The strategic focus of the project is to boost efficient and more appropriate regional RTD-strategies by improving strategy processes in the partner regions. In the long run this shall lead to increased investments in R&D due to higher need-orientation of public RTD-policies and investments.
The foresight lab-project will encompass development of methodologies, exchange of experience, training and testing of new methods in joint "lab pilot cases". Each pilot case will have a defined theme identified duri ng previous project activities. "The lab"-concept;
1.) Brings together champions and novice regions in forum where regional policy makers and planners from whole Europe boost each others planning capacities.
2.) Offers a forum free from administrati ve boarders, traditional mind settings and methodological lock-ins. 3.) Offers a think-tank forum where trial and error is allowed. The project partners include well experienced "foresight-regions" such as Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (a member of the "Upgrade" working group of the High-Level-Group on foresight initiated by DG RTD) as well as regions, which have recently started to integrate foresight methodologies in regional development strategies. Among the project partner is also the Swedish national compete nce centre for regional foresight "the Dahmeninstitute".
The overall goals of the project are:
1.) Contributing to the Barcelona objective - 3% of GDP on R&D.
2.) To improve the competitiveness of partner regions through higher efficiency and need orientation in the RTD strategic planning.
3.) To establish a trans-regional forum for strategic planning exercises -A foresight laboratory of Europe.
4.) To contribute to the improvement of European RTD-policy.