the Academy via email contact@bit-alliance.ba or directly via the form on the LINK.