Smart Specialisation success story Cantabria

The process of design, validation and implementation of our RIS3 has followed a novel approach to increase participation. It centres on the involvement of all regional innovation actors (social, technological, political and entrepreneurial) in a new governance system for evaluation and monitoring of the strategy. Specifically, two new structures have been created:

The Regional Innovation Commission is the executive body responsible for the promotion, planning, coordination and monitoring of all regional R&I activities. This body is presided over by the President of the Regional Government which provides an important element of political leadership. Its Vice President is the Regional Minister of Innovation and also includes Managing Directors with competences for Industry and Innovation, Education, Research and Development, Information Technologies, Communications, Health, Employment Policies and Local Treasury. The design of the Commission will hopefully bring about a more integrated policy mix, an important principle promoted in the S3 methodology.

The Regional Innovation Forum is a participatory space for all actors and members of the innovation ecosystem. Its composition has been purposefully designed to create a dynamic mix of participants from local and regional levels, research centres, universities, technology hubs, regional clusters and entrepreneurial organisations.

The main aim of our governance mechanism is to strengthen the feedback and learning process through full involvement of key innovation stakeholders. This is a challenging and difficult process but we see public sector innovation as a critical tool in the implementation of RIS3.

The main aim of our governance mechanism is to strengthen the feedback and learning process through full involvement of key innovation stakeholders.