Territorial Responsible Research and Innovation and Smart Specialization

Project Information

TetRRIS

Grant agreement ID: 872550

DOI

10.3030/872550

Project closed

EC signature date 30 April 2020

Start date 1 September 2020

End date 31 August 2023

Funded under

• Integrate society in science and innovation issues, policies and activities in order to integrate citizens' interests and values and to increase the quality, relevance, social acceptability and sustainability of research and innovation outcomes in various fields of activity from social innovation to areas such as biotechnology and nanotechnology

Total cost

€ 1 980 437,50

EU contribution

€ 1 980 437,50

Coordinated by

TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OY
Finland

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - TetRRIS (Territorial Responsible Research and Innovation and Smart Specialization)

Reporting period: 2021-12-01 to 2023-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

TetRRIS overarching objective was threefold. First, it has aimed at supporting four European pilot territories – the Tampere Region in Finland, Karlsruhe Technology Region in Germany, Autonomous Community of Cantabria in Spain, and the Szeged-Timisoara Region in Hungary and Romania – to systematically integrate RRI practices into their territorial innovation systems and development approaches, and thereby embed value-driven transformation. Second, the project promoted mutual learning and interaction between territories, and, thirdly, it developed tools for good practices and policy recommendations that can be used to integrate RRI in the regional development in other European territories.

The TetRRIS project focused on unlocking the capacities of regional actors to explore, assess and address unanswered questions related to innovation in territories, while advancing development, raising awareness, and contributing to decision making based on scientific information. While in the first period of the project the emphasis was in the analysis of the regions and planning and preparing the pilot actions, in the second reporting period, the focus was on the implementation of regional pilots, their mutual learning and drawing policy lessons based on this work, including mutual exchange of ideas and experiences and co-creation of solutions and policy recommendations.

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

To identify opportunities for enhancing collaboration between actors for value-driven transformation and the uptake of RRI thought and practice, each region mapped territorial actors and assessed patterns of R&D&I interactions. This work improved understanding of regional R&D&I dynamics and provided a firm basis for work, and supported identification of the issues to be addressed in embedding RRI in regional pilot contexts. The mapping exercise was systematically performed with the help of an analytical framework, which was designed in the beginning of the project.

One of the starting points of TetRRIS was to put regional actors’ concerns at the centre of research agenda. This fundamental objective was achieved with an intensive interview process in which the pilot regions with the help of research partners carried out stakeholder interviews. Collecting this tacit information was highly important to match the regional pilot actions to regional actors’ questions and challenges. Important starting point for the action was that the regions are all different due to their varying socio-economic and innovation system related structures and targets, local cultures and existing embeddedness of sustainability and responsibility in the regional strategies, policy implementation and organisational practices. From this followed that all the regional pilot actions had to be tailormade and adapted to local conditions and needs. The regional pilots included several different actions and were also designed to connect to regional smart specialization targets. The pilots were implemented in collaboration between regional partners and scientific partners of the project.

To give some examples of the pilot actions, e.g. the Tampere region pilot affected the Regional Development Program and later digitalization strategy (Digital compass) so that sustainability and responsibility would be more present in the strategies. The Karlsruhe team built a “practitioner network on public engagement and participation” for local stakeholders. Cantabria´s pilot focused on the diffusion and adoption of the RRI in Bioeconomy, Health and post-Covid-19 Society; Blue Economy and Fair Energy Transitions; and Responsible Industry 4.0. Szeged-Timisoara region was included in TetRRIS as a “learning pilot”.

The project implemented specific policy labs to facilitate mutual learning, networking, and the creation of enriching synergies between the regions. Based on the collected feedback, the participants gained valuable insights of RRI, its challenges, and its potential for creating positive social and environmental impact. The learnings from actions were compiled into deliverables including key lessons, pilot Territory-specific policy briefs, and a handbook of policy recommendations. The dissemination on the results included a number of actions. The partners wrote blogs to the tetRRIS website and contributions to regional outlets. Also, social media channels were used actively. One specific action was a series of podcasts on regional implementation of RRI. The partners also wrote conference and scientific papers. The final policy-brief was disseminated to valid regional networks and policymakers and the RRI, responsibility and sustainability related topics were discussed in relevant regional events and meetings.

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 project indicated that RRI as a concept is practically unknown in all the regions. However, many "de facto RRI" activities were found in each of the regions. These activities included, for example, co-creation practices, engagement and inclusion of stakeholders, and promotion of ethics and sustainability. It is important to engage closely with the local actors and to identify areas where RRI may make tangible contributions. The most promising strategy for pilot actions was to build on ongoing local interests and activities.

The policy conclusions of the project can be crystallized as follows:

- It is important to engage closely with the local actors, their ecosystem, and to identify areas where RRI may make tangible contributions: compatibility with the existing values while introducing new ones

- Attention should be paid to (existing) practical processes and procedures by which responsibility and sustainability can be embedded in the regional ecosystems

- Regional change agents (individuals and/or organisation) with differing roles, are needed to orchestrate, support, and maintain the practical processes

- Policy programs & governance of responsibility and sustainability need to be built on ongoing local interests and wide & balanced understanding of sustainability (social, environmental, economic)

- Acting responsibly requires time and money as it needs more bureaucracy and stakeholders are not always willing to invest time and money

- Better and more consistent policies and regulations for promoting responsible way of thinking are needed

- Also clear articulation of benefits is essential: Long term commercial gain; Providing a competitive edge/advantage; Greater good for society and future generations

The project was able to reach number of various direct and indirect impacts in the regions in social, environmental, economic and policy dimensions. These included e.f. affecting regional development strategies, understanding of responsibility and its benefits more widely, as well as various practices in organizations like engagement.

tetRRIS poster