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
European Partnership Stakeholder Forum - One-year review of European Partnership Initiatives in Horizon Europe
On 15 and 16 November 2022, the European Commission will launch its first European Partnership Stakeholder Forum. The Forum focuses on reviewing the first year of partnerships and, in particular, how they can contribute to the twin green and digital transitions, and increase Europe’s resilience. Participation is possible online or in person in Brussels.
iWATERMAP Conference: A Blueprint for place-based Innovation Ecosystems
The iWATERMAP conference will be hosted at the Committee of the Regions. The iWATERMAP project focuses on supporting the innovation policies in water technology sector, helping to increase the critical mass of innovation ecosystems in partner regions in this sector.
Virtual info day for second Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Digital calls
The info day on the new calls launched under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Digital will take place virtually on 25 October from 9.30 to 13.00 CEST.
Brussels Talks: How to be an innovative region in Europe?
As part of the event series Brussels Talks, NCBR – Business & Science Poland are organising the online event 'How to be an innovative region in Europe?', with ERRIN director Pirita Lindholm as the main speaker. The event will discuss regional innovations ecosystems, how to support R&I capacities at local and regional level and how to reduce the innovation divide. Furthermore, the support offered by current EU funded programmes and initiatives will be explored.
Translating EU Missions into regional policy
The TRAMI project and ERRIN are organising a mutual learning event on 18 October. The event will aim to showcase a successful translation of the EU Missions approach into concrete policies and tools on the regional level and to foster the discussion on challenges and opportunities with its implementation.
Smart Specialisation WG: S3 Breakfast: Pitch your S3!
As the new generation of 2021-2027 regional S3 strategies is kicking off in ERRIN regions, the S3 Working Group is pleased to invite you to discuss regional S3, their synergies with the EU missions and links with the Partnerships for Regional Innovation (PRI) Pilot around a cup of coffee. The meeting will take place in person on 18 October from 9:00-10:30.
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 Agnieszka Wieczorek Jetha
Update from the ERRIN Secretariat – Our work policy
As Belgium moves away from confinement, the ERRIN Secretariat has developed a new work policy with necessary safety measures in line with national guidelines for the coming months.
- By Ilaria d'Auria
Provide a regional example for the Spring AGM Policy Debate
Can your region be an example of how the COVID-19 recovery has shifted priorities, putting the green transition and research and innovation at the core of your strategy? We encourage you to get in touch with us as we are looking for regional cases to feed into the policy debate.
- By Agnieszka Wieczorek Jetha
EU Interregional Innovation Investments: towards EU economic recovery
European regions and innovation stakeholders jointly call on the European institutions to use the EU Interregional Innovation Investment instrument to unleash the innovation potential available in Europe’s regions for Europe’s recovery.
- By Ilaria d'Auria
We are looking for examples of how Smart Specialisation Strategies are supporting the post-pandemic recovery
The Smart Specialisation Working Group is leading a reflection on how the research and innovation strategies for smart specialisation (RIS3) are supporting the recovery post-pandemic while contributing to Europe's twin transformations towards a green and digital economy.
- By Hilary Webb
JRC publishes methodolgical manual for developing thematic interregional S3 partnerships
The JRC has published a methodological manual for 'Developing Thematic Interregional Partnerships for Smart Specialisation.'
- By Anonymous
No cost online platform to match regional workload shifts under Corona
Region Östergötland has initiated a new web service www.matchajobben.nu to mediate contact between companies with different needs, so that they can support each other through the crisis.