ERIK ACTION Upgrading the Innovation capacity of Existing Enterprises through INTERREG IVC

Info Day - Bucharest, Romania 3rd of December 2009

1

ERIK ACTION

Upgrading the Innovation capacity of Existing Enterprises through

INTERREG IVC


2

Overview ERIK ACTION is the only project involving a Romanian partner from a total of six Capitalisation Projects approved on the first call of INTERREG IVC and also receiving ‘Fast Track’ assistance from the EC. South East Regional Development Agency participates in this project as a partner, the lead partner being the Region of Tuscany. The project started in July 2008 and will last 24 months; the total budget is 1.893.792 Euro and the financial contribution between the partners is well balanced.


3

ERIK ACTION’s overall objective is to improve the effectiveness of regional development policies in the field of innovation and the knowledge economy and, specifically, in upgrading the innovation capacity of existing enterprises. The project aims to create additional value for firms by improving regional innovation support services and infrastructure.

The theme was considered of general interest for the EU Regional Policy and very relevant for the INTERREG IVC programme. The innovation theme and more precisely the innovation capacity of businesses is in line with the Lisbon Agenda and especially with the first priority of the INTERREG IVC programme. The consistency of the project with EU horizontal policies and the tangibility of the results were clearly demonstrated in the Application Form.

Overall Objective


4

ERIK ACTION builds on a consolidated experience of exchange by moving towards concrete transfer of identified good practices (already available in the ERIK database) into mainstream Structural Funds programmes in regions wishing to improve policies.

ERIK ACTION kicked off on the 7th – 9th of July 2008 in Brussels. The first project meeting saw the participation of all partners, representatives from the INTERRGE IVC Joint Technical Secretariat and the Commission services involved in Fast Track activities.

The meeting served to discuss the project work plan and the role of each partner in the project. Furthermore, the first of 5 project training sessions was held during the kick off meeting and concentrated on Innovation Strategies. Specific sessions were dedicated to the transfer of good practices, the partners being able to gain more detailed information on the good practices in order to make an informed decision on transfer.

Background


5

Following the kick off meeting, each partner developed an individual stakeholder involvement plan. For each good practice to be imported (transferred into the region) and exported (transferred out of theregion),partners identified the political and technical stakeholders and provided information on each ones’ priorities and interests of stakeholder in relation to the selected GP and the activities proposed to involve them in the ERIK ACTION project.

The following 5 project meetings included in depth transfer workshops, study visits and staff exchanges, the regional stakeholders being actively involved in the international transfer process.

Background


6

Five training sessions were to be organised during the ERIK ACTION project. These sessions were designed as participative events which provide the opportunity for expert input on a given theme, and in depth discussion among participants.

The first 4 training sessions have already taken place and presentations are available here

The training sessions concentrated on the following themes:Innovation strategy (8th July 2008, Brussels)

Innovation finance (20th October 2008, Kozani, Western Macedonia) Innovation friendly environments (21st October 2008, Kozani, Western Macedonia) Human resources (5th May 2009, Lower Austria) The last training session will concentrate on “Knowledge management” and will take

place in January 2010, during the study visit in Sevilla, Andalusia.

FOCUS ON: The Transfer Process

http://www.eriknetwork.net/erikaction/trainingsessions.html


7

Four study visits were organised until now and the last one will take place in January 2010. These visits allow partners to see the practical implementation of the Good Practice in its original context.

The visit schedule was as follows:

• Flanders - Parenthood Projects - February 2009 • Tuscany - PRAI VINCI / Fabrica Ethica - March 2009 • Lower Austria - Innovation Assistant - TIP Coaching - May 2009 • Småland med öarna - Sideum - September 2009 • Andalusia - Campus / HeliceNet - January 2010



8

FOCUS ON: The Transfer Process Methodology

Within ERIK ACTION, a detailed methodology has been developed to facilitate the transfer of good practices from one region to another. The first step of the methodology concerned the selection of good practices. It began with inter-regional exchange within ERIK Network and the ERIK Database http://www.eriknetwork.net/database.html), following which each partner decided on the regional good practices to be offered for transfer.

16 good practices were selected for transfer. For each good practice a transfer group was formed with a group coordinator and a transfer help-desk.

During the Kick-Off meeting a Transfer Matching Session allowed partners to hear detailed presentations and to request more details in order to aid on decision on which initiatives were best suited to their region. Partners were supported in their decision through a series of training sessions on key innovation factors in enterprises.

http://www.eriknetwork.net/database.html


9

The second step of the methodology was the development of transfer actions. In this phase partners were working in close contact in order to prepare the groundwork for transfer. This process was facilitated by transfer workshops for selected good practices, study visits, help desks and staff exchanges.

Following this development phase, each partner is developing an individual regional action plan for transfer( the third step). The action plans include all the necessary actions, key stakeholders and budget and will be ratified by the managing authority of the Regional Operational Programme and relevant regional stakeholders. Partners have also foreseen a potential fourth phase of the methodology; that of concrete good practice transfer and tool implementation or improvement. This is not an official part of ERIK ACTION, in fact it goes further than what is requested from Capitalisation project. However, it would be welcome as additional step forward for those regions who can already commit to certain transfer activities. These actions would be paid for by the Regional Operational Programmes and not directly by INTERREG IVC.

FOCUS ON: The Transfer ProcessMethodology


10

After 17 months of project activities, all partners find themselves in the third stage of the methodology, only one study visit remaining to be done in January 2010. Having each identified before 1 and 5 good practices of interest, partners are now working in close contact within their transfer groups in order to collect all the necessary information and to relate it to their specific regional context. Partners are analysing aspects of the good practices which could easily be transferred, they are contacting and involving the necessary stakeholders and are identifying and troubleshooting any potential obstacles to transfer.

In depth transfer workshops were held at regular intervals. Between meetings, partners can receive information from the transfer help desks set up for each good practice.



11

ERIK Action project team within South East Regional Development Agency selected, after consultation with the regional stakeholders, two good practices to be transferred in the south-east region of Romania:

• SIDEUM• TECHNOLOGY EVENTS



12

Reasons for Choosing SIDEUM


13

ADAPTATION OF THE GP

Aspects of interest in SIDEUM and where they can be integrated in the regional framework

In Småland and Island there are a great number of actors involved in the interaction between industry and science to promote industrial development.

Based on the awareness that the region lacked focus in R&D related business development structures a consortium was formed with industrial, public and academic partners.

SIDEUM project identified political and public institutions as key players. They were involved during the whole process.

SIDEUM created a common platform for frontline development processes between academia, the public arena and the business sector.

SIDEUM project was selected due to its innovative approach in finding new ways for the region in organising its efforts in building a modern structure to deal with regional development issues in the form of clusters and innovations systems.

The key innovative element of the new configuration is that the stakeholders are “chained” to a common structure by jointly owning a company.

Sustainability was built in from the start, however a lesson learnt from SIDEUM project was that national actors should have been involved in a more comprehensive way

The management structure and the project marketing are also important factors in increasing sustainability

Local Council, university, county council and county administration are responsible for the basic funding of SIDEUM. They provide SIDEUM with the economic stability needed to operate as a non-profit organisation.

The public authorities have a “tool” which they can use in promoting economic growth.


14

ImplementationAdaptation of GP

Actions and adaptation required for integration into the regional framework

Entrepreneurship and innovation cultures are less developed in SE Region of

Romania. Clusters are emerging. In SE Region there is only one officialy

recognised IT cluster

SERDA partner is interested in learning how to create cohesion and links between universities,

local municipalities and thebusiness sector for the benefit of the whole region. When resources

are limited, a better cooperation between academia, business and

politics reduces potential bottlenecks.

The 4 step SIDEUM process can inspire SE Region but it cannot be

entirely copied. SE Region must go through its own

processes.

Within these processes thecommitment of political and

public institutions and the strong link between all

regional actors should play a key role.

Individual meetings with the political

representatives are also planned before the next

targeted workshops.SERDA partner could

benefit from the Swedish experience in creating good

links between academia, business sector and public

administration through a staff exchange.


15

In Andalucia there are a great number of firms interested to solve industrial problems and find competitive solutions through research and innovations.

IDEA promotes and strengthens industry-science relations, in order to achieve better use by the industrial sector of large public investments in R&D

There is a great collaboration between public agencies in order to organize workshops focusing on Technology Transfer strategic sector

Technology Events promote innovation through technology cooperation and exploitation of research results

Technology Events encourage and facilitate collaboration and relationship between research groups and companies

of Andalusia

The events are organised to give the possibility to the research groups and also to the companies, to meet each other with the higher numbers of meetings during a day

An unique database with companies and research groups was created, in order to classify them by different fields and by their technological offer or demand

Reasons for Choosing Technology Events and adaptation of the Good Practice


16

16

Proposed structure for Regional Action Plan:

Official Declaration

Focus on Regional Action Plan


17

Focus on Regional Action PlanThe main result of the project is a concrete action plan for each partner region, containing detailed information on ROP and other programmes overview and the good practices ( at least one) to be transferred:

Reasons for Choosing the Good Practice: short description, highlighting aspects of particular interest, short description of regional characteristics, initiatives, political will, regional policies

Current Status of Transfer( this section is continuously updated):• description of transfer activities undertaken so far - initial

exchange with providing region, decision making process in own region, transfer workshops, staff exchanges, study visits, help desks;

• any obstacles / problems met and adopted solutions, lessons learned.


18

Implementation • Adaptation of the Good Practice: aspects of interest in good practices and where they

can be integrated in the regional framework; action and adaptation required for integration into the regional framework.

• Transfer team (including Stakeholder Involvement plan, as integral part of RAP): political involvement (regional and/or national administration, Managing authority of ROP) and territorial involvement (service providers and others involved in the practical transfer of the good practice);

• Implementation Schedule of transfer actions, mainstreaming within the current ROP period. A Gantt-Diagram with single steps/activities/milestones is included.

• Budget allocation and resources • Expected impact: expected results from transfer actions (quantifiable and measurable

impact of Good Practice implementation on statistics of the region, qualitative impact) like: no. of new jobs, increase of firms’ turnover, increased firms’ R&D / innovation activities, further thematic indicators from the ERIK database.

• Monitoring actions proposed for measuring impact: innovativeness, economic success, indications of equal opportunities and environmental impact.

Focus on Regional Action Plan


19

Conclusions Why ERIK Action is successful:• Based on a real need (theme) and desire to capitalise• Preparation (early and partner contribution) • Full understanding of programme / capitalisation projects• Careful choice of partners

Critical points on which ERIK Action focused on during the implementation:• Mobilising stakeholders at regional level• Mobilising funds at regional level• Involvement of other regions (outside of partnership) and collaboration with other capitalisation projects• Overcome the initial difficulties in understanding the means of completing the action plan according to the proposed template


20

For further information:

www.eriknetwork.net/[email protected]

http://www.eriknetwork.net/erikaction


2121

Thank you for your attention!

Adriana VAIDA

Head of

Foreign Relations/International Projects Department

South-East Regional Development Agency

+40 339 401 018

[email protected]

ERIK ACTION Upgrading the Innovation capacity of Existing Enterprises through INTERREG IVC

Documents

Transcript of ERIK ACTION Upgrading the Innovation capacity of Existing Enterprises through INTERREG IVC