Collaboration Opportunities and Synergies between RIS3 and EIT-RIS

Exploring collaboration opportunities and synergies between Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3) and EIT Climate KIC under the Regional Innovation Scheme (EIT-RIS)

Rationale

Smart Specialisation is conceived of as a process aimed at transforming the economic and industrial structures of a territory through the formation of new capacities and capabilities. The European Commission's science and knowledge service - the Joint Research Centre (DG JRC), and Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) provide targeted support to EU regions and Member States in the implementation of their smart specialisation strategies. More specifically, while DG REGIO works with Member States (MSs) and regions to assess needs, finance investments and evaluate the results, the JRC in Seville provides practical and analytical support in implementing smart specialisation strategies for research and innovation (RIS3) on the ground. The "Stairway to Excellence" (S2E) project supports EU Member States in closing the innovation gap and promoting excellence with emphasis on enabling synergies between European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF), H2020 and other funding instruments.

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology Climate Knowledge and Innovation Community (EIT Climate-KIC) is an EU body that contributes to sustainable growth by combining public and private funds to support public-private partnership in the field of climate change mitigation and adaptation. It has a focus on so-called 'modest and moderate innovator' regions of European countries under the "EIT Regional Innovation Scheme" (EIT RIS).

EIT Climate-KIC, DG JRC, DG REGIO and the national and regional ESIF Managing Authorities (MAs) and bodies responsible for RIS3 implementation work with common stakeholders from across the quadruple helix. These stakeholders are crucial for efficient RIS3 implementation, as well as for successful cooperation under EIT RIS. Therefore, enhancing communication between these stakeholders and aligning their activities can foster regional capacities and create more collaboration opportunities for each actor of the regional innovation ecosystem. Also, in spite of the similarities in innovation objectives and target groups, there have been no examples to bring together national and regional MAs with EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities. This event is both novel and unique in seeking to bring together those stakeholders for EIT Climate KIC.

Objectives

The main aim of this event is to gather key stakeholders from different European MSs and regions and facilitate interaction, exchange of good practices, identify barriers and obstacles appearing in each of the project phases, set up potential collaboration and work out common solutions. The event also aims to provide recommendations for future collaborative activities in order to exploit synergies between RIS3 and EIT-RIS. The principal objectives of the event are:

• Elaborating the roles and possible contributions of Climate-KIC and JRC to regional innovation ecosystems with emphasis on capacity building and establishment of better governance structures.
• Exploring collaboration opportunities between Managing Authorities of ESIF and Climate KIC stakeholders.
• Raising awareness of the actions of DG JRC, DG REGIO and Climate-KIC facilitating synergies between different funding programmes.
• Sharing experiences in developing effective collaboration tools, accessing finance and being integrated to local and global value chains.
• Exploring opportunities for the transnational collaboration where also quadruple helix and national authorities in charge of ESIF can be involved.

Possible Attendees

• Partners of Climate-KIC from EIT-RIS countries and regions
• National and regional ESIF/OPs Managing Authorities
• National and regional authorities in charge of designing and implementing Smart Specialisation Strategies
• National Contact Points of H2020 and other EU funding programmes
• Representatives from the institutions having interest in Climate-KIC activities, EU funding programmes and synergies (e.g. PROs, HEIs, SMEs, private enterprises, etc.).
• Exploring collaboration opportunities and synergies between Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3) and EIT Climate KIC under the Regional Innovation Scheme (EIT-RIS)