"Transforming Territories Newsletter" Newsletter Issues

Participating in PXL workshops: Call for expression of interest for regional and national authorities (03/02/2020)

The S3 Platform seeks expressions of interest from national and regional authorities to participate in the three Peer eXchange and Learning (PXL) workshops that will be organised in 2020 on: Governance and strategy management; Entrepreneurial discovery process; and Monitoring and evaluation. Through exchanges of experience, comments and suggestions from JRC staff, peers and experts, the workshops will help participants identify possible solutions to implementation their challenges. They will also provide an opportunity for networking and learning from others. Deadline to apply: 28 February 2020.

Delivering Smart Specialisation investments through clusters (03/02/2020)

In this editorial, Ulla Engelmann, Head of "Advanced Technologies, Clusters and Social Economy" Unit at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW), reflects on the contribution of clusters within the Smart Specialisation policy process, notably highlighting their potential role to foster regional economic transformation.

Smart grids: the role of transnational R&I networks to strengthen smart energy (06/02/2020)

This workshop is jointly organised as part of the Stairway to Excellence (S2E) project and the Smart Specialisation Platform on Energy (S3PEnergy) initiative, managed by the JRC, in close cooperation with DG REGIO and DG ENER. It aims at testing approaches to improve transnational networking in the area of smart grids and to draw lessons to build a more diversified approach to cooperation across territories and European actors in a RIS3 context. This event will take place on the 6 February 2020 in Brussels, just before the 4th meeting of the Working Group “H2020 for RIS3” on optimising the use of H2020 in implementing smart specialisation (7 Feb).

Call for participation: Share your S3 implementation experience (03/02/2020)

The Smart Specialisation Platform (S3P) welcomes information on the experience of stakeholders in order to outline their approach and activities related to the implementation of smart specialisation, and to share good practices. Member states and regions are invited to provide a short account regarding either: the Governance system; Stakeholders' involvement in the entrepreneurial discovery process; or Monitoring and evaluation. It can take the form of either a "Smart Story", i.e. a direct account provided by the national and regional authorities, or an "Implementation Example", following an interview with a member of the S3P team. The selected practice examples will be disseminated on various EU communication channels. Participation is welcomed throughout the first semester of 2020.

Decarbonising Slovenia (03/02/2020)

The initiative triggered by the Stairway to Excellence project led to a strategic collaboration between the JRC, EIT Climate-KIC, EIT RawMaterials and the Slovenian government around circular, regenerative and low-carbon economy that supports the implementation of RIS3 and of the national vision to become a green, creative and smart country by 2030. This pilot can serve as a model for other Member States and the collaboration can be extended to other EIT KICs and EU initiatives/platforms as well as Commission services.

Digitalisation and New Technologies in Agri-food (03/02/2020)

The report and presentations from the Digitalisation and New Technologies in Agri-food and S3P Agrifood's International B2B meetings that were held in December 2019 in Malaga (Spain) are now available on the S3 Platform website.

EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities: Collaboration in a RIS3 Context (03/02/2020)

This Science for Policy report presents benefits and opportunities of the collaboration between the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), its Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) and the communities involved in developing and implementing Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3), particularly Managing Authorities (MAs) of European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF). The report makes a practical contribution to optimise research and innovation spending efficiency, to combine the objectives of increased competitiveness and cohesion, and to better address the major challenges our society is facing.

European Partnerships under Horizon Europe - Consultation Results (13/12/2019)

In May 2019, the Commission launched a consultation of Member States on 44 possible candidates for European Partnerships as part of a strategic coordinating process. The report identifies the key themes raised by Member States during the consultation and proposes a way forward to critical issues, with a prominent place given to Smart Specialisation.

Smart Specialisation Strategies in the Eastern Neighbourhood Countries (18/11/2019)

In this editorial, Rudolf Niessler, Principal Adviser for International Relations within the Directorate General for Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission, shares his view of the role of Smart Specialisation in the Eastern Neighbourhood Countries.

High-level conference “Engaging citizens for good governance in Cohesion Policy” (06/02/2020)

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy is organising a high level conference on engaging citizens and civil society in Cohesion Policy. The conference will focus on how to ensure closer cooperation with citizens and civil society in the governance and implementation of Cohesion Policy and management of dedicated EU funds. It will take place on the 6th of February 2020 in Brussels.

Call for participation: Share your S3 implementation experience (26/11/2019)

The Smart Specialisation Platform (S3P) welcomes information on the experience of stakeholders in order to outline their approach and activities related to the implementation of smart specialisation, and to share good practices. Member States and Regions are invited to provide a short account about their experience and activities related to Smart Specialisation Strategy implementation. It can take the form of either a "Smart Story", i.e. a direct account, or an "Implementation example", following an interview with a member of the S3P team. Experience regarding either the governance system, stakeholders' involvement in the entrepreneurial discovery process, or monitoring and evaluation are of particular interest. The selected practice examples will be disseminated on various EU communication channels.

Workshop on Vocational Excellence and Smart Specialisation (30/01/2020)

The JRC, together with DG Employment is organising a workshop linked to the Erasmus+ initiative on Centres of vocational excellence. This initiative aims to maximise the contribution of Vocational Education and Training (including at higher level) to innovation and smart specialisation. In addition to those involved in VET the workshop is targeted at S3 managers. It will take place on the 30th of January 2019 in Brussels (EIT House.

Digitalisation and New Technologies in Agri-food (09/12/2019)

Organised in early December 2019, the event gathered 170 regional actors from the EU as well as Turkey and Montenegro active in agri-food. It aimed at exploring synergies between the agri-food partnerships and Digital Innovation Hubs and at strengthening collaboration and mutual learning. Moreover, for the first time, the Enterprise Europe Network also supported the initiative to promote the integration of businesses - including start-ups, SMEs as well as large companies - into the development of interregional process. The presentations will be available on the S3 Platform website shortly.

Research and innovation Public Private Partnerships for S3 implementation (22/11/2019)

Presentations that were given on the occasion of this Pilot on “Research and Innovation Public Private Partnerships for S3 Implementation – Approaches for widening stakeholder engagement and networking” are now available on line. Organised in Porto in November 2019, this event sought to optimise the use of Horizon 2020 (and Horizon Europe) funds in S3 implementation.

JRC Review of Industrial Transition in Andalusia (28/11/2019)

The Joint Research Centre in close collaboration with the Agency for Innovation and Development of Andalusia (IDEA) and the Andalusian Energy Agency hosted a full day consultation activity on the Review of the Industrial Transition of Andalusia in Seville on the 8th of November 2019. The subjects for discussion included industrial theme of renewable energy, batteries and electric accumulators and their various applications in logistics as well as their associated value chains. The session was organized as part of the working group on "Understanding and Managing Industrial Transitions within the RIS3 in Lagging Regions project".

Smart Specialisation at work: evidence from the Peer and eXchange and Learning workshops (29/11/2019)

The goal of this paper is to contribute to the collective learning process on the Smart Specialisation policy experience. It does so by presenting a systematic collection of evidence and lessons on this policy endeavour. More specifically, the reflections contained in this work draw upon the views and experiences of national and regional authorities, collected during the Peer eXchange and Learning (PXL) workshops organised by the S3 Platform. Overall, 25 among EU regions and countries were peer-reviewed and around 350 participants contributed to the debates. This report explores some of the main challenges, providing lessons and recommendations, on three important components of the Smart Specialisation policy framework: governance, entrepreneurial discovery process and monitoring.

Implementing Smart Specialisation: An analysis of practices across Europe (19/11/2019)

This report examines how the Smart Specialisation approach was put into practice across European regions and Member States. It builds upon 35 implementation cases, outlining three main types of challenges that policy-makers are seeking to address through the implementation of their Smart Specialisation Strategies: 1) the involvement of stakeholders in a continuous dialogue to drive the territorial innovation process; 2) the development of efficient innovation policy instruments to support the structural transformation of the economy at regional and/or national level; 3) the pursuit of the internationalisation of the regional/national economy as well as the positioning in European value chains. For each key challenge identified, the report sheds light on the success-conducive factors and tools that have been used by policy-makers to manage the Smart Specialisation policy process. It also underscores the recurring types of outcomes that were achieved due to the implementation of Smart Specialisation related policies.

S3 and the Wider Innovation Policy Context in the Western Balkans (05/12/2019)

This paper gives an overview of the main elements of the Smart Specialisation concept and surveys the existing strategic frameworks for innovation in the Western Balkan economies. The analysis addresses the relevance of these frameworks and policy documents for smart specialisation, and highlights the links across strategic frameworks, including pre-existing ones, in a smart specialisation perspective.

JRC report on Digital Transformation (09/12/2019)

This report provides an analysis of the digital transformation in a selection of policy areas, covering transport, construction, energy, as well as digital government and public administration. Following a multidisciplinary approach, it examines the profound changes that are taking place in all sectors of the economy and society as a result of the uptake and integration of digital technologies. It also sheds light on the contribution of Digital Innovation Hubs in EU member states and regions.

Strengthening Strategic Value Chains for a future-ready EU Industry (18/11/2019)

The report from the Strategic Forum for Important Projects of Common European Interest entitled "Strengthening Strategic Value Chains for a future-ready EU Industry" is now available, together with the related press release and fact sheet. With concrete recommendations to develop strategic industrial areas such as batteries and cybersecurity, the report constitutes an important contribution to build on a common vision for the EU’s industrial future.

Videos on Investment Project Ideas from the S3 Thematic Partnerships of Industrial Modernisation (26/11/2019)

The Regional Co-operation Networks for Industrial Modernisation Initiative (ReConfirm), is an EU funded project designed specifically to assist European regions and industrial stakeholders in implementing their action plan under the Smart Specialisation Platform for Industrial Modernisation. Several videos in the fields of tourism, photonics, medical technology and sport provide concrete examples of the investment opportunities that ReConfirm is helping to develop via the S3P-Industry.

S3 Platform Registered Countries and Regions (05/12/2019)

The latest S3 Platform members are the regions of South Bohemia, Karlovy Vary and Olomouc (Czech Republic) as well as İzmir region (Turkey). In total, 19 EU Member States and 183 EU regions, as well as 7 non-EU countries as well as 18 non-EU regions have joined the S3 Platform community.

Smart specialisation in a time of transition (31/10/2019)

In the editorial, Peter Berkowitz, Head of Unit for Smart and Sustainable Growth within the Directorate General for Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission, shares his view of the role of Smart Specialisation in the post-2020 programming period.

Mapping personalised medicine and health policies in European regions (23/10/2019)

SAPHIRe - Securing the adoption of personalised health in regions – aims to map personalised medicine and health policies in European regions and to establish and support networking between interested regions, in order to facilitate interregional collaboration and identify opportunities for funding of joint projects. The questionnaire aims at having an overview of the existing policies, funding instruments, implementation and performance of personalised medicine in the Regions of Europe. The survey is open until the 30th of November 2019.

Implementing S3 in Energy through Innovation Procurement (04/11/2019)

The main aim of the workshop held during the EWRC was to provide an overview of the benefits of innovation procurement for public authorities, procurers, policy-makers, researchers and other stakeholders. The presentations given shed light on how innovation procurement can faciltate a swift shift towards a clean energy framework, in line with the Energy Union strategy, whilst creating opportunities for local companies.

Feedback from the Final Meeting of the Targeted Support for RIS3 in Lagging Regions Project (30/10/2019)

The project Targeted Support for RIS3 in Lagging Regions organized the final meeting of the Horizontal Working Group on Monitoring and Evaluation on the 23rd of October 2019 in Madrid. The speakers' presentations on the use of open-data for S3 monitoring and evaluation, as well as on the preparation for the next programming period, are now available on the S3 Platform website.

Interregional Cooperation in Emerging Sectors of the Blue Economy (25/10/2019)

More than 40 regions across the EU have identified maritime sectors as a priority in their smart specialisation strategies and are investing in blue growth-related areas. The workshop that took place in October 2019 within the framework of the EWRC has facilitated mutual learning among stakeholders in different emerging blue growth sectors and fostered interregional partnerships on and across the most promising blue economy sectors. The presentations are now available on the S3 Platform website.

JRC Review of Industrial Transition of Greece (23/10/2019)

Launched as part of the RIS3 in Lagging Regions project, the JRC Review of Industrial Transition of Greece examines the transition of Greek industry in the domains of renewables, energy storage and energy applications (including electric vehicles, shipping, agriculture and defence). The review seeks to highlight future opportunities for industry-minded policy in newly emerging and rapidly transforming global value chains, paying particular attention to economic sectors, professions and territories facing severe employment pressures. A first fact-finding meeting took place in Athens on the 10th of October 2019 and sought to identify and understand the place and the role of major stakeholder constituencies in the affected systems and to obtain further relevant evidence.

VET and S3 Report to kick off new project (04/11/2019)

The JRC's support to S3 implementation has been extended to cover the role of Vocational Education and Training (VET). As discussed in the editorial of the June newsletter by Dana Bachman of DG Employment, a highly skilled workforce is essential for innovation diffusion and productivity growth. However, VET has received less attention from S3 managers compared to other policy areas. The new JRC project will analyse how VET can become more place based and contribute to S3 implementation. It will support the new Erasmus+ Platforms of Vocational Excellence as well as transnational partnerships of VET providers that aim to enhance innovation at local and regional level. A JRC Science for Policy report which explores all these issues was published during the recent Vocational Skills Week in Helsinki, as part of Finland's Council Presidency.

Panorama autumn issue (23/10/2019)

The autumn issue of Panorama magazine offers a focused article on the reforms undertaken by Denmark to boost its business support system. It also touches on Smart Specialisation implementation in Portugal, following a dedicated peer review organised by the JRC, and a conference with the Portuguese government and experts including Dominique Foray. The magazine also outlines the main findings of both the recently published Regional Competitiveness Index and the Eurobarometer survey on the public’s awareness and appreciation of regional policy.

The Role of S3 for a Sustainable Blue Economy and a Climate Neutral EU (07/10/2019)

Andreea Strachinescu, Head of Unit Maritime Innovation, Marine Knowledge and Investment in the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, is responsible for promoting innovative and emerging technologies and solutions, and ensuring broad dissemination of marine knowledge and research. The Unit fosters innovation and provides policy input to Horizon 2020 and to Smart Specialisation Strategies; it is as well in the lead for providing policy input to the European Fund for Strategic Investments and its use in the maritime economy. In this editorial, Andreea Strachinescu presents the activity of her unit with regard to the Blue economy and the high potential of Smart Specialisation in this realm.

Reminder: European Week of Regions and Cities 2019 (07/10/2019)

The European Week of Regions and Cities will be held from the 7th to the 10th of October 2019 in Brussels. The Smart Specialisation Platform is presenting 17 workshops on a wide range of topics including: Innovation procurement for S3P Energy, Digital Innovation Hubs & S3 , Education and training institutions, Industrial transition, etc.

Smart Specialisation at the Arctic Circle Assembly (10/10/2019)

On the 11th of October 2019, the S3 Platform is inviting Arctic stakeholders to discuss Smart Specialisation during the Arctic Circle Assembly, which takes place on 10-13 of October in Reykjavik (Iceland). The aim of the session is to share examples of smart specialisation supporting sustainable and innovative development in the Arctic regions. The session will propose to discuss the potential of the Arctic regions to benefit from its unique contextual advantages through smart specialisation and cross-region collaborative networks.

Conference on Smart Specialisation and Technology Transfer (15/10/2019)

Organised on the 15th and 16th of October 2019 in Belgrade (Serbia), this event will gather experts on research and innovation who will discuss Serbian Smart Specialisation, opportunities for technology transfer in priority domains and for enhancing regional value chains.

Sixth Meeting on the Horizontal Activities of Lagging Regions (23/10/2019)

The final meeting of the Horizontal Working Group on Monitoring and Evaluation of RIS3 is organised as part of the project Targeted Support for RIS3 in Lagging Regions, and will take place on 23rd of October 2019 in Madrid (Spain). The session will focus on the use of open-data in monitoring and evaluation Smart Specialisation Strategies and preparation for the next programming period. RIS3 in Lagging Regions centres on the provision of hands-on support to the enhancement and implementation of RIS3 in selected regions of Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain. Full agenda and details to follow.

Stairway to Excellence Pilot on PPPs in Circular Manufacturing (04/11/2019)

The Stairway to Excellence (S2E) project, managed by JRC in cooperation with DG REGIO, seeks to maximise the impact of Smart Specialisation Strategies in EU regions and Member States, and to realise the full potential of using EU funding programmes managed at regional, national and EU levels. The S2E Working Group "H2020 for RIS3" was established in 2018 to optimise the use of Horizon 2020 (and Horizon Europe) in S3 implementation and has since launched a number of thematic pilots. The pilot on Public Private Partnerships in circular manufacturing will organise a stakeholder event on the 4th of November 2019 in Porto (Portugal). Participants will include stakeholders from the Portuguese regions participating in the Pilot (Centro, Norte), invited experts, potential EU partners involved in circular manufacturing and European Commission services. Participation is by invitation only.

Call for tenders on RIS3 prioritisation across Europe (13/09/2019)

The general objective of the study is to systematically screen and assess all available smart specialisation strategies in the European Union, with a view to better understanding the approach to prioritisation, the extent to which the priorities in the strategies correspond to diversification opportunities, and how priorities are translated into the selection of projects. The deadline for receipt of tenders is on the 16th of October 2019 at 16:00 (CET).

Consultation on Horizon Europe “European Partnerships” (13/09/2019)

How can the EU best support impactful, inclusive research and innovation partnerships with industry, Member States and other stakeholders? Stakeholders are invited to share their views on the 12 proposed institutionalised partnerships under Horizon Europe, the next EU research and innovation programme (2021-2027) until the 6th of November 2019. These partnerships aim to mobilise Horizon Europe, national and other funding for research and innovation actions around topics, many of which are also frequently prioritised in Smart Specialisation Strategies, suchas as •Innovative Health Initiative •Key Digital Technologies •Smart Networks and Services •European Metrology •Clean Aviation •Circular bio-based Europe •Clean Hydrogen •Innovative SMEs.

Reminder: Consultation on the Digital Europe Programme (04/10/2019)

What are your views on the orientations of the first two years of the proposed new Digital Europe Programme? The Commission is currently planning the Digital Europe Programme for the deployment of innovative digital technologies in five key areas: supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced digital skills,and ensuring a wide use of these digital technologies across the economy and society, in line with Europe’s ambitious sustainability goals and values. The consultation is open until the 25th of October 2019.

Putting DIH into Regional Context - A European survey (30/09/2019)

The survey provided a useful insight of the digital maturity level of the regional contexts in which DIHs operate and what role they have undertaken in their respective regions, as well as the Digital Innovation Hubs'(DIH) characteristics and activities in their regional context and other important aspects such as collaboration, strategies and funding.

Comparative case study of six DIHs (30/09/2019)

This report explores with a comparative approach the regional variation in organisation and implementation of Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) across six different EU regions: Saxony-Anhalt (Germany), Wielkopolska (Poland), Northern Ostrobothnia (Finland), Tallinn (Estonia), Andalusia (Spain) and Central Macedonia (Greece).

Free Training on Monitoring Smart Specialisation Strategies (04/10/2019)

What are the principles underpinning Research & Innovation Smart Specialisation Strategies (RIS3)? What are the core-indicators to monitor RIS3 sound implementation? Where can one find the key data-sources needed to monitor them? Produced by DG JRC, this free Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) on monitoring is open to anyone interested in monitoring knowledge-based regional development, and in particular Smart Specialisation Strategies. More than 1450 stakeholders have already completed the training.

Feedback from the European Research and Innovation Days (04/10/2019)

On 24-26 September 2019, the first edition of the R&I Days was organised. It gathered over 3000 policy makers and stakeholders engaged in co-creating the future EU R&I policy. The central discussions and interest turned around the new initiatives in the upcoming Horizon Europe programme, i.e. the five new R&I Missions, the European partnerships and the European Innovation Council. The seminars highlighted the new paradigm of R&I policy where innovation can drive sustainable development and growth through transformative and systemic changes. DG JRC was represented in a special stand and in some of the panel discussions, stressing the need for synergies between Horizon Europe and the ERDF funding, building on the successful implementation of Smart Specialisation Strategies in regions across Europe, and beyond.

Understanding and Managing Industrial Transitions: Initial Working Group Review (12/07/2019)

Held in JRC Seville, the initial working group meeting sought to promote a proactive discussion, notably to •To support regional (and where appropriate national) authorities facing major industrial transitions •To define a methodology that draws on expertise on system innovation / transition management, foresight, industrial policy and innovation governance •To offer concrete suggestions for the advancement of the transition •To map the existing orientation, resource mobilisation, production and consumption systems in order to develop a vision for future transformation.

Commission's Public Consultation on Simplified Rules for State Aid (01/07/2019)

The Commission has launched a public consultation on a targeted review of the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER), in order to extend its application, under a limited set of conditions, to national funds involved in the following three areas: 1) Financing and investment operations supported by the Invest-EU Fund; 2) Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) projects having received a “Seal of Excellence” under Horizon Europe, as well as projects under the future Co-fund programme; 3) European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) projects, known as Interreg policy. The public consultation seeks the views of the relevant stakeholders, including Member States, on the proposed revision of the GBER. Stakeholders are invited to submit comments by 27 September 2019.

Consultation on the Digital Europe Programme (28/08/2019)

What are your views on the orientations of the first two years of the proposed new Digital Europe Programme? The Commission is currently planning the Digital Europe Programme for the deployment of innovative digital technologies in five key areas: supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced digital skills,and ensuring a wide use of these digital technologies across the economy and society, in line with Europe’s ambitious sustainability goals and values. The consultation is open until the 25th of October 2019.

Vision for Industry 2030 Report (10/07/2019)

The "Vision for Industry 2030" report is now available. According to the expert group, in order to be successful the transformation of Europe's industry must adopt breakthrough innovations, address climate change and put a focus on people and values that make Europe a role model for the rest of the world. It also recommends specific actions, including measures for innovation and technology take-up, the transition to a climate-neutral industry, strengthening our global competitiveness and focus on people and skills. The report also confirms the importance of Smart Specialisation and regional policy for EU industry policy, including technology infrastructures, innovation eco-systems and clusters.

MOOC on How to Design S3 from the BAK S3 Association (28/08/2019)

The BAK S3 Association proposes a free Massive open online course (MOOC) on how to design Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3), from the 7th of October to the 20th of December 2019. It offers an overview of the concept and methods allowing the design and application of S3 on the regional or national scale. It is intended for public policymakers, practitioners, stakeholders involved in development policies as well as consultants, academics and students.

Intensifying Innovation Cooperation through Slovenian S3 (28/06/2019)

The Smart Stories reflect the way in which S3 stakeholders have used the Smart specialisation concept to develop their own innovation-driven development policies at national and regional level. Slovenia outlines its approach to foster interactions among stakeholders and the establishment of nine Strategic Research and Innovation Partnerships (SRIPs).

EU fosters Smart Specialisation Strategies in Latin America and the Caribbean (20/06/2019)

Ms Nona Deprez is Head of Unit for the Partnership Instrument in the Service for Foreign Policy Instrument (FPI – European Commission). Within the FPI, she has worked previously on Election Observations Mission and the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace after having served in two EU Delegations to Indonesia and Benin. She holds a Master’s of Science in European Studies from London School of Economics, following a first masters in Business Engineering from the Solvay Business School (ULB). In this editorial, the relations between Foreign Policy Instruments and Smart Specialisation are presented, with a focus on the EU-LAC region-to-region pairings.

European Research and Innovation Days (24/09/2019)

The Europeans Commission is organizing the EU Research and Innovation Days from the 24th to the 26th of September 2019 in Brussels. This policy event features a high-level Policy Conference, an Innovative Europe Hub and the “Science is Wonderful” exhibition and aims to: •bring together world leaders from industry, finance, academia and business to debate and shape the future research and innovation landscape; •engage with stakeholders to co-create the strategic priorities for the first 4 years of Horizon Europe; •mobilise EU citizens and increase general awareness and understanding of how important R&I are in addressing societal challenges. The Joint Research Centre will be present within the Horizon Village.

European Week of Regions and Cities 2019 (07/10/2019)

The European Week of Regions and Cities will be held from the 7th to the 10th of October 2019 in Brussels. The Smart Specialisation Platform will be presenting 17 workshops on a wide range of topics including: Innovation procurement for S3P Energy, Digital Innovation Hubs & S3 , Education and training institutions, Industrial transition, etc.

Clusters of Change Boot Camp (14/10/2019)

The EIT Climate-KIC organises the Clusters of Change Boot Camp that will be held from the 14th to the 17th of October 2019 in Frankfurt am Main (Germany). It will focus on crucial elements for cluster management, including innovation ecosystems for systemic change, practical tools and innovative methods applied to specific cluster/ecosystem needs.

The Role of Vocational Education and Training Supporting the Diffusion of Innovation and S3 (11/06/2019)

Dana Bachmann joined the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission in January 2015 as Head of unit in charge of Vocational Education and Training, Apprenticeships and Adult Learning. Together with her team, she is responsible for working with Member States, social partners and stakeholders for developing and implementing policies that help endow citizens with the skills they need, so they can play an active role in the economy. Successful initiatives like the European Alliance for Apprenticeships, Upskilling Pathways for Adults or the European Vocational Skills Week are few of the main achievements of our unit. Prior to joining DG Employment, she served as head of unit in DG Education and Culture being responsible for the same policy areas. Before joining the Commission in December 2011, she worked as a lawyer at the European Court of Human Rights and managed diverse projects in the field of environmental law in Central and Eastern Europe.

S3 Implementation Examples across Europe (22/05/2019)

The S3 Platform presents a wide range of implementation examples from across Europe, in various domains including policy instruments for S3 implementation, governance & EDP, transregional collaborations, and monitoring. The cases shed light on key challenges faced by regions/countries, the actors involved, the solutions encountered and success factors as well as the milestones reached. These examples capture the changes that have occurred thanks to the implementation of the S3 approach, and the positive impacts in other realms than Research and Innovation for Smart Specialisation Strategies.

Learning Lab on "Supporting the Effective Uptake of Cohesion Policy Funds in Energy" (03/07/2019)

This learning lab is organised as part of the Stairway to Excellence project and the Smart Specialisation Platform on Energy managed by the Joint Research Centre, in close cooperation with DG REGIO, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Innovation and Technology of Hungary. The main aim of the initiative is to improve governance models in EU13 in view of optimising the spending of the EU funds in sustainable and innovative energy solutions and addressing societal challenges. It will also provide insights to reinforce the participation of the EU13 regions in the energy thematic partnerships and in the S3PEnergy interregional activities. It will take place on the 3rd and 4th of July 2019, in Budapest (Hungary).

Feedback from the working meeting "S3 Priorities, Related Policies and Impact Assessment" (17/05/2019)

Organised by the Smart Specialisation Platform, this working meeting gathered a selected number of experts from across Europe to carry out a stocktaking exercise regarding S3 national/regional priorities revision/refinement and the policy measures implemented/planned on their basis. In addition, participants reflected about the preparation of the S3 impact assessment. The report and a number of presentations from stakeholders are now available on the S3 Platform website.

Peer learning workshop and conference: S3 revision in Portugal (10/06/2019)

All seven Portuguese regions along with the National Innovation Agency met in Faro in mid-May 2019 to reflect on how S3 has been implemented, how it can be improved, and what changes are needed in light of the "Enabling condition" of the proposed Cohesion Policy post 2020. A peer learning workshop including other European regions was followed by a conference with the Portuguese Secretary of State for Regional Development, and representatives of DG REGIO. Dominique Foray stressed the importance of governance arrangements that allow a continuous process of entrepreneurial discovery, once priorities have been established. A programme of EDP workshops and focus groups with Higher Education Institutions are planned over the coming months.

Smart Specialisation: What Gets Lost in Translation from Concept to Practice? (10/06/2019)

This paper investigates how and to what extent the Smart Specialisation approach to innovation policy is currently being translated into strategic decisions and policy interventions in Europe. It defines three complementary conditions that operationalize the intervention logic of Smart Specialisation and tests them empirically. The results reveal that Smart Specialisation is being partially implemented. There are in fact significant indications that regions and countries have put in place mechanisms that may circumvent the logic of selective intervention.

Smart Specialisation in the world, an EU policy approach helping to discover innovation globally (10/06/2019)

Following the first global workshop on Smart Specialisation held in Seville (Spain) in September 2018, the Smart Specialisation Platform published a Science for Policy Report on "Smart Specialisation in the world, an EU policy approach helping to discover innovation globally". Building on the outcomes and lessons from this event, the Science for Policy report brings together experiences, policy aspects, challenges and opportunities gravitating around the topic of Smart Specialisation worldwide, and elaborates on the further international potential of the Smart Specialisation concept and approach, including its relevance for the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Joint Undertakings: Collaboration Mechanisms with ESIF in an S3 Context (10/06/2019)

This report entitled "Joint Undertakings: analysis of collaboration mechanisms with ESI Funds in an S3 context" investigates the motivations and practices for strengthening collaborations between joint undertakings (focusing on non-territorial innovation), as well as between national and regional ESI Funds’ managing authorities (focusing on territorial innovation). It also offers guidance regarding steps to launch or upscale them.

Multi-level Governance for S3: Basic Pillars for its Construction (28/05/2019)

This Report presents four pillars for the construction of multi-level governance in the context of Smart Specialisation Strategies. For each of the pillars, one example linked to the Basque country (Spain) is described, together with another example from a different context, i.e. the Six City Strategy in Finland,as well as the regions of Flanders (Belgium), Extremadura (Spain), and Baden-Württemberg (Germany).

Smart Stories / Building a Regional Stairway to Excellence: The Case of Castilla Y Leon (21/05/2019)

The Smart Stories reflect the way in which S3 stakeholders have used the Smart specialisation concept to develop their own innovation-driven development policies at national and regional level. The Region of Castilla y Leon (Spain) depicts the review and reorganisation of the regional science system in accordance with the RIS3 approach that led us to build a "Regional Stairway to Excellence" system.

Smart Stories / Tuscany's RIS3 Mid Term Review: Proofing Expected Uptakes at Territorial Level (21/05/2019)

The Smart Stories reflect the way in which S3 stakeholders have used the Smart specialisation concept to develop their own innovation-driven development policies at national and regional level. The Tuscany Region (Italy) provides an account of its RIS3 mid term review and roadmaps revision that holds a strong territorial focus, with the aim of exploiting the cohesive potential of regional innovation policies.

Smart Stories / S3 Interim Evaluation in Lithuania: Stakeholders’ Hands on the Steering Wheel (22/05/2019)

Lithuania outlines its approach to conduct the RIS3 interim evaluation, with the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders in the process. Their strong governance structure has facilitated the assessment of the policy mix and S3 priorities relevance, as wel as the review of S3 priority domains.

REGIOSTARS Awards 2019: Support your favourite project (10/06/2019)

REGIOSTARS 2019, the annual competition rewarding excellence and new approaches in regional development has gathered 199 submissions. Stakeholders are invited to cast a vote for their favourite project. The summaries of all eligible proposals in five key domains are now available on the DG REGIO website: i) Promoting digital transformation; ii)Connecting green, blue and grey; iii)Combatting inequalities and poverty; iv) Building climate-resilient cities; and v)Modernising health services. The finalists will be announced on 9 July 2019.

TSSP for Industrial Modernisation: Investment Day & Steering Committee Meeting (13/06/2019)

Over the past few years, the Thematic Smart Specialisation Platform for Industrial Modernisation offered its qualified partnerships access to valuable knowledge and a dedicated expert support network. As the involved regions share common regional research and innovation smart specialisation priorities, thematic partnerships continue working together by developing concrete joint investment projects while connecting respective elements of their regional innovation eco-systems. This form of interregional collaboration contributes to the creation of a strengthened EU-wide innovation eco-system, opening EU regions to new paths of development and improved participation in strategic value chains. This event is taking place on 13th and 14th of June 2019 in Warsaw (Poland).

DG NEAR supports Western Balkans “Smart Specialisation Strategies” (07/05/2019)

Colin Wolfe was appointed Head of Western Balkans Regional Cooperation in the Directorate General for Neighbourhood & Enlargement Negotiations, European Commission, in January 2017. He is responsible for the Regional Cooperation policy approach, as well as supporting multi-country assistance programmes. Previously, Colin held several posts in the Directorate General for Regional and Urban Policy. In particular, he was Head of the Competence Centre Smart & Sustainable Growth. He was also responsible for regional cooperation, including the development of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, and the full range of INTERREG programmes in the EU-28. He also worked to set up and implement the EU PEACE Programme in Ireland/Northern Ireland. Prior to his different responsibilities for regional cooperation, Colin worked in the Budget and Employment services of the Commission. He also spent considerable time with Directorate General Enlargement, negotiating the accession of Hungary and Malta. He is a graduate in natural sciences of the University of Dublin, Trinity College, Ireland and holds a post-graduate degree in geography from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

Kick off for revision of S3 in Portugal (17/05/2019)

Portugal is stepping up preparations for revising its S3 ahead of the next programming period of EU funds. The JRC and Portugal’s National Innovation Agency (ANI)are jointly organising a conference entitled "Smart Specialisation in Portugal: Reflection and Update" that will take place on May 17th 2019 in the Algarve. Experience from other countries, including Italy, Spain and France will be presented. Moreover, the day before all Portuguese regions and ANI will meet for a peer learning workshop which will involve other European regions as well as experts, including Dominique Foray.

Workshop: "S3 for Sustainable Development Goals" (11/06/2019)

The Joint Research Centre organises the workshop "Smart Specialisation Strategies for Sustainable Development Goals: an EU perspective" that will tackle the current and future policies and practices for the localisation of Smart Specialisation Strategies and further integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It will bring together EU national and regional Smart Specialisation representatives and experts, sustainable development practitioners and international development actors and should enable the identification and benchmark of the existing practices and prospects for the design and implementation of RIS3-inspired STI roadmaps for SDGs. It will take place on June 11th 2019 in Brussels. Places for the #RIS3forSDGs workshop are limited, with priority given to S3 stakeholders and practitioners on a "first come first served" basis. Registration code: 110619.

Supporting S3 and Technology Transfer in South-East Europe (18/06/2019)

In the semester of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, the Romanian Ministry of Research and Innovation and the Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding organise a high-level conference on Smart Specialisation and technology transfer, taking place at the Politehnica University of Bucharest on June 18 2019. Progress, results and challenges related to the development and implementation of successful smart specialisation strategies, innovation ecosystems and technology transfer capacities will be the conference's main topics.

Expression of Interests: Water Smart Territories Partnership (29/04/2019)

The European Commission has approved a new thematic area focusing on “Water Smart Territories” as part of the S3 Industrial Modersation Platform. The three leading regions of this initiative - Aragón (Spain), Centre-Val de Loire (France) and Fryslân (The Netherlands) - are gathering expression of interests from other regions to participate in this thematic area. The main goal is to strengthen European regions' innovation capacity beyond water resource efficiency, and to facilitate investments based on open innovation infrastructure and new technologies for sustainable water management, with the involvement of clusters and other actors in regional ecosystems.

Registration to the PXL Workshop on Skills for S3 Policy Makers (21/05/2019)

The S3 Platform organises, in cooperation with Umbria Region (Italy), a Peer eXchange and Learning workshop on skills for S3 policy makers targeting regional and national authorities. During the workshop, Umbria (IT), Lapland (FI) and Centro Region (PT) will present their experiences on the development of capabilities for the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of their respective Smart Specialisation Strategies. It will take place on 21 May 2019 in Perugia (Italy).

Smart Specialisation Evaluation: Setting the Scene (08/05/2019)

This short report presents a set of preliminary conceptual and practical considerations on the evaluation of the Smart Specialisation policy. It opens a discussion that aims to set the scene for more articulated and detailed reflections.

Industrial Policy in the EU and its Neighbourhood (13/05/2019)

This article sheds light on new approaches to industrial policies with further state intervention and argues that to better understand what contributes to the success or failure of industrial policies, learning from experiences made both by the EU and its neighbours is valuable. In particular, the article examines the role EU approaches and programmes, such as Smart Specialisation or Horizon 2020, can play in anchoring more entrepreneurial industrial policies in enlargement and neighbourhood countries and addresses problems to be expected when governments are to engage in policy experimentation.

Editorial from Begoña Arano - Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (09/04/2019)

Presently Head of Unit for “Innovation and EIT” at the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture. She joined the European Commission in 1998 as Scientific Officer at the Directorate-General for Research, within the Unit for Marie Curie Fellowships. From 2007 she served as Head of Unit in the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, responsible for the units “Marie Curie Actions – Networks”, “External and Internal Communication” and “International Cooperation North America, Latin America and Caribbean”. She studied Biological Sciences at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid where she completed an MSc and obtained her PhD. After working as researcher at the Spanish Research Council (C.S.I.C) she was awarded a Marie Curie Fellowship between 1996-1998.

Survey on the European Commission's Support to Smart Specialisation Strategies (30/04/2019)

The Centre for Industrial Studies (CSIL), under the auspices of the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, has just launched a survey about the assistance provided by the European Commission to the design and implementation of Smart Specialisation Strategies. In particular, this survey aims at collecting the views of the entire Smart Specialisation community on the support framework delivered through e.g. guidance documents, the Smart Specialisation Platform, independent experts, etc. The data-collecting phase of the survey will continue until 30 April 2019.

Survey on Digital Innovation Hubs and Smart Specialisation (15/04/2019)

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT) are running a survey to understand what is the state of digitalisation and digital competitiveness across industries within the region where Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) are located and how synergies between DIHs and S3 are and can be further fostered. The survey is addressed to all DIHs listed in the EC catalogue and to policy actors from regions where there is at least one DIH present. If you are a potential respondent, you should have received an invitation to answer this survey (otherwise, send urgently an email to JRC-B3-DIH@ec.europa.eu requesting an invitation), before its completion on 15 April 2019.

Smart Specialisation at the European Maritime Days Lisbon 2019 (16/05/2019)

As part of joint collaboration between DG MARE and the JRC, the S3 Platform is currently analysing the role of Smart Specialisation in emerging sectors of the blue economy, with particular focus on marine renewable energy. The results of the analysis will be part of the upcoming Blue Economy report 2019 and will be showcased at the European Maritime Days in Lisbon, on 16 and 17 May 2019 to an audience of more than 700 stakeholders. The focus of the European Maritime Day 2019 will be on blue entrepreneurship, innovation and investment to transform traditional maritime sectors as well as on emerging technologies and value chains. Particular emphasis will be placed on research and innovation for a plastic-free ocean.

PXL on EDP, Monitoring and Industrial Transition (23/04/2019)

On the eve of the new programming period of the Cohesion Policy for 2021-27, the S3 Platform is organising a Peer Learning and Exchange workshop (PXL) on EDP, RIS3 Monitoring and Industrial Transition, aimed at reflecting on the S3 experience so far and discussing the new elements introduced by the new European Cohesion Regulations. It will take place on 23 April 2019 in Seville. Participation is by invitation.

S3 at Work: The Policy-Makers’ View on Strategy Design and Implementation (08/04/2019)

The report illustrates the results of a survey on the Smart Specialisation experience across European regions and countries aimed to take stock of Smart Specialisation Strategies implementation, identify critical issues and challenges, and draw some lessons and recommendations in light of the debate on the post-2020 Cohesion policy. Overall, despite being considered particularly challenging in terms of policy intelligence, skills and capabilities for public authorities and other stakeholders, the S3 experience is positively valued by the vast majority of respondents. In general, survey respondents recommend to maintain the current policy framework for the future, while introducing new elements to improve strategies’ efficacy and make Smart Specialisation more responsive to the specific needs of different territories.

Feedback from the Workshop on State Aid Map in Energy Sector (08/04/2019)

As part of its support to Member States and Regions in the implementation of their S3 in the area of energy, the S3PEnergy organised a workshop on "State Aid Map in the Energy Sector" on March 19-20 2019. It brought together more than 20 State aid practitioners from managing authorities and intermediate bodies, from 11 different EU countries (BE, HR, FI, FR, HU, LT, PT, RO, ES, UK and SI). The aim of the workshop was to co-construct a State aid map in Energy to facilitate the application of State aid rules when implementing support measures with ESI Funds to innovative energy infrastructures, renewables and energy efficiency projects.

Asturias' Innovation Camp on Circular Economy (08/04/2019)

In relation with the Asturias RIS3 and the "JRC Science meets Regions" initiative, the Asturias' innovation camp took place in late March at Covadonga. Local representatives from the government, academia, industry and the civil society, together with external experts, discussed the challenge of ensuring the sustainability of an industrial region that produces raw materials generating a great amount of industrial waste while, at the same time, counts on natural landscapes of great ecological value. Participants' work focused on opportunities opened for sustainable technologies as well as on securing the social acceptance and viability of the solutions found, coming out with a set of targeted potential solutions ("prototypes"), a long-term vision (becoming a Circular Economy region of reference by 2030) and an appealing motto reflecting precisely the circular economy emphasis: "Asturias, paraíso circular".

Feedback from the 6th Working Group meeting on DIH (09/04/2019)

On 3 April 2019, 200 participants from regions, Digital Innovation Hubs, research centres and industry representatives gathered in Brussels to discuss how to best use marketplaces and solutions from EU funded projects to support digitalisation of companies across Europe. The S3 Platform organised and chaired a session bringing together, for the first time, 3 Interregional Partnerships under the S3 thematic platforms for Industrial Modernisation and Agri-Food (Photonics, Smart Sensors 4 Agri-Food, Traceability and Big Data in Agri-Food). They highlighted their eco-systems of collaboration between regions, DIHs and clusters to generate common investment projects. Funding opportunities for DIHs for the next programming period were presented in another session (new H2020 calls, Digital Europe Programme and ERDF). Moreover the event hosted the launch of the DIHNET.EU Community platform that, in combination with the JRC DIH Catalogue online tool, will serve as a central information point for DIHs and to disseminate information, share views, learn from others, select best practices, propose training activities and more generally, foster collaboration among Digital Innovation Hubs.

Editorial from Tudor Constantinescu - Directorate General for Energy (05/03/2019)

Dr Tudor Constantinescu is Principal Adviser to the Director General for Energy in the European Commission. He is an engineer and an economist by education. Before joining the Commission, he set up as Executive Director the Buildings Performance Institute Europe. He was the president of the Romanian Agency for Energy Conservation and for the period 2008-2009, he held the presidency of the EnR network of European Energy Agencies. Between 1996-2007, he coordinated the energy efficiency and related environmental activities of the Energy Charter Secretariat in Brussels.

"RIS3 in Greece: Consolidating Governance and Raising Ambition" (06/03/2019)

The JRC, in collaboration with the Greek Ministry of National Economy and Development organised a workshop in Thessaloniki in February 2019 with two aims: 1)to contribute to the improvement of RIS3 governance. Under the guidance of the JRC, participants jointly mapped the governance functions within each region and their position within the multi-level governance of S3; 2) to raise the ambition of RIS3 in Greece in preparation for the next programming period. To this end, invited experts presented examples of integrated projects aiming to transform production and consumption systems. These included projects in the circular economy, electric mobility and advanced manufacturing. A common feature of these projects was the combination of research and innovation interventions with synergetic actions in other policy areas, including urban planning and large-scale infrastructures.

Reminder: TAIEX-REGIO Workshop on State Aid Map in Energy Sector (19/03/2019)

The S3PEnergy team, in collaboration with the Andalusian Innovation Agency (IDEA) and the Andalusian Energy Agency, is organising a Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (TAIEX-REGIO)multicountry workshop on State Aid Mapping in the Energy Sector, which will bring together State aid practitioners from several EU Member States. The event will take place in Seville on the 19th and 20th of March 2019.

Reminder: Agri-food Working Committee Meeting (27/03/2019)

The next Agri-food Working Committee Meeting will focus on "Working Towards the Long-Term Sustainability" and will take place in Florence on the 27th of March 2019. It will bring together members of the five existing Agri-Food partnerships along with representatives from DGs REGIO, AGRI, RTD, as well as the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Vanguard Initiative. Participants will examine in detail a number of issues related to the long-term sustainability of interregional collaboration in the context of Smart Specialisation.

Upcoming Innovation Camps (28/03/2019)

As part of the pilot project: "Science meets Parliaments/Science meets Regions", several innovation camps will be organised in various places across Europe to tackle a number of key challenges such as the circular economy and the raw materials industry in Asturias (Spain) on 28-29th of March, air quality in Sofia (Bulgaria) on 29-31st of March, urban renewal in Nijmegen (NL) on 17-19th of March and in Ghent (BE) on 8-10th of May, or healthcare in rural areas in Saxony-Anhalt (Germany) on 4-5th of April 2019. They are based on a methodology developed by the S3 Platform to support multiple stakeholders' involvement in entrepreneurial discovery processes and policy co-creation.

DIH Workshop on Digital Tools, Platforms and Marketplaces (03/04/2019)

The European Commission is organising the sixth Working Group meeting of Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs), with the aim to explore how the solutions developed by DIH-related European projects could be re-used by other SMEs, and what role regions and DIHs could take in this. The event welcomes projects that have developed relevant platforms or marketplaces, regions that could re-use these tools for SMEs in their own territories as well as Digital Innovation Hubs themselves to see what additional solutions they may be able to add to their service offerings. The event will take place on the 3d of April 2019 in Brussels, Belgium. Registration is open until the 1st of April. Participants are offered to share their experience and ideas on the three topics of the day – if you are interested, submit your expression of interest to CNECT-A2-EVENTS@ec.europa.eu before 20 March 2019.

Place-based Innovation Ecosystems: Ljubljana start-up ecosystem and Ljubljana Technology Park (05/03/2019)

This case study focuses on the catalyser role played by the Technology Park Ljubljana and other intermediary bridging organisations for the cohesion and development of a collaborative innovation ecosystem that supports the nurturing of new innovative companies – notably start-ups, but also scale-ups and spin-offs – in Ljubljana (Slovenia) and beyond. It is the second volume of a series on place-based innovation ecosystems that was launched in 2017, as part of a fruitful collaboration between the Committee of the Regions (CoR) and DG Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC) on promoting the importance of evidence-based policy development for regional and urban policy makers.

Presentation of the Innovation Camps methodology at the European Parliament (05/03/2019)

The annual high-level event "Science meets Parliaments" was held by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in February 2019 at the European Parliament. The event marked the launch of a serie of 26 national, regional and local events under the "Science meets Parliaments / Science meets Regions" Pilot Project under the auspices of the EP. Six of those events will adopt the modality of Innovation Camps, a methodology established by the Smart Specialisation Platform (S3P) in collaboration with the Committee of the Regions. During the event, the S3P provided a training on the methodology to representatives of Sofia (BG), Saxony-Anhalt (DE), Asturias (ES), Catalonia (ES) and Nijmejen (NL) together with two senior experts.

Interregional Cooperation in Agri-Food Smart Specialisation (27/02/2019)

Published on the Regional Studies's website, this online article sheds light on the European Commission’s Thematic Smart Specialisation Platform on Agri-food. It highlights the background of the initiative, the criteria for successful submissions and outlines the potential benefits the scheme can bring to collaborating European regions.

Presentation of S3P place-based innovation case studies - ARLEM (08/03/2019)

In February, the Committee of the Regions organised in Seville the annual gathering of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM). On this occasion, The Smart Specialisation Platform chaired a side event on local innovation ecosystems, where three case studies prepared by the JRC were presented: Start-up ecosystem and the Technology Park Ljubljana (Slovenia), Digital social innovation ecosystem in Barcelona (Spain) and Innovation districts in Boston (USA). In addition, the President of Westpomerania region (Poland) presented its regional ecosystem.

Forthcoming EU Survey on Digital Innovation Hubs & S3 (07/03/2019)

The S3 Platform, in partnership with DG CNECT, will launch in the coming days a survey to investigate the states of digitalisation and digital competitiveness across industries within regions and DIHs positioning, as well as how DIHs and Smart Specialisation Strategies relate to each other and how they (or could) interact in the future. The survey is addressed to DIH managers and regional policy actors from regions hosting DIHs who will receive individual invitation emails to get access to it.

Smart Specialisation and EU Research and Innovation (25/01/2019)

Magda De Carli is the Head of the Sharing Excellence – Country intelligence Unit within the European Commission's DG Research and Innovation (DG RTD). Her Unit contributes i.a. to the development of synergies between the research framework programme and the structural funds. In this editorial, she shares her views on the relationship between Smart Specialisation and Research and Innovation (R&I) policy.

TAIEX-REGIO Workshop on State Aid Map in Energy Sector (19/03/2019)

The S3PEnergy team, in collaboration with the Andalusian Innovation Agency (IDEA) and the Andalusian Energy Agency, is organising a Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (TAIEX-REGIO)multicountry workshop on State Aid Mapping in the Energy Sector, which will bring together State aid practitioners from several EU Member States. The event will take place in Seville on the 19th and 20th of March 2019.

Agri-food Working Committee Meeting (27/03/2019)

The next Agri-food Working Committee Meeting will focus on "Working Towards the Long-Term Sustainability" and will take place in Florence on the 27th of March 2019. It will bring together members of the five existing Agri-Food partnerships along with representatives from DGs REGIO, AGRI, RTD, as well as the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Vanguard Initiative. Participants will examine in detail a number of issues related to the long-term sustainability of interregional collaboration in the context of Smart Specialisation.

European Week of Regions and Cities (07/10/2019)

The 17th European Week of Regions and Cities will take place from the 7th to the 10th of October 2019 in Brussels. The emerging top 3 themes for the 2019 edition are: 1) The Future of the EU and the roles of Regions and Cities, 2) A Europe Closer to Citizens, 3) A greener Europe. Deadline for application is the 29th of March.

Cooperation for Smart Specialisation – 1st Western Balkans workshop (06/02/2019)

This workshop was held on the 5th of February 2019 in Podgorica (Montenegro). It aimed at promoting Smart Specialisation as an important tool also for transnational cooperation in the Western Balkans. It also provided a dialogue forum to jointly discuss: strategic innovation policies, the identification of priorities of common interest, as well as their implementation across the Western Balkans.

S3 in Sparsely Populated European Arctic Regions (25/01/2019)

The report provides an overview of the specific context of Arctic regions and examples of how Smart Specialisation has been implemented there, addressing challenges such as remote location, lack of critical mass, lack of connectivity between actors, and dependence on few dominant industries. The paper highlights cases of transnational, inter-regional and cross-border collaboration that succeed in turning the Arctic context into a source of competitive advantage, in the context of a Smart Specialisation approach.

Higher Education for S3: Centre-Val de Loire report (25/01/2019)

This report presents the results of the case study in the French region of Centre-Val de Loire, analysing the role of its Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the design and implementation of the regional Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3). Four objectives are outlined: 1. To understand the role of the University of Orleans, the University of Tours and the INSA-Institute of Applied Sciences in the S3 of Centre Val de Loire; 2. To analyse ways in which education / training dimensions can be integrated sustainably into the S3 governance system; 3. To understand the role of lifelong learning / continuous education in the Centre-Val de Loire S3; 4. To explore the policy mix and the complementarity of existing instruments to strengthen the role of universities in the research and innovation system.

An analytical framework to assess the governance of universities and their involvement in S3 (25/01/2019)

The current report proposes an analytical framework for university governance allowing the comparison and benchmarking of governance systems across EU Member States, which could serve as guidance for university managers and policy makers towards designing the institutional incentives and funding programmes for increased engagement in S3.

Smart Specialisation and regional funding in Upper Austria (16/01/2019)

The Smart Stories reflect the way in which stakeholders across Europe have used the Smart specialisation concept to develop their own innovation-driven development policies at national and regional level. The region of Upper Austria gives an account of the way in which regional stakeholders were involved in the policy process to define the five key priority areas, and the calls that have been launched. It also presents two key success stories emerging as a result of one of the calls.

Water as a S3 priority in Pohjois-Savo (Northern Savonia), Finland (16/01/2019)

The Smart Stories reflect the way in which stakeholders across Europe have used the Smart specialisation approach to develop their own innovation-driven development policies at national and regional level. The Region of Pohjois-Savo (Northern Savonia), Finland, gives an account of the cluster of water expertise that has been developed at Kuopio Science Park, its areas of application as well as the various cooperation schemes it is fostering.

EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Annual Forum: Open call for seminars (15/02/2019)

The 10th Annual forum of the EU strategy for the Baltic Sea Region will take place on the 12 and 13 June 2019, in Gdansk (Poland). Submissions proposals for seminar under the theme of "Circular and sharing economy as an answer to demographic changes and environmental challenges in the Baltic Sea Region" are open until the 15th February 2019.

"Smart Specialisation: reconnecting European Science and Innovation Diasporas". (25/01/2019)

On the occasion of the 4th Annual Meeting of European Scientific Diasporas in North America, that was held at the Austrian Embassy in Washington DC, Jürgen Haberleithner, former visiting scientist within the Smart Specialisation Platform, presented the inter-institutional poster (Joint Research Centre, Euraxess North America and University of Colima) entitled "Smart Specialisation: reconnecting European Science and Innovation Diasporas".