Baltic TRAM partners in close cooperation with the members of Baltic TRAM High Level Group have prepared an overview of innovation and smart specialisation transnational landscape based on a nuanced analysis of key national policy documents and implementation structures. It is captured in the BSR Policy Briefing 4/2017 “National innovation and smart specialisation governance in the Baltic Sea region: Laying grounds for an enhanced macro-regional science-business cooperation” published by Centrum Balticum.

The report provides a nuanced insight regarding the main policy documents and supports frameworks focused on innovation and smart specialisation in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. The overall mapping has resulted in detecting three jointly shared smart specialisation areas – health sector, ICT and sustainable energy. “Health sector is prioritised by a number of countries and regions, such as, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Poland and regional areas such as Southern Denmark, which is further complemented by the interest in facilitating further development of bio technologies in pharmaceutical sectors in such countries as Latvia and Lithuania. Another prominent common thread of smart specialisation is related to the digital growth translated in support for ICT, which is prioritised in Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. Furthermore, sustainable energy production also features prominently in the national and regional smart specialisation frameworks of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Southern Denmark.” (BSR Policy Briefing 4/2017, p. 30).

“National innovation and smart specialisation governance in the Baltic Sea region” is published ahead of the Baltic TRAM Mid-Term Conference which will be taking place at the helm of the CBSS Swedish Presidency. During this event the BSR Policy Briefing 4/2017 will be discussed in more detail among policy makers and distinguished experts of analytical facilities. All interested parties are welcome to join the event. These public discussions will feed into further analysis of science-business cooperation dynamics in the Baltic Sea Region experienced by the Baltic TRAM partnership, thus shedding more light on how (or whether) the business demand for innovative services correlates with the policy-level prioritised areas.

All in all, “National innovation and smart specialisation governance in the Baltic Sea region” serve not only the immediate needs of the Baltic TRAM project but also serve as the first notable building block towards the implementation of Baltic 2030 Action Plan adopted during the recent Reykjavík Ministerial of the Council of the Baltic Sea States.

BSR_Policy_Briefing_4_2017.pdf
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