Highlights
R&I Viewer: Regional Horizon 2020 Indicators’ Updates
The R&I Regional Viewer provides a structured visualisation of three sets of regional data: Eurostat main economic indicators; R&I planned investments under ESIF; and Horizon 2020 fundings allocated to stakeholders. Promoted by the Stairway to Excellence initiative, this web tool aims at facilitating synergies and complementarities between various funding sources.
Calls & Expression of Interests
MOOC on RIS3 Monitoring: Expressions of interest
The JRC Lagging Regions project and the S3 platform are jointly producing a MOOC on RIS3 Monitoring. Available from March 2018 and free of charge, this MOOC is addressed to all those with an interest or a stake in monitoring RIS3. Please answer a five minute survey if you are interested in learning more and share your needs.
S3 Publications and Tools
The Smart Specialisation Platform for Industrial Modernisation at Work
This paper looks at how the new Industrial Modernisation Platform can help European regions create and/or join transnational networks of knowledge and expertise, and drive the development of transnational and macro-regional value chains. Cooperation and outward-looking disposition promote an understanding of the competitive position of the country/region with regard to others, and with respect to global value chains. The paper summarises the progress made since the formal launch of the platform in June 2016 and offers an overview of the existing partnerships that are currently supported.
Innovation and Regional Specialisation in Latin America
The Smart Specialisation concept, currently implemented in the European Union, is gaining traction in several countries and regions of Latin-America. The study “Innovation and regional specialisation in Latin America” is now available in Spanish (following the link “read more”) and Portuguese.
Spotlight on…
A New Partnership in the Field of Photonics
The goal of the partnership is to identify and position the European photonic clusters that have unique and valuable capabilities and capacities in the supply and value chains. Led by South-Netherlands and Flanders, other participating regions include Berlin, Bretagne, Catalonia, East Netherlands, Helsinki-Uusimaa, Mazowieckie, Östergötlands, Stockholm and Thüringen.
Digitalisation and Safety for Tourism
At the occasion of the World Tourism Day 2017, a joint partnership to foster investment on Digitalisation and Safety for Tourism was launched, under the Smart Specialisation Platform for Industrial Modernisation. Andalusia and Lapland (the leading Regions) together with Slovenia, Castilla y Leon, Catalonia, Lazio, Tuscany and Valencia are willing to reinforce their innovation capacity. Moreover, they wish to facilitate investments based on open innovation infrastructure or new technology by developing tourism innovation interconnected ecosystems.
In the Regions & Member States
Smart Stories: Extremadura territorial perspective on S3
The Smart Stories reflect the way in which managing authorities have used the S3 concept to develop their own innovation-driven development policies at national and regional level. This month, the testimonial from Extremadura (Spain) is presented, with a focus on capacity-building in a rural area. Thanks to a new governance model, local actors have incorporated knowledge-based innovation in their production system to better attend market demand.
EDP in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace
Through its adoption and adaptation towards regional development, the smart specialisation concept has become a powerful instrument for place-based innovation-driven growth. A prime example is that of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (Greece). The Entrepreneurial Discovery Process (EDP) required not only introducing, for the first time, participatory dialogue in the RTDI policy-making, but also reigniting trust-building towards the public sector.
Upcoming Events
26 – 27 October 2017
Integrated Sustainable Urban Development Strategies’ Workshop
Co-organised by the Finnish Six Cities, DG REGIO and DG JRC, the third pan-European peer review workshop on Integrated Sustainable Urban Development Strategies (ISUDS) will be held in Espoo (Finland) on 26-27 October 2017. Representatives of the Six City Strategy (FI) and the cities of Toulon (FR) and Alba Iulia (RO) will present their urban strategies. The workshop’s methodology will follow that of the Smart Specialisation strategies developed by the JRC. The attendees will have the opportunity to discuss and exchange with peer cities, representatives of the Managing Authorities, urban experts and the Commission.
8 – 9 November 2017
Boosting Smart Interregional Collaboration through Clusters
The second edition of the ‘Grow your region’ conference will take place in Valencia (Spain) on 8 and 9 November 2017. It provides an opportunity to share S3 and cluster experience and practices; exchange ideas about future actions for smart interregional collaboration; and learn about new ways of supporting innovation and accelerating industrial modernisation and SMEs growth.
New Dimensions of Smart Specialisation
Enhancing Innovation in the EU-CELAC Common Research Area
The JRC took part in the EU-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) meeting in El Salvador on 3d October 2017. As part of the panel “Enhancing the Innovation dimension of the Common Research Area”, smart specialisation was presented as a guiding concept for innovation-led territorial policies in Europe and in various Latin America countries.
10 October 2017
Smart Specialisation in Moldova
In 2016, the S3 Platform has started a pilot project targeting three countries outside the EU – Ukraine, Moldova and Serbia – to support the development of their R&I systems and the implementation of S3. Improved research and innovation strategies containing smart specialisation approach could become the drivers of technology upgrading and provide unique competitive advantages for those countries. On 6th October, during the Moldova Business Week 2017, the report “Mapping of economic, innovative and scientific potential in the Republic of Moldova” was presented by the Smart Specialisation Platform, with an emphasis on the Entrepreneurial Discovery Process.
Announcement
7th Report on Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion
Analysing the current state of the EU’s economic, social and territorial cohesion, the Report suggests an EU-wide policy serving three main purposes: harnessing globalisation, leaving no one behind and supporting structural reforms. It also emphasises the role of the S3 approach to foster economic transformation and to address societal challenges.
