Methodology for Transnational Smart Specialisation Strategy

METHODOLOGY FOR TRANSNATIONAL SMART SPECIALISATION STRATEGY POLICY PAPER

WHY TRANS-S3?

Smart specialisation strategies (S3) have a significant territorial impact, especially with regard to economic social and territorial cohesion, mostly by improving competitiveness and performance of European regions and by improving local governance and public services.

The Trans-S3 methodology allows transitioning from the concept of a competitive region to the concept of a competitive group of regions.

COUNTRIES

KOUVOLA (FINLAND)

VALGA (ESTONIA) CESIS (LATVIA)

VILNIUS (LITHUANIA)

AABENRAA (DENMARK)

HAMBURG (GERMANY)

PODLASKA & BIALYSTOK (POLAND)

WHAT IS TRANS-S3 METHODOLOGY? The Trans-S3 methodology is a policy tool for internationalisation and innovation at the transnational level.

It provides a set of methods (steps/sequences) which lead to the elaboration of Trans-S3 for any group of regions interested to collaborate in smart specialisations and to build global competitiveness based on their shared strengths and opportunities.

Trans-S3 methodology (policy paper) explains the process of building a Trans-S3 by providing the readers with two parts:

HOW TO DO IT

HOW DID WE DO IT

INSTRUCTIONS, CHALLENGES, POSSIBLE OPTIONS AND SOLUTIONS

APPLICATION OF THE METHODOLOGY AND CONCLUSIONS

GOVERNANCE

ACTION PLAN

General notes Justifications Categories of used data sources Process algorithm for the identification of transnational smart domains Problem solving recommendations, etc.

Search for common FEEDBACK Analytical review sets (defining initial and profiling of priorities) General component – Trans-S3 management target regions (verifying priorities) Markets and technology trends review (refining priorities)

Stakeholders consultations and entrepreneurial discovery (finalising priorities)

FEEDBACK

FEEDBACK

FEEDBACK

Internationalisation potential assessment (assessing priorities)

SHARED VISION

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

TRANS-S3 METHODOLOGY CONTAINS:

WHAT ARE LESSONS LEARNED AND RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON TRANS-S3?

Based on the experience of the GoSmart BSR project, the following conclusions and lessons learned are formulated:

Standard S3 methodology can be used in any setting, including a transnational one

Trans-S3 approach can usefully inform regional (and national) S3s, especially in the international dimensions of smart specialisations

Challenges related to the transnational character of Trans-S3 are manageable within the existing methods and tools

Dedicated governance (management) systems need to be developed for Trans-S3s as the existing ones show high differentiation among transnational regions

Trans-S3s should be considered complementary to regional (and national) S3s

INTERNATIONALISATION AND INNOVATION POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

AT THE EU LEVEL

Promotion of internationalisation as an important aspect of smart specialisation; Development of Trans-S3s for the EU transnational cooperation areas (within existing transnational cooperation programmes as well as macroregional development strategies);

Full version of Methodology for Trans-S3:

gosmartbsr.eu

Mainstreaming positive experiences and successful initiatives of internationalisationinnovation policy at transnational level.

AT THE REGIONAL/NATIONAL LEVEL

Removing overly inwardlooking aspects of S3s by expanding cross-regional and transnational dimensions of innovation; Intensifying transregional/ transnational collaboration in the internationalisationinnovation policy; Refocusing internationalisation and innovation policy on key innovation actors, that is the small and medium-sized enterprises.