Centres of Competence and Digital Innovation Hubs

Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform hosted a webinar for regional policymakers on Centres of Competence (CoCs) and Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) on 25 September 2020. The S3 Platform, Joint Research Centre, presented the synergies between these two tools for regional innovation and competitiveness. Indeed, a CoC can evolve towards a DIH or become part of one. In any case, their combined strengths boost the ecosystem supporting the digital transformation of local business and public bodies, and national and regional Smart Specialisation Strategies can provide an adequate framework to nurture such integration of capacities. In the Multi-annual Financial Framework 2021-2027, both the European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) and the brand new Digital Europe programme are called to play a fundamental role in funding the deployment of DIHs to serve all regions in EU. The webinar presented also two successful cases of Centres of Competence in Europe: the National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre at Kaunas University of Technology in Lithuania (university that leads Santaka Artificial Intelligence DIH), as well as the Industrial Internet Laboratory at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences (SeAMK) (university that leads IoT Compass DIH).

Check out the webinar site.