International Thematic Smart Specialisation Partnerships: working together towards SDGs through industrial modernisation, agri-food and energy
Description
Starting in 2015, the European Commission services launched a total of 3 Thematic Smart Specialisation Platforms. These have been explicitly put in place to provide an interactive and participatory environment supporting interregional cooperation in the context of Smart Specialisation areas related to Agri-Food, Energy and Industrial Modernisation. The three platforms are there to support EU and other participating regions committed to generate a pipeline of industrial investment projects following a bottom-up approach implemented through interregional cooperation, cluster participation and industry involvement.
As of 2018, over 120 Smart Specialisation Strategies for Research and Innovation (RIS3) are in place, guiding research and innovation investments of over EUR 40 billion provided by the European Union and EUR 68 billion including national co-financing. These subnational and national strategies are being implemented by authorities in charge of development and innovation together with relevant stakeholders to be able to develop and match innovation strengths with business opportunities and needs. To realise these objectives, the principle of Smart Specialisation calls to build on cross-regional cooperation that would advance regional competitiveness while minimising duplication and fragmentation of publicly funded activities across the European Union (EU). In fact, increasing cooperation in innovation investments across territories is supported by the so-called outward-looking dimension that is generally expected to be present in a good Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3). This dimension calls for exploring possible complementarities with other territories across Europe, thus assessing one's own assets and competitive edge while taking into account one’s own position with respect to others. Transnational activities are encouraged and put in place to ensure cooperation in addressing challenges expressed in SDGs that are considered priority for specific territories. It builds the capacity to develop and link the innovation eco-systems by continuously supporting and facilitating cooperation among territorial actors across the European Union.
Since their launch, the three Thematic Smart Specialisation Platforms contributed to improving the interaction both at subnational, national and transnational level, facilitating European collaborative initiatives and identifying a path for further developments of joint co-investment projects. By the end of 2018, the three Platforms have created a network of 28 international Thematic Smart Specialisation Partnerships in a variety of thematic areas with an active participation of relevant stakeholders ranging from subnational/national authorities, industry, to research institutions and academia.
All reviewed Partnerships believe that their collaborative activities strongly contribute to the Sustainable Development Goal 9 (building resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation & foster innovation).
A significant majority of the existing Thematic Smart Specialisation Partnerships contribute to Goal 3 (ensuring healthy lives & promote well-being for all at all ages), to Goal 8 (promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all), and to Goal 12 (ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns).
Furthermore, over one half of all existing Partnerships believe that their activities contribute at least to some extent to the following 10 SDGs:
- Goal 3 on ensuring healthy lives & promote well-being for all at all ages,
- Goal 4 on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all,
- Goal 6 on ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all,
- Goal 8 on promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all,
- Goal 9 on building resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation & foster innovation,
- Goal 10 on reducing inequality within and among countries,
- Goal 11 on making cities & human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable,
- Goal 12 on ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns,
- Goal 13 on taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts, and
- Goal 17 on strengthening the means of implementation and revitalise the Global Partnership for Sustainable.
The main constraint indicated by participating stakeholders was the difficulty to support and finance international cooperation, especially at subnational level. This has been addressed by the European Commission by providing new guidance and framework for financing that will be implemented starting from 2021.
The territories involved in some of the existing Partnerships frequently acknowledge the importance of tackling various potential issue areas such as the ones linked to the methodological complexity behind the setup and management of a complex international consortia, establishing a workable governance structure, putting in place and keeping open communication channels between participants, adequate level of funding across all partner regions, explicit political and financial commitments from all partner constituencies, and other enabling regulatory framework conditions.
In addition to these, a number of regions recognise the importance of the so-called behavioural obstacles that too can prove challenging during the implementation of international Thematic Smart Specialisation initiatives. A strong political commitment from national and subnational authorities is frequently required before stakeholders can explore opportunities offered through a potentially mutually beneficial territorial scenario.
Starting from 2015, the international cooperation on Smart Specialisation has been encouraged through the setting-up of Thematic Smart Specialisation Platforms and addresses multiple SDGs. <br />
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Since their launch, the three Thematic Smart Specialisation Platforms contributed to improving the interaction both at subnational, national and transnational level, facilitating European collaborative initiatives and identifying a path for further developments of joint co-investment projects. By the end of 2018, the three Platforms have created a network of 28 interregional Thematic Smart Specialisation Partnerships in a variety of thematic areas with an active participation of relevant stakeholders ranging from subnational/national authorities, industry, research institutions and academia. International and inter-regional cooperation are undertaken in medium to long-term perspective, which is needed when considering the typology of projects already in place and those that could arise from Partnerships activity. Research and innovation initiatives need enough time for reach to final results.
About the Thematic S3 Platforms: http://s3platform.jrc.ec.europa.eu/s3-thematic-platforms
Literature:
Carayannis E.G., Rakhmatullin R., (2014). The Quadruple/Quintuple Innovation Helixes and Smart Specialisation Strategies for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth in Europe and beyond. Open Innovation Yearbook 2014, Luxembourg Publication Office of the European Union: p. 42-60.
Ciampi Stancova, K., and Cavicchi A., 2017. Dynamics of Smart Specialisation Agri-food Trans-regional Cooperation, JRC Technical Reports, JRC107257.
Gómez Prieto J., Periañez-Forte I., Palazuelos Martinez M., 2017. Capitalising on smart specialisation and Interreg, the case of energy. An overview of synergies between two instruments of the EU Cohesion Policy. JRC. European Commission.
Hegyi, F. B. and Rakhmatullin, R., 2013. Implementing smart specialisation - thematic platform on industrial modernisation. Luxembourg: European Commission.
Hegyi, F. B. and Rakhmatullin R., (forthcoming, 2019). Developing an evaluation framework integrating results of thematic S3 approach. European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Seville, Spain.
Mariussen Å., Hegyi F.B., Rakhmatullin R., 2019. Smart specialisation and interregional learning via thematic partnerships. In Mariussen, Å., Virkkala S., Finne H. and Aasen T.M. (eds) (2019): Entrepreneurial Discovery Processes and Regional Development: new knowledge emergence, conversion and exploitation. Series Regions and Cities by Routledge.
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Laia Pinos Mataro, Policy Officer