Enhancing research and innovation policies in Møre and Romsdal County

The Policy Learning Platform conducted a peer review on "Enhancing research and innovation policies" for the County Council of Møre og Romsdal, Norway, on 11–12 June 2025. 

Main Policy Challenge

Møre og Romsdal’s economy is rooted in the maritime, bio-marine, and manufacturing industries but faces increasing pressure from demographic shifts, climate change, and social challenges. Although the county contributes 8% of Norway’s non-oil exports, it accounts for only 2% of national research and development (R&D) activity. Core innovation indicators remain low, reflecting limited R&D investment, low tertiary education attainment, and weak collaboration between universities and businesses.

Current state of affairs 

The County’s Research and Innovation Strategy 2025–2028 promotes “doing more with less” through smarter collaboration among industry, academia, and municipalities. The region aims to strengthen innovation policies and research-business partnerships to advance key strategic priorities, including green maritime value chains, circular use of sea and land bioresources, circular industrial hubs, improved access to renewable energy, and sustainable land use.

Key challenges include designing effective regional missions, mobilising municipalities to engage in innovation, improving access to risk capital, and developing robust methods for monitoring and evaluating the impact of research and innovation policies. The strategy also addresses the need to restructure municipal services and promote social inclusion through education, community engagement, and labour market integration.

Peers from across Europe 

In collaboration with Thorsten Kohlisch, Arnault Morisson, and Mario Vadepied from the Policy Learning Platform, six excellent peers participated in the peer review:

• Fábio Lourenço Vieira, Regional Directorate of Science, Innovation and Development, Azores, Portugal.     
• Harri Kuusela, Päijät-Hämeen Regional Council, Finland.
• Karen Laigaard LaiKITT, Greater Copenhagen, Denmark and ASTP, Leiden, The Netherlands.
• Karin Nygård Skalman, Mid-Sweden University,  region of Västernorrland and region of Jämtland Härjedalen, Sweden.
• Nina Arnhold, the Netherlands.
• Ricard Esparza Masana, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.         

These peers shared their experiences and provided tailored policy recommendations to address the challenges faced by County Council of Møre og Romsdal. Their insights, expertise, and practical suggestions aimed to boost research and development (R&D) activities in the County.

Some recommendations

• Adopt a mission-based approach in which “the challenge is the boss.”

To ensure mission alignment and strategic coherence, Møre og Romsdal should define realistic, measurable missions rooted in local societal challenges (e.g. demographics, skills, technology). These missions should drive transformative innovation across key sectors and transversal issues, encouraging stakeholder involvement and shared ownership. Efforts must align with national missions while leveraging regional strengths and avoiding duplication. Breaking down silos requires common ownership, and missions should be clearly linked to stakeholder goals, strategic priorities, concrete actions, KPIs, and measurable outcomes.

• Strengthen the role of higher education and research institutions.

Enhance the contribution of NTNU Ålesund, Molde, and Volda University Colleges, and research institutes (e.g. Møreforsking, SINTEF Ålesund, NORSØK, Helse Møre og Romsdal…) by better connecting them with industry and municipalities—particularly within clusters. Ensure alignment with regional policy priorities and fully leverage national and European funding opportunities to foster collaboration and innovation.

• Innovation requires innovative policymaking.

Encourage and support the municipalities of your region to get engaged in research and innovation. To pilot new ways of collaboration between municipal, academic and industry partners, an integrated policy approach to municipal empowerment is required, addressing the tasks of orchestration, local capacity-building, resources, risk management, incentivisation, political engagement, frontrunner identification, and storytelling.