An overview Interreg IV B North Sea Project Vital Rural Area

Project organisation 13 partner regions from 6 North Sea countries (N, NL, B, DK, D, UK) Lead partner: NOFA (NL) Scientific team and scientific group University of South Denmark (DK) Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (NL) University of East Anglia, Norwich (UK) Project management Peter Laan / Wietse Hermanns

Project finances Budget ( ) o Total funding € 7,7 Mio o ERDF funding € 3,85 Mio o Cofinancing partners € 3,85 Mio

To find strategies to fortify rural areas by: 1) Enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs by empowerment of SMEs towards new economical prospects and innovations 2) Improving the overall perception of the region by branding towards a professional exposure of regions 3) Delivering more and better services by optimizing services, towards more and better accessible services and amenities Scope of the project and content basis

43 ‘best practice’ project cases Fitting into one of the 7 Vital themes Outcome of the project

Tuning project information towards sustainability Pilot projects are described in a uniform project format with emphasis on project analysis A key question list is added to each of the projects focusing on the applicability and integrative value of the project results for the region as a whole This includes a check on sustainability by applying the Triple P-approach (People, Planet, Profit)

The Rural Power Pack Based on the project results and scientific knowledge the Rural Power Pack was developed: o A general working method/standard for tackling rural problems commonly encountered in rural areas o Tested transnationally on its transferability to other regions o Offering tools and instruments to be used in other regions

The Rural Power Pack

Example Rural Power Pack methodology

Process approach The Cooperative Agreement Approach (CAA) o tested and implemented in most of the projects executed o used as common standard for Public Private Partnership Consisting of two main characteristics: 1)The gathering together of all potential partners in the region (local, regional, public, private, different sectors, knowledge institutes) 2) Facilitating a process based onrespecting responsibilities and knowledge that brings together energy, creativity and budgets (EU, public, private)

Cooperative Agreement Approach

Dissemination of project results Dissemination of results ( ) over a web-based structure by: o appealing presentation of results (uniform project format, “story telling” form) oconnecting to networks and projects throughout EU 27 oaiming for interactive growth of knowledge by sharing project results and experiences oadding results from other projects and programmes

How to test the applicability of project results elsewhere? The Vital Rural Area ‘team’