Measuring INnovation among EURopean Subregions

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IN-EUR addresses the need for local level strategies to ensure innovation and knowledge growth all over the EU. Based on analysis of innovation, research and technology initiatives, IN-EUR supports public actors at sub-regional level to define and orientate local policies and investments on innovation. The overall project objective is to use interregional cooperation to improve quality of innovation policy at local level through sharing, integrating and transferring methodologies for measuring innovation. Through improved innovation policy, based on information gained from tested methodologies and following a result oriented approach, local authorities can avoid duplication, gaps and subsequent waste of public resources. IN-EUR is based on analysis of existing methodologies for measuring innovation at NUTS III level. Through in depth, interregional exchange, methodologies are updated and adapted in order to produce a shared tool, the Advanced Local Balance of Innovation (ALBI) model, which can be applied to partner regions and on a wide scale outside the consortium. IN-EUR groups 9 partners, representing 8 EU regions, all committed to this important objective. Each has the ability to involve key stakeholders, provide expert input and experience to thematic actions and directly or indirectly influence public policy on innovation. Partners with existing methodologies make these available for adaptation and transfer. Partners with other experiences in innovation policy or informal monitoring systems contribute to adapting methodologies into one integrated, flexible solution. The project is articulated into 4 components. Component 1 ensures efficient and correct administrative and financial management of the project. Component 2 guarantees dissemination and capitalisation of project outputs and results at local and EU level. Component 3 foresees intense exchange on indicators and methodologies to enrich existing methodologies and define their means of implementation. A sequence of activities involving local stakeholders will lead to a new set of indicators and overall improvements to the methodologies, thus defining the Advanced Local Balance of Innovation. Component 4 will complete and integrate Component 3, by verifying the ALBI’s effectiveness through light pilot actions in 3 selected territories. All results will be used to define the Implementation Plan for each local territory, defining how the ALBI will be mainstreamed and extended. Through this project, staff members in partner organisations and regional stakeholders will increase their capacity in terms of innovation policy monitoring and design, 8 innovation oriented processes will be stimulated by exchange and testing activities and 8 local policies will be improved, thanks to the integrated methodology for measuring local innovation(ALBI), tested in partner regions and widely disseminated in partner regions and outside.

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