Slides for the EUA webinar on The Role of Universities in Regional Innovation: the case of Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3) - 26 October 2016

1. EUA webinar
The Role of Universities in Regional
Innovation: The Case of Research and
Innovation Strategies for Smart
Specialisation (RIS3)
26 October 2016
Brussels, Belgium

2. Overview
• Introduction
• The role of Higher Education Institutions in Regional Innovation
•The Challenge
• Relevance of Higher Education Institutions
• EUA policy and activities
• Discussion

3. The Role of Higher Education Institutions
in Regional Innovation
Peter Haring Bolívar
peter.haring@uni-siegen.de
Vicerector Research, University of Siegen, Germany
RIS3 strategy group speaker EUA / member HRK
SDG ESIF delegate of the EUA
3

4. HEI and regional systems of
innovation
Contents
I. Challenge
II. Innovation
III. HEI role
IV. Quid nunc

5. The Challenge

6. … emerging economies will increase x5
… 19 of the 30 largest economies will be from the emerging world.
… marked decline in the economic and political might of many small population,
ageing, rich economies in Europe

8. Innovation capabilities slowing down
Regional Innovation Scoreboard indicates slowing down of innovation capabilities
throughout Europe
„Where Europe is most and least innovative”, in 6 maps (Washington Post, Aug 2016); Regional Innovation Scoreboard 2016.

9. ESIF harshly critizised – gap is increasing!
• Study indicates that larger ESIF invest correlates with slower development!
Breidenbach et al., „EU Structural Funds and Regional Income Convergence – A sobering experience“, (RUHR, 2016).

10. Europe is in danger of loosing relevance
Delivery of tangible innovation impact
RDI investment is restricted  innovation
efficiency is key

13. Unique situation <-> general requirements
Future challenges require efficient regional innovation systems, which need to fulfill:
Enduring
commitment of
stakeholders
Participation at
strategy
definition level
proven impact
of HEI as key
partner
Time!
Motivation?Continuing
evaluation and
optimizationl
Process
transparency &
publication!
Sustainability?
Local specifics
and industrial
base
Effective
trilateral
networks
Programmatic
coherence and
synergy
Synchronization?
Politics
Trust!
Q.Control?

14. Relevance of HEI

15. Grand Challenges
Smart
Growth
Inclusive
Growth
Global Responsibility
Sustainable Growth
GLOBAL CHALLENGES
• Make solar energy economical
• Manage the nitrogen cycle
• Advance health informatics
• Prevent nuclear terror
• Advance personalized training
• Provide energy from fusion
• Provide access to clean water
• Secure cyberspace
• Engineer the tools of scientific
discovery
• Develop carbon sequestration
methods
• Reverse-engineer the brain
• Enhance virtual reality
National Academy of Engineering
FILL THE GAP BETWEEN RESEARCH
RESULTS AND REAL LIFE PRACTICE
markku.markkula@cor.europa.eu
Science &
Society
Dialogue
Systems
Design
Foresight Mental
Models
& Special Role of Universities

16. Multitudinous possibilities
cf. Connecting Universities to Regional Growth: A Practical Guide, EC REGIO, RIS3 group (2011)
Nature of
intervention
Complexity
transactional
high volume
lowhigh
tranformational
low volume
Consultancy
services
Innovation
vouchers
Knowledge
transfer
partnership
Science
parks
Reasearch &
Technology
Centers
Graduate
enterprise
staff
spin-out
Network
and cluster
development
Encouraging
IP deveopment
International
linkages
Qualification
and education
Increasing
mobility
Talent attraction
and retention
Volunteering
and community work
Widening
participation
Cultural development
and place making
Enhancing
social
equality

17. Measurable economic impact
• Direct economic impact of HEI demonstrated, e.g in Germany direct positive
economic impact of HEI estimated at 190 B€ HEI, creating jobs and increasing GDP.
Source: Schubert, T./Kroll, H. (2013): Hochschulen als regionaler Wirtschaftsfaktor (Study on behalf of „Stifterverband“)
Reduction of unemployment
rate by 0,7% - 3,5 %
Per capita GDP increase
by 1100 – 3000 €
rate by 0,7% - 3,5 %

18. Most impact is local
Source: Schubert, T./Kroll, H. (2013): Hochschulen als regionaler Wirtschaftsfaktor (Study on behalf of „Stifterverband“)
GDP increase Patents Household
income
Reduction in
Unemployment
Regional share of HEI competiveness impact

19. Enduring interaction networks are key to regional
growth
HEI are a proven stakeholder for regional innovation
in many perspectives
It can be quantified and most impact is local
Largest Factor of HEI influence is human talent

20. Conclusions:
RIS3 Means New Options for Universities
In Europe's journey for transformation, we all – every city and every region, as
well as every university – have to be pioneers, to explore new ways for the
future of our societies. The concept of Smart Specialisation opens up new
opportunities also for universities, above all:
1. Universities should act as the knowledge base in defining and
implementing regional RIS3 strategies;
2. Universities can and should focus more on societal challenges
and as a result, broadening the innovation base for tackling these
challenges;
3. Universities need to strengthen their role as natural platforms
for entrepreneurial discovery;
4. Universities have a crucial role in creating regional innovation
ecosystems to be based on the co-creation culture and the
network of innovation hubs;
5. Universities can be key actors in creating the new culture for
multi-financing and project portfolio management (i.e.
orchestration).
markku.markkula@cor.europa.eu

21. Examples

22. Research infrastructure:
Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC)
o a consortium project of 6 partners
o total cost of 202 M €
o 116 M € allocated to MU

23. CEITEC Masaryk University
7. Molecular veterinary medicine
1. Advanced nanotechnologies
and microtechnologies
2. Advanced materials
3. Structural biology
4. Genomics and proteomics
of plant systems
6. Molecular medicine
5. Brain and mind research
~40 research groups,
focus on life sciences

24. Prof. Volli Kalm
Rector of the University of Tartu
Building an entrepreneurial
university: A case study of the
University of Tartu

25. Regional Innovation Strategy

26. EUA policy and activities

27. Mobilise 83 high-level representatives of universities from 69 universities in 26 countries
EUA Board
EUA Council
Reporting directly to
Providing information to
Research Policy
Working Group (RPWG)
General EUA R&I policy development,
ERA, H2020, research partnerships,
relations with EC-EP
EUA-Council of
Doctoral
Education
Steering
Committee
EUA-EPUE
Energy Platform
UNI-SET Steering
Committee
Expert Group on
Science 2.0/
Open Science
Expert Group on
Smart
Specialisation
(RIS3)
EUA R&I Overall Consultative Committees – Organisation 2015

28. Recognition of universities as a key partner in
regional development
Need to build on the specific profile and
opportunities of European regions
Active promotion, publication and evaluation
of RIS3 to motivate stakeholder participation
Coordinate innovation programmes, reducing
cross-programme complexity
alignment of activity portfolios and stakeholder
timelines to RIS3
Use funding synergetically for R&D
infrastructure, human resources,
cooperation and deployment platforms
Develop incentives relating to regional priorities;
R&D careers outside academia; heterogeneous
collaboration platforms
Ensure the sustainability of Smart Specialisation
Strategies beyond structural funding timeframe

29. Expert Group on Research and Innovation Strategies
for Smart Specialisation (RIS3)
Madrid Workshop (2015)
• Workshop on “Universities promoting regional innovation across
Europe”
• Convened jointly by Crue/CPU and EUA and kindly hosted by the
Autonomous University of Madrid (24 November 2015)
• Six case studies from regions in Spain, France, Portugal and
Germany
• Discussion on the thematic areas of:
o The role of universities in the design and implementation of Smart
Specialisation (RIS3)
o Coordination of regional, national and European programmes
o Regional perspectives on Smart Specialisation

30. Outcomes RIS3 Activities 2015
• Seven Main Recommendations :
“Universities are central to regional innovation across Europe”
• RIS3 Workshop Report:
http://www.eua.be/Libraries/publications-homepage-list/eua-workshop-report-
quot-universities-promoting-regional-innovation-across-europe-quot.pdf?sfvrsn=6

31. “Universities are central to regional innovation across Europe”
Main messages
• Effective Smart Specialisation is an ongoing and evolving process: political
support is needed to promote strong co-operation among relevant stakeholders in
regional innovation.
• There are already many good examples of effective Smart Specialisation in
both established and more recent accession countries. Specific showcase initiatives
should be set up with a view to sharing good practice in research and innovation
activities for regional development across Europe.
• Decision-making processes in the area of Smart Specialisation and regional
innovation should be evidence-based and transparent.
• Regions should use an appropriate range of assessment approaches and
multidimensional measures that are able to capture diverse effects in the local
innovation ecosystem.
• The synergetic use of funds can only be achieved with higher levels of strategic
and practical alignment of different funding instruments. Further harmonisation
and simplification of regulations would be highly beneficial.
• There is recognition that co-creation of knowledge through active engagement
with external stakeholders should be valued on a par with traditional research
activities.
• Investing in even stronger links between education and research will support
the development of human talent which is the fundamental driver of innovation.

32. Expert Group on Research and Innovation Strategies
for Smart Specialisation (RIS3)
Warsaw Workshop (2016)
• Workshop on “Universities as motors of innovation in Central
and Eastern Europe”
• Convened jointly by CRASP and EUA and kindly hosted by the
University of Warsaw (13-14 October 2016)
• Nine case studies from regions in Austria, Czech Republic,
Estonia, Ireland, Poland, Slovakia and Switzerland; 2 EU
representatives and Polish authorities
• Discussion on the specific role of universities in regional
innovation in Central and Eastern Europe:
o Specific Challenges
o Strategic participation of universities
o Cooperation across Europe

33. “Universities as motors of innovation in Central and
Eastern Europe”
Main messages (preliminary version)
• Human talent is the fundament of regional innovation. Universities are
therefore instrumental in creating and sustaining innovation.
• Open inclusive systems are crucial to enable innovation. Enduring political
engagement and competitive processes need to be ensured at the local level.
• Innovation results from research excellence and is not an independent
dimension. Opportunities and constraints of the local context need to be taken
into account (‘qualified excellence’).
• Synergy needs to be addressed systematically – cooperative use of different
funds remains completely aleatory given the multilevel governance structures.
Re-shaping of cohesion fund use in Europe could be a pilot for such efforts.
• There is need to raise public awareness on the added-value of European
programmes, in order to ensure continued public support.
• Social and cultural innovation aspects needs to be taken increasingly in focus
• An appropriate balance of fundamental and applied research is crucial to
ensure sustained innovation capabilities

34. Synergies between Structural Funds and
Horizon 2020
Policy input to mid-term review of Horizon
2020

35. EUA member consultation on H2020
• Developed in preparation for the mid-term review of
H2020: to be launched by EC during autumn 2016
• Goal: to gather experience of universities with H2020
implementation (administrative, financial, strategic
aspects)
• Survey launched in January 2016 – deadline March
2016

36. Topic: Synergies between H2020 and ESIF
The European Commission promotes the establishment of synergies between ESIF and
Horizon 2020 in order to maximise impact and efficiency of public EU funding. One target
area for a synergetic approach.
• Are you aware of the concept
of smart specialisation and the
RIS3?
• If so, has your institution been
involved in the definition
and/or implementation of
RIS3?
80%
20%
Yes No
54%
46%
Yes No
Number of respondents: 142/153 Number of respondents: 110/113

37. • RIS3 are a promising area for synergies between ESIF
and Horizon 2020, and, thus, for bolstering regional,
national and European R&I ecosystems. However,
their actual success will depend on more alignment,
more coherence and more simplification of
funding regulations, requirements and timelines that
in turn will enable and encourage more cooperation
among authorities and stakeholders from the public
and private sector.
Main message in the area of RIS3 from the EUA
member consultation on Horizon 2020

38. Discussion
Time for your questions!

39. Thank you for your attention ……
… what is your regional strategy?

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