Opportunities and challenges of innovation and Europe’s response to them are among the key topics of a conference "Smart Specialisation and Technology Transfer as Innovation Drivers for Regional Growth" organized in Sofia on May 3-4 by the Directorate-General Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, with the Bulgaria Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Stefano Fantoni, Champion ESOF2020 Trieste and President of Trieste International Foundation, together with Sergio Paoletti, President of Area Science Park and Stephen Taylor, coordinator of the “Science to Policy” TESI Committee and director of the Service for Innovation and Complex Systems at Area Science Park, will be attending.
Almost 350 participants, including policy-makers, scientists, businesses, regional authorities and universities, are expected at the National Palace of Culture in Sofia, where the event will take place. Keynote speakers include the Minister for the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU Council 2018 (Lilyana Pavlova), the European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society (Mariya Gabriel) and the Director-General of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (Vladimir Šucha).
Main goal of the conference is to foster a constructive dialogue between institutions and businesses by providing a platform where to discuss and commit to place-based innovation as a priority for Europe, with a special focus on South-East Europe, including the Western Balkans.
The programme offers sessions around three main themes: smart specialization, technology transfer and digital economy. Investment in research, skills creation, education, innovation and human capital as priority areas for boosting jobs and growth will also be discussed. After setting the scene and presenting the facets of the innovation landscape in Europe, participants will engage in a debate on good practices and key success factors to inspire countries, regions and stakeholders willing to reap the potential of Smart Specialization. On this basis and building on a variety of examples from the EU, they will have the opportunity to dig into the policy mix needed to connect actors from the quadruple helix (businesses, academia, government and civil society).
Find out the programme here
