RIS3 teams from all over the Czech Republic gathered in October at a conference in the Hradec Králové Region against the backdrop of Broumov Monastery. More than fifty guests were welcomed by organisers from the home CIRI Centre for Investment, Development, and Innovation, the introductory greeting being delivered by Director of CIRI Vendula Hájková. The Smart Accelerator II team from the Liberec Region, operating within the Regional Development Agency, was there too, of course, CIRI and ARR being prominent partners within the DIH Northeast consortium.
During the two days full of the programme, delegates shared their own examples of good practice from the national and regional level of the RIS3 strategy. Discussion centred on topics such as the promotion of culturally creative industries or activities that promote education and entrepreneurship. The host Hradec Králové Region presented its approach to mapping INKA and a pilot project known as Wellcome Center. Colleagues from CzechInvest contributed to the discussion with their map evaluation of regional priorities, under preparation as part of the System Support for Implementation and Management of the National RIS3 project. Discussions also took place during the informal part of the conference to concern the development of the DIH Northeast project and the submission of an application for European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) status.
The National RIS3 Team from the Ministry of Industry and Trade was represented by Tomáš Holinka, Michaela Novotná with recommendations for the design of RIS3 missions at regional level, and Ivana Križanová with RIS3 portal: A modern tool for communication. Fresh information about the challenges faced by Smart Accelerator+ I was presented by representatives of the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport Veronika Maříková and Hana Fusková. Beáta Hanousková from the Ministry of Regional Development offered up examples of good practice that brought innovative projects to economically weak areas and in turn helped improve their local economies.
“The Agency for Regional Development is currently finalising work on the Smart Accelerator+ I project, which will be a continuation of the current Smart Accelerator II project in the Liberec Region. In parallel to this, the Agency is finalising the EDIH project and preparing to submit it to a call by the European Commission. Meeting is extremely important, particularly at this stage of both projects, as a means of taking inspiration from teams in other regions and as a way of exchanging information with the National RIS3 team,” summarises Jiří Ulvr, Councillor for the Liberec Region for the Department of Economic and Regional Development, European Projects, Planning and Rural Development.