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Regional Innovation Strategy projects Regional Innovation Strategy projects, which allow regions to thoroughly analyse their innovation system and decide on strategic priorities to enhance innovation, are the core activity of the IRE network. The network was originally established to support regions undertaking RIS projects, and the network continues to concentrate much of its efforts in this area. Four Support Actions to RIS-NAC processes are supporting the first steps in implementing the regional innovation strategies developed in Central and Eastern European regions from 2001-2004. Trans-national IRE projects Trans-regional projects on innovation are also carried out under the umbrella of the IRE network. Around 45 regions are participating in eight regional innovation policy impact assessment and benchmarking projects which develop instruments to measure the outcomes of innovation policies and allow inter-regional benchmarking. Three IRE working groups of regions currently provide collaboration opportunities for IRE members concerning the topics of regional innovation systems, knowledge transfer between universities and enterprises, and innovative clusters. During the period 2001-2004, fourteen IRE Thematic Networks dealt with innovation-related topics of interest for groups of regions. During 1998-2000, regions co-operated within eleven Trans-Regional Innovation Projects on the implementation of measures based on the outcomes of their RIS projects. Related projects Many IRE regions have used the Regional Programmes of Innovative Actions funded by the Structural Funds 2000-2006 to implement actions from their regional innovation strategies. European regions have also taken advantage of the Innovative Actions to develop an innovation strategy if they did not already have one. A number of IRE regions are involved in Regions of Knowledge projects, which aim to promote increased and improved regional investment in research and development. |