Representatives from the University of Tourism and Management in Skopje at 18th and 19th November 2016 participated in the international conference on "TRANSFORMING OF THE REGION: TOURISM AND THE AGENDA 2030 FOR THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT", held in Novi Sad, R. Serbia. The delegation was led by the Rector for Science and Development, Saso Kozhuharov PhD, the Vice rector for Education, Mijalce Gjoorgievski PhD, Dean of the Faculty of Tourism, Sasko Gramatnikovski PhD, Andrea Mackic MSc., and the students Blagica Butikoska, Emilia Slaveva, Marija Magdalena Miovska, Mario Stojkoski, Aleksandar Tofilovski and Gordan Dimov.

Within the agenda of the conference were elaborated the following topics:

• Determining the successful future by taking advantage of government measures for sustainable tourism development, crucial measures, policies and action plans;

• Regional branding and promotion: Strategies for growth and success stories from the angle of private and public sector;

• Support regional tourist competition;

• Public-private partnership initiatives and financial support for protected areas;

• Local economic development in "green jobs" in the light of Agenda 2030 for sustainable development;

• The growing role of the media in the development and promotion of tourism.

In the plenary session of the conference which was dedicated on the Regional branding and promotion, spoke the Vice rector for Science and Development, Saso Kozhuharov PhD that in light of the diachronic section of the branding and promotion of UTMS emphasized the importance of the strategic planning and promoting the brand aimed at permanent innovation and follow the world trends in segments to create a curriculum, quality of teaching and research work is aimed at building a competitive competence of the students compatible with the business trends. In this context as an example and a success story from the angle of the private sector was referred to the University of Tourism and Management in Skopje. The presentation of the branding and promotion of UTMS was entitled: Ten years dedicated on knowledge sparked huge interest especially because of the innovative content and the visual creation. During the conduct of the conference was realized the Forum of future leaders: Education for sustainable management and practice, in which workshops were organized in the system of autonomous teams of students from universities in ten countries in the region. At the forum actively participated thestudents from UTMS that as a team were leaders in promoting and promotion of innovative management practices in terms of acquired academic and practical knowledge.