The workshop, organized by the EUSALP Action Group 1 – Research and Innovation – entitled “RIS3 in macro-regional strategies: Building a comparative framework to learn from other regions” was held in Milan on the 25thof June, at the Lombardy Region building: a moment comparison on the specialization strategies (S3) and the future of the Alpine Region.
More than fifty people attended the event that gathered together national and international experts and researchers involved in the RIS3 analysis and implementation activities. Additionally, over 165 visualizations were recorded through the event’s online streaming service.
After the welcome speech of Ermanno Boccalari, Head of Unit Internationalization, Export and Promotion (Lombardy Region) and the introduction of prof.ssa Anna Giorgi of UNIMONT – University of Milan, Leader of EUSALP Action Group 1 on behalf of Lombardy Region, the first session presented the results achieved by Action Group 1 within the Interreg Alpine Space AlpGov project: the comparative analysis of the priorities of the Smart Specialization Strategies (S3) of EUSALP regions. The analysis was conducted by a research team led by Prof.ssa Margherita Russo, AG1 member representing the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR). During the first sessions – moderated by Fabrizio Rovatti, AG1 Member representing Friuli Venezia Giulia – experts and academics from Politecnico of Milano, the Fraunhofer Institute, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and the Estonian University of Tartu discussed on the topic and shared their experience.
The use of technological tools to foster networking among the world of research, business and governance spheres, was the main thread of the second session of the workshop – moderated by Martina Hartl, AG1 member representing Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research – which was attended by prominent academics of Fribourg University, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna and UNIMONT – University of Milan. UNIMONT presented the Re-search Alps platform, an interactive database funded by EU TELECOM/CEF andable to support the achievement of the objectives of Action Group 1. The platform identifies, maps and geolocalises Laboratories, Research Centres, Start-Ups and SMEs located in the Alpine Region and in the 7 EUSALP countries (http://app.researchalps.eu).
Luca Marchesi, Deputy Director, Unit Policy and Tools for the Environment – DG Environmental Evaluations and authorizations Lombardy Region and Marco Peronaci, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Brussels and EUSALP Italian National Coordinator, presented the future actions and concluded the event.