The purpose is to consider the experience of implementing the concept of smart specialization as a process of diversified strategic planning aimed at increasing the sustainable development of Russian regions, structuring the basic criteria and assessment tools. The research methodology is based on the comparison, assessment and analysis of theoretical concepts of sustainable development through the application of smart solutions both in Russian regions and abroad. Based on theoretical analysis, substantiate the need to supplement the regional management system with criteria that allow predicting the directions of regional development, taking into account the specialization and innovations of technological development. The current practice of smart specialization of the region is analyzed, allowing to identify the criteria for assessing the specification of the region and assessing the level of development of technologies and smart solutions for innovative development. The need to introduce the main criteria for the activities of actors into the strategic planning system, ensuring an increase in the level of digital involvement and an assessment of the manageability of the development of regional subsystems is substantiated. Based on the study of the French experience of regional diversification, the criteria are described that allow taking into account the specialization of regions in the assessment of: concentration of economic resources, needs of the business industry, development and unification of logistics platforms (as a result of the new technological revolution) and collaborative leadership. As a result, this study will allow formulating smart solutions in the system of long-term centralized planning of sustainable development of regions.
