On Tuesday 22 November and Wednesday 23 November 2016, the Northern Provinces Alliance (SNN) will host a Beyond EDP Peer Review-event in Groningen.
The EU strives to become a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy. One way to do this, is by implementing Regional Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3 strategies). These strategies are integrated, place-based economic transformation agendas that build on a region’s strengths and competitive advantages. An important element in the design and execution of RIS3 is the ‘Entrepreneurial Discovery Process’, an interactive bottom-up process in which participants from different environments are discovering and producing information about potential new activities, thereby identifying potential opportunities that emerge through this interaction. Policymakers can then assess the outcomes and find ways to facilitate the realization of this potential.
‘Beyond EDP’ is a pilot project which aims at professionalizing EDP management. Its main objective to improve the effectiveness of the actions of support for innovation. ‘Beyond EDP’ is initiated by the French region of Centre-Val de Loire. Other participating regions are: Umbria (IT), Sachsen Anhalt (DE), Östergötland (SV), Pas de Calais (FR), Extremadura (ES), Madrid (ES), Łódz (PL), Centru (RO) and Northern Netherlands (NL). The European Association of Regional Development Agencies (EURADA) is also partner to Beyond EDO.
After the Beyond EDP kick-off meeting and launch conference in Centre-Val de Loire last June, it is time to take the next step. At the upcoming event in November, the Northern Netherlands Provinces will be the first region to be peer reviewed.
Innovation Café
The official Northern Netherlands Peer Review Event will consist of four individually themed peer review sessions and a two-part practice analysis workshop. On Tuesday night, SNN will organize an exciting side programme, in the form of an Innovation Café. This night will feature both prof. Dominique Foray and prof. Dries Faems. Dominique Foray is a specialist in the field of economics and management of innovation, knowledge and technology – and an expert of the Regional Innovation Strategy. Dries Faems is a professor of Innovation and Organization at Groningen University and an expert in the field of monitoring innovation.
In short: the Northern Netherlands Alliance takes the next step in the Beyond EDP project, promising it to be an inspirational couple of days.