Region Västra Götaland

Region Västra Götaland, home to 49 municipalities and 1.7 million inhabitants, is responsible for medical care, public transport, and regional development, in addition to providing access to culture, and fostering growth and sustainable development. We work to increase our regional attractiveness and competitiveness by collaborating on many levels with our 49 municipalities, academia, the private sector, and other public and international organisations.

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Region Västra Götaland

S3 Strategy

Västra Götaland is a European innovation leader, with a long tradition of being a forerunner in technical development and a strong industrial base. The region is home to several large industries such as Volvo Cars, Volvo Group, SKF and Astra Zeneca, and provide a well-established infrastructure for innovation with its five universities, six science parks, eight incubators and one third of all Swedish test beds. As much as 25 percent of Sweden’s R&I investments are invested in Västra Götaland and we are an active partner in the EU with a track record of many successful R&I projects. Region Västra Götaland’s programme Strengthening the innovation potential 2022-2025 is also the regional strategy for smart specialisation (S3). The strategy points out five focus areas: 1) Sustainable Industry, 2) Health and Life Science, 3) Food, Bio-based Materials and Renewable Energy, 4) Sustainable Mobility and Transport, 5) Tourism and Culture and Creative Industries.

ERRIN activities

Management Board members

Latest Updates

  • By Francesca Pozzebon

EU Research Champions Sustainable Cultural Tourism

As one of the eight Horizon 2020 research projects included in the latest CORDIS Results Pack, ERRIN's Be.CULTOUR project features as a good practice to promote sustainable cultural tourism. The results showcase how working with local communities and cultural heritage leads to better conservation practices and authentic visitor experiences while boosting local economies. CORDIS, the EU's research results platform, disseminates findings from EU-funded research to drive innovation across multiple sectors.

  • By Gianpiero Petruzziello

Be.CULTOUR peer-learning visit – Policy recommendations on circular cultural tourism

The Be.CULTOUR community gathered in Sciacca, Italy, on 21 -22 September, for the second Be.CULTOUR peer-learning study visit.  The event, organised by ERRIN and hosted by The 5 Senses Open-air Museum of Sciacca, one of the 16 Be.CULTOUR mirror ecosystems, provided an excellent opportunity for 50 participants coming from different countries in Europe to share inputs for the Be.CULTOUR policy recommendations on circular tourism and engage in knowledge-sharing and best-practice discussions.  

  • By Francesca Pozzebon

ERRIN members get Saltaire Inspired: Be.CULTOUR study-visit & Local workshop in Saltaire, Bradford

International partners from Be.CULTOUR project community traveled to West Yorkshire from 27 to 30 May to learn more about key events and destinations in the district, including Bradford 2025, exchange successful approaches and build collaborations. The visit was organised in the frame of the peer-learning activities of Be.CULTOUR, where Saltaire Inspired, an arts charity creating contemporary art events in Saltaire Industrial Village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the 16 mirror ecosystems. Among the visitors, 3 ERRIN members took part in the event, presenting their innovative approaches toward circular cultural tourism and experience as Capitals of Culture: the City of Leeuwarden, APT Basilicata and the City of Savonlinna.

  • By Astrid Hannes

CHARTER Alliance releases a new report on cultural heritage stakeholders’ roles and dynamics

CHARTER Alliance publishes a new report mapping cultural heritage stakeholders, looking at cultural heritage as an economic sector and labour market with interacting stakeholders in anticipated roles, whose dynamics, skills and competencies will affect the quality of heritage as a resource and common good.

  • By Lucy Hammond

100 ERRIN member cities and regions become signatories of the EU Mission for Adaptation to Climate Change Charter

During the recent European Research and Innovation Days, the European Commission announced the 2nd wave of signatories to the EU Mission for Adaptation to Climate Change Charter, with a further 100 regions and local authorities signing. Of the now 215 signatories, a staggering 100 are associated with ERRIN member cities and regions.

  • By Hilary Webb

ERRIN members preparing for Cities Mission co-creation activities with MOSAIC

Last month, ERRIN’s project MOSAIC ran an open call to find cities and regions preparing for the Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, interested in collaborating with MOSAIC on their citizen engagement activities. ERRIN is pleased to share that 14 ERRIN members are being engaged under this initiative.