Motivations, practices and opportunities for strengthening collaborations with the EIT Community in a RIS3 context

A recently published Science for Policy report by JRC and EIT investigates for the first time the motivations, practices and opportunities for strengthening collaborations between EIT KICs and national/regional authorities in charge of the implementation of Smart Specialisation Strategies.

Objectives

The report aims to deliver a practical contribution:

1. to optimise research and innovation spending efficiency,
2. to combine the objectives of increased competitiveness and cohesion, and,
3. to better address the global challenges facing our society on the eve of the launch of the 2021-2027 Multi-annual Financial Framework.

Benefits and opportunities of collaboration

This report takes a closer look at the benefits and opportunities of collaboration between the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), its Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) and the authorities involved in developing and implementing Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3), particularly organisations dealing with the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF).

Some good collaboration practices already exist, both at strategic level (e.g. through formal agreements between the EIT KICs and national/regional authorities), and at operational level, but are rather limited. Good opportunities exist both in upscaling and spreading current practices and in exploring new forms of collaboration. This report offers tailored options to scale-up the collaboration between the two initiatives, especially in view of the upcoming programming period (2021-2027).

Innovation to boost competitiveness

Innovation in the European Union is called upon to boost competitiveness, to improve territorial cohesion, and to tackle societal challenges. Challenge-driven innovation is high on the global agenda and calls for building sufficient critical mass by taking full advantage of synergies and complementarities, in particular between cohesion policy and excellence-based innovation.

Synergies and complementarities between different innovation initiatives thus play a critical role in bringing the objectives of excellence and cohesion together and ensuring efficient use and increased impact of public capacities and resources.

More information

‘European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs): Collaboration in a RIS3’

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‘European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs): Collaboration in a RIS3’