Overview
METRIC will map regional transport innovation capacity, at the EU level and identify the competitive advantage of regions. Based on their strengths, guidelines will be developed for the preparation of regional innovation roadmaps (i.e. strategy plans). METRIC will also explore the regional innovation potential and make recommendations on how to support weak regions. The project will ultimately contribute to building a regional culture of continuous innovation that minimizes innovation risks and maximizes its returns.
The main aim METRIC is to map the regional capacities in transport and innovation in order to provide recommendations on how to strengthen transport research at a regional level.
The specific objectives are:
- to analyse innovation frameworks and the existing regional strategies for transport research
-
to identify the main stakeholders involved in the innovation chain along with their cooperation patterns within the region but also with other regions
-
to study the key transport research and innovation activities and their impact on regional competitiveness
-
to map regional advantages in terms of distinct specialisation and areas of excellence and investigate the regions’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats along with the drivers and barriers to innovation
-
to build a typology of regional innovation and classification of regions
-
to develop tools for adapting success factors for innovation
-
to derive recommendations for enhancing the role of regional transport research and innovation
-
to deliver a set of quantitative and qualitative indicators which can be used to measure regional transport research and innovation performance
- to develop innovation roadmaps based on the best practices
METRIC will base its operating principles in three main blocks of activities: i) mapping transport research and innovation activities, ii) measuring the performance of regional innovation frameworks and iii) analysing the main principles and typology of regional innovation. The project will deliver recommendations on innovative strategies for regions along with a set of innovation roadmaps based on best practices. The Smart Specialization Platform (S3P) approach will be used for the development of roadmaps and a transport sector specific S3P strategy will be put forward. This aims to become the basis for Structural Fund investments in R&I contributing to the development of the Cohesion Policy.
A regional innovation mapping tool has been developed within the project and can be accessed http://fp7metric.sf.bg.ac.rs.
Funding
Results
New thinking about transport
An EU team assessed and helped to foster innovation in European regional transportation. The Smart Specialisation Platform (S3P) approach yielded tailored roadmaps for each region, culminating in a set of strategic recommendations.
Europe has recognised the economic importance of innovation and the need for a strategic approach towards related goals. Transportation is one of six main sectors where such an approach should make a key difference in meeting the EU's Horizon 2020 goals.
The EU-funded http://www.metricfp7.eu (METRIC) (Mapping European regional transport research and innovation capacities (METRIC)) project worked to map capacity for transportation innovation in European regions. The study was also intended to identify respective regional competitive advantages. Based on the comparison, the team planned to prepare regional innovation roadmaps, including support for weak regions. The ultimate goal was to build regional innovation cultures that minimise risks and maximise returns.
Work focused on three main areas. These were: mapping regional activities in transportation innovation; assessing the performance of regional frameworks; and typing and analysing the main principles of regional innovation.
The project delivered, for each region, a set of recommendations regarding innovation roadmaps drawn from best practices. The roadmaps utilised the S3P approach, and the project also planned a transportation sector S3P strategy. The strategy is expected to facilitate structural fund investments in research and innovation, affecting development of a cohesion policy.
Investigations showed the transportation sector to be heterogeneous, consisting of several sub-sectors. Transportation service providers generally have different innovation systems. Research on regional innovation systems and environments is predominantly focused on the automotive sector, and aerospace secondly. Clusters in such sectors are organised around value chains.
Researchers concluded that Europe conducts considerable transportation research, at both country and regional levels. The findings will be used by policymakers to optimise the innovation strategies to be used in each region. The project's suggestions include criteria for funding and benchmarking research and innovation strategies.
The METRIC project helped promote innovation in the transportation sector, with implications for policy, research and Europe's regional economies. The recommendations should help bring about more innovative transportation technologies.