Strategic Foresight Project Launches in Amiens
On May 13–14, 2025, the picturesque city of Amiens in France played host to the inaugural meeting of the Strategic Foresight Partnership project—a bold new initiative set to run until 2029 with a budget of €1,549,998. This ambitious project brings together seven European regions, each with unique levels of development and foresight capacity, united by a common goal: to shape smarter, more resilient regional policies for the future.
A Diverse European Partnership
The partnership spans the continent, with each region represented by: Hauts-de-France Regional Council (Lead Partner), Informest (Italy), Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council (Finland), South Moravian Region (Czech Republic), Podkarpackie Region (Poland), Regional Government of Catalonia (Spain), Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Military Administration (Ukraine).
Sharing Challenges and Building Connections
The two-day kick-off event, hosted by the Hauts-de-France Regional Council, brought together all project partners and members of the advisory board.
This exchange of experiences between regions laid the foundation for a solid exchange of good practices, further strengthened by workshops about the mutual learning process that were introduced by the framing intervention of professionals from the Interreg Europe programme.
Diving Into Strategic Foresight
A central focus of the event was understanding and applying strategic foresight—a discipline that helps regions anticipate and prepare for future challenges. During workshops all participants explored how foresight can enhance regional policy-making. The project’s advisory board, featuring experts from the European Committee of the Regions, the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, the OECD, and the Flanders Region of Belgium, provided valuable insights and guidance throughout.
Horizon Scanning and Global Trends
One of the highlights was a presentation by Dr. Eamonn Noonan on the ESPAS (European Strategy and Policy Analysis System) report. Participants learned about horizon scanning, a structured approach to identifying early signals of change, emerging trends, and potential obstacles to regional development. This knowledge is crucial for regions aiming to stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving world.
Learning from Hauts-de-France
The event concluded with an exploration of foresight practices and experiences from the host region, Hauts-de-France, offering practical examples and inspiration for all partners.
Looking Ahead
The Amiens meeting marked a significant step forward in building awareness, capacity, and engagement in strategic foresight across European regions. As the project moves forward, the next interregional exchange is scheduled to take place in Finland. The journey has just begun, but the seeds of collaboration and innovation planted in Amiens promise to bear fruit for years to come.
