Smart Specialisation Working Group
Representatives of Brussels-based offices leading the work of the Smart Specialisation Working Group.
Smart Specialisation
The Smart Specialisation Working Group aims to monitor and contribute to key policy developments related to S3 by enhancing dialogue with relevant EU institutions and stakeholders. The goal is to strengthen the regional perspective in the wider smart specialisation agenda and facilitate the interregional cooperation. The WG actively engages in the debate around shaping the cohesion policy post-2027 and the future of S3. It also follows different interregional collaboration instruments for innovation, their state of play and upcoming opportunities.
ERRIN Contact
Previous Related ERRIN Working Group Meetings
Smart Specialisation WG meeting: S3 and PRI – the way ahead
The year 2024 marks the opening of a new chapter for the Partnerships for Regional Innovation (PRI) as a JRC-CoR initiative building on S3 to support innovation for place-based transformations. In
Strengthening skills governance in regional innovation ecosystems: lessons learnt and remaining challenges
As the activities of the EU Year of Skills came to an end in April 2024, the Science and Education for Society Working Group is organising a Working Group meeting to reflect on the lessons learnt
Policy & Smart Specialisation WGs meeting: Widening in FP10 and impact on cohesion policy post-2027
The topic of widening gathers high attention in the discussions around the next European Framework Programme for R&I, raising questions with the potential to influence not only the Widening sub-
WG Related Events
RIGHT (Right Skills for the Right Future) - Final event and policy seminar
Discover the future of Europe through the findings of the Interreg North Sea Region project RIGHT. The project consortium will host its final event and policy seminar in Brussels on 23 May from 10:00-12:00 CEST.
3rd ERA CoBioTech Hub Meeting
During its final ERA CoBioTech Hub Meeting, which will take place as a virtual conference on 19 May 2022, ERA CoBioTech gathers the diverse actors of the new European Partnerships and in the fields of biotechnology, bioeconomy, life sciences and other innovative technologies.
Launch of the CoR-JRC Pilot Action on Partnerships for Regional Innovation
The European Commission and the European Committee of the Regions are launching the Pilot action on Partnerships for Regional Innovation. The hybrid event will take place on the May 17th 2022.
WIRE 2022: Towards a leading Europe in breakthrough innovation: unleashing the potential of regions
This year's edition of the Week of Innovative Regions in Europe (WIRE) will take place on 11-13 May 2022 under the theme “Towards a leading Europe in breakthrough innovation: unleashing the potential of regions”. The event will be hosted by Université Paris-Saclay, France, under the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Nordic Edge Expo 2022
Nordic Edge Expo 2022, 10-11 May The 8th leading Nordic event for future cities and communities will be a physical event in the city centre of Stavanger. 10-11 May we will bring you a meeting place focusing on the topics: Urban Energy, Life Actually, On the Move and Spaces & Places. We call out to politicians, leaders, technology inventors, students, investors, start-ups, artists and citizens who wants smarter and more sustainable cities and communities.
Smart Specialisation for SDGs: A reflection framework for strengthening sustainability dimension in S3
The JRC is organising an e-Talk on 28 April to present key findings from its paper discussing theoretical and conceptual implications of embedding the sustainability challenges and SDGs in the Smart Specialisation approach. A revised reflection and self-assessment framework developed together with practitioners will also be introduced.
WG Documents
ERRIN Year in review 2022
The ERRIN Year in review 2022 is out! Read the report to see the numerous activities ERRIN and its members have been involved in throughout the year.
WG Related Content
Third Call for Proposals EUI - Innovative Actions
The third EUI-Innovative Actions (EUI-IA) Call for Proposals is launched now and will close on 14 October 2024 at 14.00 CEST with an allocated indicative budget of EUR 90 million ERDF. Each project can receive up to a maximum of 5 million EUR ERDF co-financing and project implementation should take place within a maximum period of 3.5 years.
The Forward-Looking Survey - European Urban Initiative
The European Urban Initiative (EUI) has launched a forward-looking survey to gather vital insights from urban practitioners and policymakers across Europe. This survey, hosted on Portico, aims to identify key trends, challenges, knowledge gaps and support needs in European sustainable urban development. The survey will be open from 6 June until 12 July.
New EU Preparatory Action on innovation for place-based transformations
A new EU Preparatory Action (PA) on innovation for place-based transformations was publicly announced for the first time by the JRC of the European Commission during the ERRIN S3 Working Group meeting on 25 June. The challenge-oriented PA will offer several opportunities for regional engagement and will be based on the experience of Partnerships for Regional Innovation (PRI), with a call for EoI expected to launch in October 2024.
ERRIN two-pager for European decision-makers
ERRIN is pleased to share a two-pager for the incoming European decision-makers, aiming to present the network and our value to the new MEPs, raising a voice for the importance of place-based R&I in the changing landscape. We encourage all ERRIN members to share the document with their MEPs to introduce ERRIN and the value of place-based R&I.
Over 70 ERRIN member regions announced as Regional Innovation Valleys
On 19 June, the Commission announced the 151 regions identified as Regional Innovation Valleys following the call for EoI and calls for proposals in 2023. 75 successful regions come from ERRIN members. RIVs will aim to strengthen the regional innovation ecosystems, bridge the innovation gap and improve Europe's overall innovation performance. New calls for proposals under Horizon Europe are expected in 2025.
How is cultural heritage integrated into regional development? CHARTER Alliance publishes new report on six regional case studies conducted by ERRIN
CHARTER, the European Cultural Heritage Skills Alliance funded by Erasmus+, has released a new report showcasing findings and conclusions from six regional case studies conducted by ERRIN members in the Basque Country (Spain), Sibiu (Romania), Bremen (Germany), Alentejo (Portugal), Tuscany (Italy), and Västra Götaland (Sweden) in 2021-2023. The report synthesises how skills for cultural heritage are integrated into regional development policies and strategies, examining sector-integrated dynamics within these regional ecosystems. The report provides recommendations for developing long-term…
Latest Updates
- By Ewa Chomicz
Management Board elections 2021 – call for nominations launched!
Every year ERRIN holds elections for the Management Board. You can put forward your candidature for this year’s elections until 18 October.
- By Agnieszka Wieczorek Jetha
Join the S3 WG as a co-leader
Due to changes in the leadership, the Smart Specialisation (S3) Working Group is looking for a new WG leader to co-lead the group together with the current leaders from Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur, North-East Romania, and Wielkopolska.
- By Hilary Webb
Stakeholder survey on Europe's innovation ecosystem
The European Commission is running a survey to gather views on challenges faced by European innovation ecosystem actors, their future opportunities and expectations.
- By Hilary Webb
Science meets Regions: Call for expressions of interest
Express interest by 24 September to support the implementation of the JRC's Science meets Regions action via innovation camps, participatory events and networking activities.
- By Hilary Webb
First Horizon Europe calls launch
The first calls for proposals in the EU's new key funding programme for research and Innovation, Horizon Europe, are now open.
- By Hilary Webb
Main Horizon Europe work programme adopted
The European Commission has adopted the main work programme of Horizon Europe for the period 2021-2022. The programme outlines the objectives and topic areas that will receive a share of €14.7 billion in funding.