Explore, Create and Innovate in your region

Project Information

WIRE2019

Grant agreement ID: 862844

DOI

10.3030/862844

Project closed

EC signature date 28 May 2019

Start date 1 February 2019

End date 31 January 2020

Funded under

• Strengthening the administrative and operational capacity of transnational networks of National Contact Points

Total cost

€ 224 142,50

EU contribution

€ 224 142,50

Coordinated by

AGENTIA PENTRU DEZVOLTARE REGIONALANORD-EST
Romania

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - WIRE2019 (Explore, Create and Innovate in your region)

Reporting period: 2019-02-01 to 2020-01-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The objectives of the project was to organize and host the 10th edition of Week of Innovative Regions in Europe, as two days event during 26-28.06.2019 in Iasi, North-East Region of Romania by North-East Regional Development Agency (RDA) as beneficiary of the widening grant call H2020 -IBA-SEWP-WIRE-10-2019.

According to the Technical Annex 1(Part B) the project has the following overall objectives:
O1. To contribute substantially to positioning research and innovation policies towards specific missions
O2. To enhance capacity of regional actors in policy design for effective innovative regional development
O3. To build on the outcomes of previous WIRE conferences

In order to address the objectives above the content and the structure of the conference took into account two approaches:
- Bringing forward what is new on the R&I agenda in Brussels, under the concept of “Innovating to solve big problems” as transversal topic along the conference’s agenda. This included subjects like: the strategic planning of the future Horizon Europe mission oriented policies, the European Innovation Council, Interregional Innovative Investments(Component C5) and Strategic Partnerships (ERASMUS KA2);
- Setting 3 thematic pillars:
o From regional excellence to European and global value chains
o Research and innovation for economic transformation
o Education for innovation

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

O1 was reached considering the following outcomes:
debates around the widening measures, spreading excellence in EU- 13 or modest innovators in EU-15, explore synergies between FP and ESIF (research, innovation and education), practicalities and flexibility on exploiting ESIF R&I funded infrastructures and equipment, showed great interest from the audience (280 participants in plenary opening - 190 from „widening countries” and follow-up session organized on 10th of October 2019 during European Week of Regions and Cities in Brussels, 100 participants);
38 speakers and 18 officials from EU and Romanian Government level, as well as hosting organizations of previous editions of WIRE Conferences took part at the WIRE X, 2019;
3 study tours (technological development for innovation, life sciences and innovation in agro food) were organized for 108 registered delegates;
more than 50 articles were published in media, 4 Newsletters were prepared in published monthly after the conference(214 recipients each) and 38.757- total reach on Social Media (Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn) – until 31.07.2019;


O2 was reached considering the following outcomes:
placing the conference WIREX in North-East Region, one of the catching-up regions and modest innovators in Europe Union, but taking advantage of:
o Iasi Municipality as host location – Iasi is a pocket of excellence for research infrastructure ESIF funded, the home of 4 public universities(over 60,000 graduates yearly), important ITC HUB(Amazon Development Centre, Continental AG, Oracle, Xerox, Capgemini, Bitdifender, Endava, etc) with more than 16,000 currently ITC workforce mobilized;
o RDA North-East as host organization, regional development agency with 20 years of experience dedicated to economic animation in the region, responsible for regional development policy implementation (Intermediary Body for ROP), owner of business incubator RubikHub and Regional Studies’ Centre. RDA North-East is strongly connected with Europe as member in EURADA and ERRIN, as the only region in Romania with permanent representation Office in Brussels since 2010, over 72 international projects promoted (INTERREG IIIB, IVC, Europe, FPs 5, 6 and 7, ERASMUS, etc).
the conference encouraged communication and cooperation among participants (before the event – on-line matchmaking tool on www.wire2019.eu and during conference – using Slido.com instrument to organize 2 pols);
26 teams participated with prototypes in the “Visual Science” Exhibition; the most preferred by the public was awarded – “„IHRG Hybrid mechatronic & FES rehabilitation glove for stroke patients” from Technical University „Gheorghe Asachi” Iasi;
the event was honoured at the gala opening by the participation of high level Romanian Government Officials - Mr. Nicolae Hurduc, Minister of Research and Innovation, Mr. Maricel Popa, President of the Iasi County Council, Mr. Sorin Brasoveanu, President of Bacau County Council and North-East Regional Development Council and European Commission - Mrs. Signe Ratso, Deputy Director General at DG Research and Innovation, Mr. Joao Santos, Deputy Head of Unit, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Mrs. Katja Reppel, Deputy Head of Smart Sustainable Growth Unit, DG Regio, Mr. Kieran McCarthy, Member of the European Committee of the Regions, Member of SEDEC and COTER Commissions;


O3 objective was reached also considering:
- the preparation of the program content and structure taking stock of the lessons learned from previous editions of WIRE host organizations, particularly from WIRE 2017 Slovakia and WIRE 2018 Austria. Particularly by: encouraging participation from widening countries (110 delegates, representing 68% of the total participants), encouraging networking and intercultural exchange among participants through on-line matchmaking tool, the networking dinners and lunches as well through the specific scientific tours organized in Iasi;
- organizing the event under the Romanian Presidency at European Council agenda, ensuring a higher visibility of the conference at international level;
- organizing dedicated plenary session “Learning from WIRE” and “Awarding ceremony for WIRE organizers of the last 10 years” (28.06.2019) and passing North-East RDA experience to Croatia organizers of WIRE XI.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The conference was organized by Agentia pentru dezvoltare regionala Nord-Est, as project coordinator, as part of the Romanian Presidency at the European Council in Iasi (North-East Region) between 26th and 28th of June 2019.The event gathered 280 participants from 33 countries.

Representatives of European institutions, research organisations, clusters, education organisations, SMEs, public authorities and NGOs exchanged views on the role of R&I policies and their instruments in solving societal challenges and missions in reflecting way – identifying good practices and lessons learned from current programming period and prospective way – better understanding and positioning for efficient planning and delivery of R&I in the programming period 2021-2027.

The mixed method approach created conditions for sharing knowledge (38.757 persons were informed until 31.07.2019 through the conference dedicated communication channels - website and social media) and cooperation among participants (100 participants at the follow-up event in Brussels, organized on 10th of October 2019 during the Week of Regions and Cities).