Support to R

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Support to RD investment at regional levelThe
Regions of Knowledge initiative

• Committee of the Regions,Brussels, 08/09/2005
• Dr Dimitri Corpakis, Head of Sector
• Regional Aspects of Research Policy
• DG Research
• European Commission

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Europe's regions are mission critical for
delivering the Lisbon strategy

• because they form the front-line between the
  European citizen and Union-driven policies
• because they encompass the critical structures to
  make the Lisbon Strategy happen

3
Lisbon targets applying to European Research
policy

• 3 Action Plan
• turn the EU in a more attractive place for RD
  investors
• Knowledge for Growth

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What does this mean for RD policy ? (targets
for policy makers)

• More and better investment in RD
• Ensure that the appropriate framework conditions
  exist for RD to flourish - especially for
  business
• Develop a healthy public science base connected
  with industry
• Develop the appropriate human resources for RD

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Critical components in territorial knowledge
development
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Regions can be instrumental in delivering an RD
intensive response for boosting Lisbon

• by developing knowledge infrastructure
  (universities, research centres, science parks,
  incubators, centres of expertise, specialised
  technology training centres)
• by helping to develop human resources
• by improving overall framework conditions
• by connecting the science base with industry,
  especially technology intensive SMEs
• by learning from others through transnational
  cooperation

7
How regions can profit from future European
initiatives and instruments to improve RD

• through the future Structural Funds - an immense
  opportunity especially for the New Member States
• through the "Capacities" Specific Programme of
  the 7th FP, featuring support for
• RD infrastructure
• regional RD driven clusters (Regions of
  Knowledge)
• unlocking research potential of Convergence
  regions
• special measures for SME related RD

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FP7 - Regions of Knowledge structuring Europe's
high-tech hotspots

• A new generation of projects focusing on RD
  driven clusters at regional level
• Helping create new RD intensive clusters and
  interconnecting those currently active to improve
  performance, productivity and integration to
  regional economies
• Through mutual learning and collaboration
  involving regional authorities, universities,
  research centres, industry and other local
  stakeholders in PPPs (Public-private partneships)

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FP7-Regions of Knowledge

• Activities
• bring together regional research actors
  universities, research centres, industry, public
  authorities (regional councils or regional
  development agencies)
• encourage the joint analysis of research agendas
  of regional clusters and the elaboration of
  further deployment strategies, including through
  Mentoring of regions with a less developed
  research profile by highly developed ones

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FP7-Regions of Knowledge

• Expected outcomes
• improve research networking and access to
  national and Community funding sources for RD
• better integration of research actors and
  institutions in regional economies, in close
  relationship with other related EU policies
  (Regional / Cohesion policy, Competitiveness and
  Innovation, Education and Training)

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FP7 Regions of Knowledge

• building tomorrow's creative RD communities in
  Europe
• http//www.cordis.lu/era/regions.htm
• http//www.innovating-regions.org/network/presenta
  tion/kregions.cfm

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Net links

• http//www.cordis.lu/guidance/services.htm
• All useful links for European Research
  Policy
• Information on research programmes and projects
• http//www.cordis.lu
• Seventh Framework Programme
• http//europa.eu.int/comm/research/future/
  index_en.cfm
• http//www.cordis.lu/era/regions.htm (Regional
  Dimension of the ERA)
• http//www.innovating-regions.org/ (The IRE
  Network, Innovating regions in Europe)
• RTD info magazine
• http//europa.eu.int/comm/research/rtdinfo/
• Information requests
• research_at_cec.eu.int