An Integrated Smart Rural Development Model: Education, Community Businesses, Youth Inclusion, Cooperation
Volume 47, Issue 3 (2025), pp. 5–21
Pub. online: 4 December 2025
Type: Article
Open Access
Open Access
Published
4 December 2025
4 December 2025
Abstract
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.