GROWyourREGIOn

The European Commission's White Paper on the Future of Europe1 and its Start-up and Scale-up Communication outlined the need for more industrial cooperation and strategic connections between regional and local eco-systems. Its recent Communication on 'Strengthening Innovation in Europe's Regions' and the EU Industrial Policy Strategy also calls for stronger strategic inter-regional cooperation, sustainable linkages and investments.

This second edition of #GROWyourREGIOn5 takes place when lessons are drawn on how smart specialisation strategies, the European Structural Investment Funds and clusters can support resilient, inclusive and sustainable growth in Europe's regions. #GROWyour REGIOn is an opportunity to: share your smart specialisation and cluster experience and practices;  exchange ideas about future actions for smart interregional collaboration; learn about novel ways of supporting innovation and accelerating industrial modernisation and SME growth.

This conference gathers over 300 national and regional authorities that manage ERDF and INTERREG projects, the business community and cluster stakeholders engaged in European cluster partnerships and cluster projects. Participants will discuss novel ways to boosting smart interregional collaboration through clusters towards more European "Silicon Valleys" and value chain linkages that bring benefits to regions and cities across Europe.

#GROWyourREGIOn is a conference with a difference. Participants will not just be listening to inspiring practice cases and speakers, but are invited to actively contribute, collaborate and co-create. It aims to gather ideas and proposals for the programming period post-2020 as a follow-up to the Smart Regions conference6 and the Communication on 'Strengthening Innovation in Europe's Regions'. This shall serve also as an input for the next European Industry Day in February 2018.

PROGRAMME

DAY 1 Wendnesday

09:00 – 13:00 Parallel pre-events

13:00 – 14:30 Registration and welcome walking lunch

14:30 – 15:30 High-level opening session on "Accelerating industrial modernisation together"

15:30 – 17:30 Session 1 on "Smart practices of inter-regional collaboration"

17:30 – 18:00 Wrap-up of the day by Dorthe Kusk and Allan Mayo and conference selfie picture

18:00 – 20:00 Smart networking opportunities

20:00 – 22:00 Smart Collaboration Dinner

DAY 2 - Thursday

08:30 – 9:00 Registration and welcome coffee

11:30 – 13:00 Session 3: "Co-Creation" of new approaches to boost strategic interregional collaboration

13:00 – 14:00 Buffet lunch, gallery walk, smart networking opportunities

14:00– 15:00 Session 4:"Reality Check" for new implementation approaches

15:00 – 15:30 Closing comments by Dorthe Kusk and Allan Mayo and conference video: The joint road to delivery

15:30 – 16:00 Spanish fare-well drink

16:00 – 17:00 Smart networking opportunities

 

DATE 8 and 9 november

REGISTRATION Official website

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