MED-SPRING organized its "2nd Training on Innovation", hosted by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) in Bonn, Germany and from 20th to 22nd September 2016. Overall, this was the sixth and last workshop on Capacity Building of the MED-SPRING project.
Targets of the two-day training event were responsible players at the macro and meso level of National Innovation Systems in MPCs as well as in EU MS (governmental organizations, national research agencies and facilities). Participants came from Algeria, Egypt, Germany, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Spain, Tunisia.
Research and Innovation are among the main assets for increasing competitiveness while addressing specific societal challenges. European and Mediterranean partner countries engage in a joint effort to develop specific subject areas targeted by innovation. In this perspective, the overall objectives of the training were:
- analytical processes for the definition of research priorities and potentials
- foresight and road mapping for coherent trans-sectoral national innovation policies; strategic up-scaling of innovation ecosystems
- orientation and streamlining of funding policies towards knowledge transfer, innovation, valorization and societal impact (coherent funding schemes based on analysis and foresight)
- international collaboration and its effect on the achievement of strategic goals in partner countries (MS and MPC), particularly with regard to structural effects (entrepreneurship, practice-oriented qualification frameworks, start-up initiatives and their viability, job creation)
- national policies for the support of cluster development and the adoption of smart specialisation strategies (S3)
At the core of the agenda was a workshop by the University of Bremen (TZI, IPMI) on Inclusive and Demand Driven National and Regional Innovation Strategy Building. Further, best practices in countries such as Jordan, Israel, Germany and Spain were presented. Strong emphasis was laid on regional innovation strategies such as the European RIS3 or the German experiences with the transformation programme Entrepreneurial Regions.
Please click here for the full concept note and agenda , the ppt presentations and for the picture gallery.
