An Integrated Smart Rural Development Model: Education, Community Businesses, Youth Inclusion, Cooperation

The article analyses the challenges to traditional villages in transitioning to a smart village strategy, which is becoming increasingly relevant due to the ageing population, shrinking services and infrastructure, job losses, and other reasons. In the scientific literature, barriers such as the lack of local leaders, limited human and financial resources, the digital divide, insufficient cooperation and a lack of youth inclusion are often mentioned. Although there are successful examples of smart villages in Europe and beyond, they are not yet widespread. Applying the PRISMA 2020 methodology, the article conducts a systematic content analysis, and formulates an integrated smart village development model that identifies the main challenges to the viability of villages and smart ways to solve them. This model reveals that in order to implement the smart village strategy and ensure its sustainable development, the comprehensive involvement of the local community and the participation and education of young, creative and motivated people are necessary. Interdisciplinary education, from technological skills and digital literacy to social competences and entrepreneurship, creates conditions for the formation of local leaders who are able to initiate change, and the entire community can focus on a common goal. Community businesses encourage a focus on a common goal, strengthen the local economy, and improve the quality of life. Cross-sectoral cooperation with scientific and government institutions, business organisations and other local communities helps more active participation in EU initiatives. The four driving forces act as a response to local structural problems, and at the same time create the prerequisites for strengthening rural sustainability, resilience and autonomy. Substantial changes are possible only when local development challenges are addressed in a comprehensive manner using a holistic approach, strengthening the unique features of each village, which are based on natural, cultural, social and human resources, and competence and development capacities.