Ministerul Dezvoltarii Regionale si Turismului

1. ERIK ACTION
Upgrading the Innovation capacity
of Existing Enterprises through
INTERREG IVC
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2. Overview
ERIK ACTION is the only project involving a Romanian
partner from a total of six Capitalisation Projects
approved on the first call of INTERREG IVC and also
receiving ‘Fast Track’ assistance from the EC.
South East Regional Development Agency participates in
this project as a partner, the lead partner being the Region
of Tuscany. The project started in July 2008 and will last
24 months; the total budget is 1.893.792 Euro and the
financial contribution between the partners is well
balanced.
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3. Overall Objective
ERIK ACTION’s overall objective is to improve
the effectiveness of regional development policies in
the field of innovation and the knowledge economy
and, specifically, in upgrading the innovation capacity
of existing enterprises. The project aims to create
additional value for firms by improving regional innovation
support services and infrastructure.
The theme was considered of general interest
for the EU Regional Policy and very relevant for the
INTERREG IVC programme. The innovation theme and more
precisely the innovation capacity of businesses is in line with
the Lisbon Agenda and especially with the first priority of the
INTERREG IVC programme. The consistency of the project
with EU horizontal policies and the tangibility of the results
were clearly demonstrated in the Application Form.
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4. Background
ERIK ACTION builds on a consolidated experience of exchange
by moving towards concrete transfer of identified good practices
(already available in the ERIK database) into mainstream Structural
Funds programmes in regions wishing to improve policies.
ERIK ACTION kicked off on the 7th – 9th of July 2008 in
Brussels. The first project meeting saw the participation of all partners,
representatives from the INTERRGE IVC Joint Technical Secretariat and
the Commission services involved in Fast Track activities.
The meeting served to discuss the project work plan and the
role of each partner in the project. Furthermore, the first of 5 project
training sessions was held during the kick off meeting and concentrated
on Innovation Strategies. Specific sessions were dedicated to the
transfer of good practices, the partners being able to gain more
detailed information on the good practices in order to make an
informed decision on transfer.
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5. Background
Following the kick off meeting, each partner developed an
individual stakeholder involvement plan. For each good practice to be
imported (transferred into the region) and exported (transferred out of
theregion),partners identified the political and technical stakeholders
and provided information on each ones’ priorities and interests of
stakeholder in relation to the selected GP and the activities proposed
to involve them in the ERIK ACTION project.
The following 5 project meetings included in depth transfer
workshops, study visits and staff exchanges, the regional stakeholders
being actively involved in the international transfer process.
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6. FOCUS ON: The Transfer Process
Five training sessions were to be organised during the ERIK ACTION
project. These sessions were designed as participative events which
provide the opportunity for expert input on a given theme, and in depth
discussion among participants.
The first 4 training sessions have already taken place and presentations
are available here
The training sessions concentrated on the following themes:
Innovation strategy (8th July 2008, Brussels)
Innovation finance (20th October 2008, Kozani, Western Macedonia)
Innovation friendly environments (21st October 2008, Kozani, Western
Macedonia)
Human resources (5th May 2009, Lower Austria)
The last training session will concentrate on “Knowledge management”
and will take place in January 2010, during the study visit in Sevilla,
Andalusia.
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7. FOCUS ON: The Transfer Process
Four study visits were organised until now and the last one will take
place in January 2010. These visits allow partners to see the
practical implementation of the Good Practice in its original context.
The visit schedule was as follows:
• Flanders - Parenthood Projects - February 2009
• Tuscany - PRAI VINCI / Fabrica Ethica - March 2009
• Lower Austria - Innovation Assistant - TIP Coaching - May 2009
• Småland med öarna - Sideum - September 2009
• Andalusia - Campus / HeliceNet - January 2010
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8. FOCUS ON: The Transfer Process Methodology
Within ERIK ACTION, a detailed methodology has been
developed to facilitate the transfer of good practices from one region to
another. The first step of the methodology concerned the selection of
good practices. It began with inter-regional exchange within ERIK
Network and the ERIK Database
http://www.eriknetwork.net/database.html), following which each
partner decided on the regional good practices to be offered for
transfer.
16 good practices were selected for transfer. For each good
practice a transfer group was formed with a group coordinator and a
transfer help-desk.
During the Kick-Off meeting a Transfer Matching Session allowed
partners to hear detailed presentations and to request more details in
order to aid on decision on which initiatives were best suited to their
region. Partners were supported in their decision through a series of
training sessions on key innovation factors in enterprises.
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9. FOCUS ON: The Transfer Process
Methodology
The second step of the methodology was the development of
transfer actions. In this phase partners were working in close contact
in order to prepare the groundwork for transfer. This process was
facilitated by transfer workshops for selected good practices, study
visits, help desks and staff exchanges.
Following this development phase, each partner is developing
an individual regional action plan for transfer( the third step). The
action plans include all the necessary actions, key stakeholders and
budget and will be ratified by the managing authority of the Regional
Operational Programme and relevant regional stakeholders.
Partners have also foreseen a potential fourth phase of the
methodology; that of concrete good practice transfer and tool
implementation or improvement. This is not an official part of ERIK
ACTION, in fact it goes further than what is requested from
Capitalisation project. However, it would be welcome as additional
step forward for those regions who can already commit to certain
transfer activities. These actions would be paid for by the Regional
Operational Programmes and not directly by INTERREG IVC.
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10. FOCUS ON: The Transfer Process
After 17 months of project activities, all partners find themselves in
the third stage of the methodology, only one study visit remaining to
be done in January 2010.
Having each identified before 1 and 5 good practices of interest,
partners are now working in close contact within their transfer
groups in order to collect all the necessary information and to relate
it to their specific regional context. Partners are analysing aspects of
the good practices which could easily be transferred, they are
contacting and involving the necessary stakeholders and are
identifying and troubleshooting any potential obstacles to transfer.
In depth transfer workshops were held at regular intervals. Between
meetings, partners can receive information from the transfer help
desks set up for each good practice.
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11. FOCUS ON: The Transfer Process
ERIK Action project team within South East
Regional Development Agency selected, after
consultation with the regional stakeholders, two
good practices to be transferred in the south-
east region of Romania:
• SIDEUM
• TECHNOLOGY EVENTS
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12. Reasons for Choosing SIDEUM
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13. ADAPTATION OF THE GP
Aspects of interest in SIDEUM and where they can be integrated in the regional framework
In Småland and Island there are a great number of actors involved in the interaction between industry and science to
promote industrial development.
Based on the awareness that the region lacked focus in R&D related business development structures a consortium
was formed with industrial, public and academic partners.
SIDEUM project identified political and public institutions as key players. They were involved during the whole process.
SIDEUM created a common platform for frontline development processes between academia, the public arena and
the business sector.
SIDEUM project was selected due to its innovative approach in finding new ways for the region in organising its efforts
in building a modern structure to deal with regional development issues in the form of clusters and innovations systems.
The key innovative element of the new configuration is that the stakeholders are “chained” to a common structure
by jointly owning a company.
Sustainability was built in from the start, however a lesson learnt from SIDEUM project was that national actors should
have been involved in a more comprehensive way
The management structure and the project marketing are also important factors in increasing sustainability
Local Council, university, county council and county administration are responsible for the basic funding of SIDEUM.
They provide SIDEUM with the economic stability needed to operate as a non-profit organisation.
The public authorities have a “tool” Info Day - Bucharest, Romaniaeconomic growth.
which they can use in promoting 13
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14. Implementation
Adaptation of GP
Actions and adaptation required for integration into the regional framework
Entrepreneurship and
innovation cultures are less Individual meetings with
developed in SE Region of the political
Romania. Clusters are representatives are also
emerging. In SE Region planned before the next
there is only one officialy targeted workshops.
SERDA partner could
recognised IT cluster
benefit from the Swedish
experience in creating good
links between academia,
business sector and public
SERDA partner is interested in administration through a
Within these processes the
learning how to create cohesion staff exchange. commitment of political and
and links between universities, public institutions and the
local municipalities and the strong link between all
business sector for the benefit of regional actors should play
the whole region. When resources The 4 step SIDEUM a key role.
are limited, a better cooperation process can inspire SE
between academia, business and Region but it cannot be
politics reduces potential entirely copied. SE
bottlenecks. Region must go
through its own
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15. Reasons for Choosing Technology Events and
adaptation of the Good Practice
In Andalucia there are a great number of firms interested to solve industrial problems and find competitive
solutions through research and innovations.
IDEA promotes and strengthens industry-science relations, in order to achieve better use by the industrial sector of
large public investments in R&D
There is a great collaboration between public agencies in order to organize workshops focusing on Technology
Transfer strategic sector
Technology Events promote innovation through technology cooperation and exploitation of research results
Technology Events encourage and facilitate collaboration and relationship between research groups and companies
of Andalusia
The events are organised to give the possibility to the research groups and also to the companies, to meet each other
with the higher numbers of meetings during a day
An unique database with companies and research groups was created, in order to classify them by different fields and
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16. Focus on Regional
Action Plan
Proposed structure for
Regional Action Plan:
Official Declaration
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17. Focus on Regional Action Plan
The main result of the project is a concrete action plan for each partner
region, containing detailed information on ROP and other programmes
overview and the good practices ( at least one) to be transferred:
 Reasons for Choosing the Good Practice: short description,
highlighting aspects of particular interest, short description of
regional characteristics, initiatives, political will, regional policies
 Current Status of Transfer( this section is continuously updated):
• description of transfer activities undertaken so far - initial
exchange with providing region, decision making process in
own region, transfer workshops, staff exchanges, study visits,
help desks;
• any obstacles / problems met and adopted solutions, lessons
learned.
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18. Focus on Regional Action Plan
 Implementation
• Adaptation of the Good Practice: aspects of interest in good practices and
where they can be integrated in the regional framework; action and adaptation
required for integration into the regional framework.
• Transfer team (including Stakeholder Involvement plan, as integral part of
RAP): political involvement (regional and/or national administration, Managing
authority of ROP) and territorial involvement (service providers and others
involved in the practical transfer of the good practice);
• Implementation Schedule of transfer actions, mainstreaming within the
current ROP period. A Gantt-Diagram with single steps/activities/milestones is
included.
• Budget allocation and resources
• Expected impact: expected results from transfer actions (quantifiable and
measurable impact of Good Practice implementation on statistics of the
region, qualitative impact) like: no. of new jobs, increase of firms’ turnover,
increased firms’ R&D / innovation activities, further thematic indicators from
the ERIK database.
• Monitoring actions proposed for measuring impact: innovativeness,
economic success, indications of equal opportunities and environmental
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19. Conclusions
Why ERIK Action is successful:
• Based on a real need (theme) and desire to capitalise
• Preparation (early and partner contribution)
• Full understanding of programme / capitalisation projects
• Careful choice of partners
Critical points on which ERIK Action focused on during the
implementation:
• Mobilising stakeholders at regional level
• Mobilising funds at regional level
• Involvement of other regions (outside of partnership) and collaboration
with other capitalisation projects
• Overcome the initial difficulties in understanding the means of
completing the action plan according to the proposed template
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20. For further information:
www.eriknetwork.net/erikaction
erikaction@eriknetwork.net
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21. Thank you for your attention!
Adriana VAIDA
Head of
Foreign Relations/International Projects Department
South-East Regional Development Agency
+40 339 401 018
adriana.vaida@adrse.ro
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