DANUBE REGION SYNERGY WORKSHOP RESEARCH – INNOVATION – KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY

30 March 2017, Vienna

• Area covering 1/5 of EU territory - 9 Member states, 5 Non EU-MS (Accession and Neighborhood countries) – 69 NUTS 2 regions - 114 million inhabitants

Danube Region is worth getting attention…

• A region of contradictions with disproportionate level of economic development with two German Länder representing half of the entire DR GDP and EU members shares in the DR GDP representing almost 90%

• Existent economic and innovation potential but some pitfalls to overcome: • countries not reaching

adequate levels in R&D spending (average 1,4% GDP – EU 27 is 2,7% GDP)

• Underdeveloped entrepreneurial culture, brain drain, low salaries, inadequate infrastructures, etc.

What is going on in policy?

• European Research Area – status of “association” to Horizon 2020, involvement in ERA advisory bodies, programme committees, etc., available Policy Support Facility, specific “widening” activities

• Enlargement process – negotiating EU acquis ‘chapter 25’, using IPA II funds, regional cooperation among “Western Balkan countries”, e.g. development of “South East Europe 2020” strategy under coordination of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) (which includes focus on R&I) and European Neighbourhood Policy

• Macro-regional strategies, e.g. EU Strategy for the Danube Region, Adriatic-Ionian, etc. including both MS and non-MS; transnational cooperation (Interreg), Policy Learning Platforms etc.

Advancing International Cooperation in Research and Innovation

19 partners …

… from 14 countries

Questions to be answered…

• What is the status of “the region” and how can we capture patterns? Where does the region stand and where does it go?

• Which support is available? What is done at the level of policy, programmes, projects and individual researchers?

• How do we try to coordinate funding and how successful is it?

• What are main barriers to cooperation?

• How can we build strategic networks?

Questions to be answered…

• What is the status of “the region” and how can we capture patterns? Where does the region stand and where does it go?

• Which support is available? What is done at the level of policy, programmes, projects and individual researchers?

• How do we try to coordinate funding and how successful is it?

• What are main barriers to cooperation?

• How can we build strategic networks?

…while implementing a structured project…

• WP1 Project Management

• WP2 Policy Dialogue

• WP3 Tackling Societal Challenges: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in a Bio-based Economy

• WP4 Analytical Evidence on Research and Innovation in the Danube Region

• WP5 Promoting Innovative and Inclusive Danube Societies

• WP6 Scaling up Danube Funding Mechanisms

• WP7 Communication and Dissemination

Work Package 2 – Aims

The objectives of the Work package “Policy Dialogue” are to:

• support the R&I policy dialogue established in the Danube Cooperation Process, mainly EUSDR Priority Area & Steering Groups

• exchange information on high-level R&I stakeholder meetings and ongoing policy dialogue activities (e.g.

ministerial conferences)

• support the implementation of the ERA framework and EU R&I policy implementation in the Danube Region (with a focus on the enlargement and ENP countries)

Work Package 2 – Impact Task 1: • Helped to focus discussions and reach some of their milestones within

PA7 , also in cooperation with WP6; • Pilot for cross-PA thematic discussions (Technology Transfer) • Outreach to COST, Horizon 2020, DG Regio, antional and regional

stakeholders to foster awareness of macro-regional STI cooperation needs

Task 2: • Creating a previously not existing map of stakeholders • Awareness raising for EU R&I cooperation between possible stakeholders

and further international partners • Strengthening cooperation between different actors:

Research to Research, Research to Business, B2R, B2B, etc. Task 3: • Attempts to introduce findings into policy-making (e.g. UA cabinet) • Awareness of the role of Teaming, Twinning, PSf a.o. for structural

change in national R&I systems • Triggering the H2020 strategic programme committee to discussing

follow-on dialogues, possibly to be financed under H2020

Supporting Sustainable Energy and Bioeconomy in the Danube

Region

Alessandro Lombardo

Central European Initiative (CEI)

Vienna, 30th March 2017

Implemented actions and lessons learned

WP3 Concept and Tasks

CEI

SIG

CEI MAPPING

AND ANALYSIS T3.1

CLUSTERING AND

NETWORKING T3.2

PILOT ACTIVITIES

T3.3

T3.1: Mapping & Analysis

• Database of stakeholders in the field of energy efficiency, renewable energy and bioeconomy at: https://danube-inco.net/object/call/14095 (currently including about 700 institutions, for joining: www.danube-inco.net)

• Energy & Bioeconomy News Alert, a monthly newsletter for sharing knowledge on events and funding opportunities for sustainable energy and bioeconomy in the Danube Region

• Report on available funding opportunities + Analysis of H2020 calls in the field of sustainable energy

T3.2: Clustering & Networking

• 5 Clustering Workshops implemented in 2015-2016, of which 2 focused on the development of bioeconomy in the Danube Region

• 2 Brokerage Events in support to networking and partnership building

• 1 Triple-Helix Conference “Supporting the development of bio-based economy partnerships in the Danube Region through a triple-helix approach”

T3.3 Pilot Activities

Towards a Danube bioeconomy RTI strategy for appropriate regional added value chains

implemented by

in cooperation with

Main objectives To initiate activities towards the development of a bioeconomy RTI strategy for the

Danube Region through the identification of relevant stakeholders, discussion and

alignment of current activities and identification of potential measures to support the

expansion of bioeconomy in the targeted area

Implemented

activities

Accurate mapping of ongoing initiatives related to RTI-Bioeconomy activities in the

countries participating in the EUSDR, including existing strategies and programmatic

documents

Identification of relevant stakeholders to develop a bioeconomy RTI agenda in a

multi‐actor approach

Danube-wide virtual stakeholder consultation to collect inputs for the future

elaboration of the bioeconomy RTI agenda (July – September 2016)

Three strategy workshops:

o In Vienna, on the 14th of March 2016

o In Timisoara, on the 24th of May 2016

o In Vienna, on the 13th of October 2016

Main outcomes First steps towards the creation of a bioeconomy community in the Danube Region,

with specific focus on life science experts

Elaboration of a Position Paper for the advancement of bioeconomy in the Danube

Region, which includes:

o A mapping of ongoing bioeconomy-related activities, existing strategies and

programmatic documents in the Danube countries

o A set of inputs/recommendations towards the development of a future

bioeconomy RTI strategy in the Danube Region, with focus on:

a) needs in terms of governance

b) RTI priority fields of action

Building a Bioeconomy Research and Advocacy Network in the Danube Region (DANUBIONET)

implemented by in cooperation with

Main objectives Fostering the development of Bioeconomy in countries of the Danube Region by means of

capacity mapping, advanced networking based on open innovation and awareness raising,

with a focus on the involvement of industrial players

Implemented

activities

DANUBIONET Capacity Building survey (April – October 2016): 98 answers collected

from stakeholders representing the whole Triple-Helix (22,5% from business/industry;

49% from academia/research; 28,5% from public sector/NGO)

Two Open Innovation Events:

o In Budapest, on the 6th of October 2016

o In Timisoara, on the 25th of October 2016

Main outcomes Three project ideas emerged in the context of the two Open Innovation Events as

possible solutions to specific industrial challenges:

o On the use of sewage-based products to facilitate nutrient recycling

o On the support to education, awareness raising, innovations and communication

to position biogas production in the advanced bioeconomy

o On the use of CO2 from industrial exhaust air

Elaboration of a Position Paper based on an analysis of the results of the DANUBIONET

Capacity Building survey, as well as on the inputs collected during the two Open

Innovation Events. The Position Paper aims to:

o Illustrate critical bottlenecks hindering the deployment of Bioenergy and

Bioeconomy in the Danube Region

o Introduce the elaboration of countermeasures to overcome the above-mentioned

bottlenecks

o Highlight interventions to foster regional cooperation and Triple-Helix synergies in

order to bridge the gap in cross-cutting issues

WP4: Analytical Evidence on Research & Innovation in the

Danube Region

Dr Béla Kardon Chief Scientific Officer

Regional Centre for Information and Scientific Development

SYNERGY WORKSHOP

RESEARCH – INNOVATION – KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY

30 March 2017 Vienna / Austria

Tasks

1. Monitoring research and innovation cooperation

2. Barriers to cooperation in the Danube Region

3. Policy mix peer review

Results

• Analysis of research and innovation projects in the region and transferability of results

• Co-publication and co-patenting analysis among countries in the Danube Region

• Study on cooperation barriers in the Danube Region

• Policy Mix Peer Review Reports in Bosnia and Serbia

Lessons learnt Barriers of cooperation

• Socio-cultural & political

• Capacity of institutes

• Administrative & bureaucratic barriers

• Excellence

• Management

Co-publication Findings – Top Contributors

• Universities produce highest output in DR

• Noteworthy exceptions:

– Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

– Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

– Academy of Sciences of Moldova

– Slovak Academy of Sciences

– National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

… which rank at the top of their country in terms of publication output and/or impact.

Lessons learnt Policy peer mix review

• Gap between the industry and the academia

• Lack of demand for innovation

• Low number of R&D personnel, low performance of R&D and outdated or inadequate research infrastructure

• Multi-level governance system

• Research and innovation are not prioritized by policy makers

• Seriously limited resources - importantly relying on international aid

Dr Béla Kardon CSO Regional Centre for Information and Scientific Development danube-inco@rcisd.eu www.rcisd.eu

Thank you for your attention!

Danube-INCO.NET Advancing Research and Innovation

in the Danube Region

Work package 5: Promoting Innovative and Inclusive Danube Societies

30 March, Vienna

Daniela Chiran, Project Manager

Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum

WP 5: Promoting Innovative and Inclusive Danube Societies T5.1: Smart Specialised Danube – JRC

Promoting and exploring the potential of S3 in the DR Capacity building and training, defining planning i.e for MD (currently running)

T5.2: Danube Transfer Centres – SEZ Model for the establishment of transfer centres including methodology and agreements and direct support and advise for the operation – number of agreements and “really“ working centres established

T5.3: Development and “Labelling” of Danube Region projects and proposals-UNS

WP 6: Scaling up Danube Funding Mechanisms

Partners involved:

• German Federal Ministry of Education and Research;

• German Aerospace Center/Project Management Agency;

• Austrian Research Promotion Agency

Objectives:

• Support coordination of joint funding mechanisms in the Danube region

• Preparation of a possible funding call

• Examine possibilities for scaling up (= enlarging) funding mechanisms

WP 6: Scaling up Danube Funding Mechanisms Tasks:

1. organise two meetings of funding parties: support to joint funding actions in close cooperation with other initiatives;

• joint workshop with EUREKA Programme to organise EUREKA Danube call in 2015;

• joint Workshop with Joint Programming Initiative Urban Europe

2. Assess the potential for establishing a joint fund or an Art. 185 measure for the Danube Region in close cooperation with EUSDR stakeholders (based on feasibility study)

• outcomes: a fund or an Art. 185 measure is not realistic; a more feasible option has to be sought

3. Support to the establishment of a Danube Funding Coordination Network (DFCN)

• flexible, sustainable network for the coordination and alignment of funding activities in Danube Region

• 1st meeting: Workshop in May 2016 in Berlin in close cooperation with relevant EUSDR stakeholders

• establishment of DFCN, Terms of reference endorsed

• members are nominated from Danube countries engaged in funding activities

• 2nd meeting: November 2016 Bratislava

WP 6: Scaling up Danube Funding Mechanisms

WP7 Communication

• Knowledge exchange on Research and Innovation in the Danube Region

• www.danube-inco.net is a recognized knowledge exchange hub on R&I in the Danube Region

• Bi-weekly/monthly Newsletter with 13.500 subscribers, social media accounts, News Alerts on Energy and Bioeconomy

Danube-INCO.NET Calls Database What programmes are available?

• National and bilateral programmes • Horizon 2020 • COST • EUREKA • EU structural funds

(primarily ERDF followed by ESF) • Interreg

(transnational and cross-border) • Instrument for Pre-accession II • European Neighbourhood

Instrument • Bilateral and multilateral

cooperation schemes • Grants through Central European

Initiative and other multinational cooperation fora (Visegrad 4, etc.)

• Erasmus+, CEEPUS, etc. • Etc.

Get in touch and help create a community sharing information

• Reach us at office@danube-inco.net to promote your events, news, calls, projects etc. – your feedback is welcome!

• Register for our bi-weekly newsletter on Danube-INCO.NET homepage (13.500 subscribers)

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Uncovered topics

• STI capacity building for policy makers and delivery

• STI indicators and monitoring

• Increase ERA COFUND participation

• Mobility of researchers

• IPR support

• EU MS visibility of the region / countries

• Open Science

• TT strategic options and instruments

• Performance based funding “practice” and options

Thank you for your attention!

Contact Martin Felix Gajdusek gajdusek@zsi.at

Désirée Pecarz, pecarz@zsi.at, office@danube-inco.net