The first stakeholder workshop taking forward the entrepreneurial discovery process was held on 2 September 2020 as part of the process to update the current Smart Specialisation Strategy. The workshop brought together over 30 representatives from various ministries and nine Strategic Research and Innovation Partnerships (SRIPs). It was carried out in a hybrid format due to COVID-19 restrictions in place, allowing over 70 individuals to participate online, and a maximum of 30 individuals participating in the workshop in person.
The updated document will be one of the key strategic documents underpinning the implementation of EU Cohesion Policy in the next programming period. The workshop was organised by the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy (GODC), the body responsible for coordinating Smart Specialisation Strategy. State Secretary at GODC, Ms Monika Kirbiš Rojs opened the event briefing the participants on Slovenia's progress in the preparations for the upcoming programming period and drafting of the relevant strategic documents.
As they gear up for the 2021-2027 period, member states will first have to fulfil several enabling conditions to be able to start implementing project co-financed by ESI Funds, just like they had to before kick-staring the 2014-2020 period.
GODC, which also acts as the Managing Authority, monitors the progress made in the preparation of enabling conditions and is responsible for the coordination of the Smart Specialisation Strategy update, making sure the document will be renewed in line with EU guidelines. The key areas addressed in the current document, i.e. research, development and innovation, will now be joined by the areas of digitalisation, growth and competitiveness of SMEs and the area of knowledge and skills for smart specialisation. The process is already underway and involves the relevant ministries, implementing organisations and SRIP coordinators that will shape the documents with their inputs.
The presentations delivered at the workshop focused on outlining the activities concerning the preparation of several documents, i.e. Research and Innovation Strategy (Ministry of Education, Science and Sport), Slovenian Industrial Policy (Ministry of Economic Development and Technology), career platform (Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities) and Digital Agenda (Ministry of Public Administration). SRIP coordinators also briefed workshop participants on their activities carried out in priority domains and presented action plans guiding their work and interventions in each domain. Check the presentations here (in Slovene).
The workshop marked the official kick-off of another round of entrepreneurial discovery process as part of the S4 update process which includes all relevant stakeholders and SRIPs.
PHOTO: GODC, Workshop ‘Towards an Updated Smart Specialisation Strategy’