The S3 CoP offers a variety of services and activities focused on promoting the development and implementation of Smart Specialisation Strategies. These services include:

• Working Groups
• Targeted support assignments
• High Level Expert Group
• Thematic Platforms and Partnerships
• Events – S3 Conference 2023
• Communications / S3 website
• Expert database

The S3 CoP activities are designed to benefit any stakeholders involved in Smart Specialisation. This includes regional authorities, national governments, research institutions, businesses, policy makers, experts, as well as civil society and NGOs.

Thematic Smart Specialisation Partnerships (TSSPs) are open to regional authorities and/or quadruple helix actors from regions that have an S3 with clear links to the topic. In case actors that want to participate to a TSSP are not from a regional authority or agency, they need to get in touch with their S3 management body to obtain a mandate to join a TSSP.

To join an existing partnership, it is necessary to reach out to the lead regions of the TSSP and express interest in participation. Contact details of the lead regions, or representative stakeholders of the TSSP, are available in the pdf documents provided in the Thematic Platforms webpages.

The S3 Community of Practice will carry out a wide range of activities to support TSSPs and thematic platforms.

The support will be provided equally to all S3 thematic platforms (agri-food, energy, industrial modernisation and the sustainable blue economy) and will include, among others:

• a clear website on the overall activities of the platform and partnerships
• hosting of steering committee meetings
• secretariat support
• guidance material for all stages of collaborations
• where relevant, monitoring and analysis of partnerships and their activities
• tailored service provision to the partnerships
• cross-cutting analyses in collaboration with the S3CoP working group on interregional cooperation