Workpackages

Workpackage 1: Consortium Management Activities

The aim of this work package is to ensure the appropriate organisational and financial administration of the project-wide functions. The key tasks consist of communication with EC authorities and reporting to EC authorities, internal quality control of the activities, actions and deliverables of the project and the financial administration and control of the project.

Workpackage 2: Scoping and Analysis of R&D Performance

This workpackage will involve initial consultations with key stakeholders relating to R&D investment by policymakers and the business and higher education sectors, as well as undertaking a literature review to scope and analyse the R&D performance of the regions resulting in the establishment of regional knowledge-based models and scorecards. This workpackage will consist of three core tasks as follows:

  • Identification and Analysis of Key Regional R&D Indicators and Initial Consultation Process
    - focusing on an initial scoping and analysis of the R&D performance of the regions, along with a consultation process primarily consisting of regional stakeholders. The aim of these consultations are two-fold: to gain a deeper understanding of the issues related to R&D investment and knowledge transfer in each region; and to gain engagement for the other aspects of the project resulting in an R&D performance report.
  • Development of Regional Knowledge-Based Models
    - seeking to develop regional knowledge models based around a conceptual framework focused on: (1) Knowledge transfer/spillover; (2) Knowledge absorption; and (3) Knowledge investment.
  • Preparation of Regional Knowledge Scorecards
    - the data gathered and interpreted in the above tasks will be utilised to develop an underlying framework for the establishment of regional knowledge scorecards. Specifically, by 'framework' we are referring to a regionally common template for collecting those available statistical indicators and data collected through the consultation process relating to knowledge creation and transfer and R&D activities.

The key deliverables of workpackage 2 will be:

  • Regional R&D Performance Reports
    - a comprehensive report for each region analysing their R&D performance against a number of relevant indicators.
  • Establishment of Regional Knowledge Models
    - the formulation of regional knowledge models based on patterns of transfer/spillover, absorption and investment. The models will emerge from the findings of the consultation processes and will be set within the framework of the 'Triple Helix' of the intersections and interactions between the government, higher education and business sectors.
  • Development of Regional Knowledge Scorecards
    - the development of a regional knowledge scorecard for each region, based on a thematic approach to understanding R&D investment flows & benchmarking tools.

Workpackage 3: Foresight and Scenario Workshops

The focus of this workpackage is the facilitation of a series of regional workshops, organised by the respective regional partners, which will provide an interface between the research and policy perspectives of the project in order to identify key demand and supply-side priorities for future knowledge-based and R&D-focused policies. This will initially involve the preparation of workshop materials, consisting of a synthesis of the findings from the materials gathered in workpackage 2. A number of scenarios (three per region) for the future development of each respective region from the perspective of initiating R&D investment strategies will be developed and presented in order to highlight the impact of: a continuance of current trends; an improvement to trends in the future; and a deterioration of trends in the future.

The regional stakeholders involved will consist of a representative cross-section of those actors identified in workpackage 2 as having a significant current or potential involvement in R&D investment and knowledge transfer processes in their region. The results and findings of each workshop will be compiled in a respective regional report that will provide a basis for the establishment of the Regional R&D Investment Strategies that will be undertaken in later workpackages.

The key deliverables of workpackage 3 will be:

  • Workshop Materials and Future Scenarios
    - outlining a number of scenarios for the development of R&D expenditure in the regions and the implications of each for regional economic development.
  • Workshop Reports
    - outlining the matters discussed in the workshops and how this feeds into the MIRIAD project.

Workpackage 4: Benchmarking Regional Knowledge Demand and Absorption

The objective of this workpackage is to understand the barriers SMEs face in identifying the research and knowledge they require, as well as effectively absorbing the research and knowledge they know already exists. A key output of the workpackage will be a methodology for measuring the knowledge and intellectual assets within SMEs. The key tasks will consist of the following:

  • Development of Business Scorecards
    - involving the production of a 'business scorecard' methodology that seeks to measure the knowledge and intellectual assets they already have and those that they should be demanding.
  • Data Gathering Through SME Interaction
    - consisting of a range of interactions with SMEs in the respective regions through interviews and consultations (with a minimum of 50 SMEs from a range of sectors being surveyed per region).
  • Reporting on Regional Knowledge Demand and Absorption
    - a report for each region that identifies the research and knowledge SMEs require, as well as effectively absorbing the research and knowledge they know already exists.

The key deliverables of workpackage 4 will be:

  • SME Scorecards
    - the production of a scorecard instrument designed to measure regional knowledge assets among SMEs.
  • SME reporting
    - a detailed report based on the findings from the survey of SMEs using the scorecard instrument developed for this workpackage.

Workpackage 5: Benchmarking Regional Knowledge Supply and Transfer

The aim of this workpackage is to capture data from key knowledge generating organisations within the respective regions on the knowledge they create and the R&D they currently undertake. The key proposed activities consist of the following:

  • Data Gathering on Knowledge Supply
    - through a series of structured questions, detailed data will be captured on the knowledge created and the R&D currently undertaken by key regional knowledge generating organisations such as higher education, government and foreign investors and research centres.
  • Data Gathering on Knowledge Transfer
    - data regarding existing knowledge transfer and barriers to such transfer will also be gathered through these interviews and workshops.
  • Reporting on Regional Knowledge Supply and Transfer
    - a report for each region that identifies the knowledge they create and the R&D they currently undertake, as well as existing modes of transfer and barriers hindering such transfer.

Workpackage 6: Regional Policy Roundtables

Through this workpackage a series of regional policy roundtables (one per region) will be facilitated. These roundtables will act as the first formal phase of the R&D Investment Strategy building process. The focus of the roundtables will be on how increased knowledge spillovers can be generated through more robust transfer and absorption processes. For each region a Key Strategic Intervention Report will be produced that will provide a framework for the thematic strategic intervention and a bespoke template for each of the respective Regional R&D Investment Strategies.

Workpackage 7: Trans-National Regional Learning Platform

The objective of this workpackage is to ensure a high level of interactivity between the partner regions through the establishment of a mutual learning platform, and will consist of the following tasks:

  • Exchange Visits
    - meeting and exchange visits to each of the participating regions. This will consist of one study visit to each of the regions with at least one person from each of the regional roundtables, who the partners deem to be appropriate to form part of such a visit.
  • Synthesised Documentation
    - the development of synthesised documentation, reporting, and scorecard/benchmarking materials. The introduction of scorecards and benchmarking tools is itself innovative, but in order for these to made use of by researchers in these regions in the future, clear documentation will be produced that acts as a common learning platform.
  • Trans-National Network
    - the establishment of a trans-national network of relevant policy actors, which will be catalysed by allowing stakeholders access to an intranet system acting as a clearing house for R&D information and data.
  • Website
    - a website outlining the scope, objectives, and actions of the project will be established at outset of the project, becoming fully functional, acting as a focal point for exchange and external visibility, as the project progresses.

Workpackage 8: Regional R&D Investment Strategies

The keys objectives of this workpackage are to establish and launch a R&D Investment Strategy for each of the regions complementary to the existing policy initiatives and activities already being undertaken. The production of the draft regional R&D investment strategies will involve collaboration between the partners and the coordinators, ensuring that the strategies are complementary to the existing activities being undertaken in the region.

The draft investment strategies will be subject to a final round of consultation not only with policy actors, but government research bodies, higher education institutions, indigenous SMEs and foreign investors. This consultation will consist of those relevant actors and the finalised strategy will then be produced to take account of these comments. The official launch will consist of the publication of the strategy, its presentation at a regional workshop (one per region) to an audience of relevant stakeholders, as further dissemination of the report to interested parties via the website.