Higher Education and Smart Specialisation European Week of Regions and Cities 2018: Higher Education Institutions for regional innovation and resilience Higher Education and Smart Specialisation John Edwards Joint Research Centre European Commission Main narrative Innovation requires a purpose – what are we innovating for? Innovation and technological change can, after all, have negative as well as positive outcomes. One answer: promote innovation that tackles challenges, from ageing to migration and climate change. Some challenges in the State of the Union address, and H2020 programme has a part on societal challenges. But they are felt differently across regions, and solutions are found in those places, through a common endeavour of co-creation, called 'Open Innovation'. It is complex and non-linear, and policy makers need to support the process in a sophisticated, integrated way. In the open and placed based innovation paradigms, universities need to become challenge orientated and this requires them to link up their different activities to have a greater impact.

New regional eligibility map 2021-2027

Demand led innovation system HESS Project Teaching Engagement Research Demand led innovation system

HEIs and S3 HE system HE people EDP Governance Funding Monitoring The HESS Handbook (Higher Education for Smart Specialisation) provides guidance on how to involve Higher Education Institutions into the design and implementation of Smart Specialisation Strategies The HESS Handbook, to be published by the JRC in October gives advice to governments and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) on six themes that shape the involvement of universities and other HEIs in the design and implementation of Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3): HE System: How reforms to Higher Education systems can make HEIs more capable of engaging with regional issues HE People: How to understand the drivers and incentives of individuals working in HEIs The Entrepreneurial Discovery Process (EDP): How HEIs can work with stakeholders to identify regional strengths Governance: How HEIs fit into the process of governing regional strategies Funding: How to design funding programmes so HEIs have a stronger role in S3 Monitoring: The role of HEIs in monitoring the process of S3 implementation

Any questions? You can find me at @johnhuw & john.edwards@ec.europa.eu