Week of Innovative Regions in Europe(WIRE)

Prof. Rafael Rodriguez-ClementeSpanish Representative in REGPOT and REGIONS

Brussels, 30th October 2009

Advances made up to now

1. Introduction: 3 conferences merging into 1 big success!!

1. Venue and date2.1 Granada2.2 The Congress

centre2.3 Local support:

sponsorships2. Objectives of WIRE

4. Expected outcomes and deliverables

5. WIRE Steering Committee6. Tentative Agenda7. Dissemination Plan8. Poster session9. Commission proposals.10. Other developments

1. Introduction 3 conferences merging into 1 big

success!!

WHY?- Economies of scale- Higher attraction capacity: more networking building- To make the event a MUST for relevant stakeholders

REGPOT conference

REGIONS conference

SF-FP-CIP conference

WIRE

Week of European Regions in Europe

2. Venue and dateGranada (Spain) – 15th-17th March 2010

500 attendants expected

2.1 Granada

2.2 Conference centre

2.3 Local support: sponsorships

32 km away from Granada. Venue for the Alpine World Ski Championships in 1996

Best place for “tapas” in the whole Spain.

The Alhambra: Morish

arquitectural legacy. Our

social agenda.

2.2 The Congress Centre in Granada

2.3 Local support: Sponsorships

Strong support at every political level, from different political parties

3. Objectives of WIRE

OVERALL GOAL: How to move from synergies of policies to synergies of actions in the optimal use of existing EU instruments, to build the knowledge economy in the regions.

OBJECTIVES OF WIRE: 3 LEVELS: Overall objectives

General goalsSpecific objectives for the different conferences

3. Objectives of WIRE (II)

GENERAL GOALS:

• Identifying possible synergies between the different community, national, and regional support instruments for the increased competitiveness of European businesses, based on the use and exploitation of scientific and technological knowledge.

• Help administrations to better identify and use funding for complementary means, by improving the Practical Guide to EU Funding Opportunities for R&D.

• “Quadruple Helix” concept: Stimulating interaction and association processes (clusters) between administrations, research centres, companies and education centres, based on mutual interest and with expectations for an increase in competitiveness in the regional production system.

• Improving and promoting regional competitiveness and regional scientific infrastructure.

4. Expected outcome

4.1 Recommendations of the Council on the connectivity between the different levels of the European, National and Regional strategies and programs, using the Financial Perspectives mid-term assessment and the future frames. Special attention should be given to

4.2 User Guide for access to the different Funds (Practical Guide to EU Funding Opportunities for R&D), based on a selection of good regional practices.

Working group

Working group

4.1 Council conclusions or recommendations

On the following areas (tentative):

– Connectivity between the different levels of the European, National and Regional strategies and programmes.

– Implications for the renewed Lisbon Strategy beyond 2010.– Input for the forthcoming discussions on the financial

perspectives (medium term / long term)

•Toward the use of evaluation tools with mutual recognition.

•FP “Quality stamp”•Promoting Innovation Culture•Common calls for proposals between different instruments

•Observatory for different funding instruments•Summer School on regional strategies for R&D

INCLUDING MORE CONCRETE PROPOSALS…

4.2 User Guide and other supports

• Improved User Guide for access to the different Funds (Practical Guide to EU Funding Opportunities for R&D), based on a selection of good regional practices.

– TARGET AUDIENCE: End users, who are both researchers and administrators.

• A possible Portal for Funding Opportunities and good examples (even well evaluated but not financed projects)

5. WIRE Steering Committee

• Mandate: to provide input to the Ministry of Science and Innovation to design the contents and expected results, in order to ensure a high stakeholders’ engagement.

• Representatives from the European Commission (DG RTD + DG REGIO + DG RTD), the European Parliament, the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the Ministry of Finance, the previous and next EU Council Presidencies, and several regions.

• Meetings

– Kick-off meeting: 21st July (Madrid)– Meeting for content and identification of speakers: 6th October (Brussels).– Meeting for validation: 12th January 2010 (Madrid).– Meeting for assessment: April 2010.– Last meeting for ways forward and continuity: July 2010.

6. Tentative Agenda3 days (+ 1 day satellite events)More details in the Excel file

Day 1 Day 3Day 2

Lunch

Synergies of policies: Political players

Synergies of actions: Main actors

Conclusions

REGPOT and REGIONS

REGIONSREGPOT

Future

Impacts

Governance

Instruments

Hoja de cálculo de Microsoft Office Exce

7. Dissemination PlanLeaflet distributed in:• DG REGIO Info-days

5th-8th October. 7.000 copies.

• ERA Conference 2009 21st-22th October

Forthcoming:• “Growing together for

a sustainable Europe: Local and regional implementation of the Strategy for Growth and Jobs after 2010” SE Presidency, 10th-11th November.

Others? Please contact us!

7. Dissemination Plan (II)Website www.micinn.es/wire2010

7. Dissemination Plan (III)Pre-registration facility

Selection of attendants by two means:1. Identified groups (Representatives in REGIONS and REGPOT, leader in projects, EC Expert Groups on sysnergies EC-SF-CIP)2. Pre-registration tool, for other stakeholders not identified.Maximum of 550 people

8. Poster session

• Abstracts should be submitted in English indicating the preference for one of the following categories:

– Regional innovation Policies– Connecting clusters from all over Europe– Connecting Research Centres from

all over Europe

NETWORKING CORNERS WILL

BE NATURALLY CREATED

Abstract submission deadline December 1st

Notification of acceptance December 20th

Poster submission deadline (electronic copy)

March 1st

Posters’ exhibition March 15th - 17th

9. EC proposals

• First version already done.

• We will be ready to submit the proposals as soon as the call is open.

• Change of beneficiary asked by the Spanish Ministry, by reasons of force majeure.

9. EC proposals (II)The Spanish Foundation for Science and

Technology

• The Spanish Science and Technology Foundation (FECYT) is an organisation dependent on the Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN).

• It was created in 2001 as a tool of the national system for knowledge generation and technological transfer.

• The Foundation operates as a non-profit private association and with functional autonomy, with the goal of rendering a continuous and flexible service to the Spanish system of science-technology-enterprise.

10. Some new developments

• Contacts with EPO and OECD• Contacts with WBC-INCO.Nets. Interest in participating.

Possible speaker from Serbia• The NCP Networks of REGPOT and REGIONS are identifying

possible participants as good practice examples.• The RUP are preparing a common document on RTD in

Regional Policy. Possible connection between RUP and Neighbourhood Countries.

• The Belgium Minister will present the Research Programme under the Belgium Presidency, in WIRE closing session.

• Hungarian colleagues have shown interest in organising WIRE 2.

THANK YOU

WIRE Organising Committee

wire2010@micinn.es