17 oktober 2024
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On the 9th of October, Neth-ER hosted an insightful event titled “Regional Innovation Ecosystems in Education & the Impact of Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships.” The event underscored the necessity of cooperation between educational institutions, regional governments, EU institutions and the private sector to drive innovation and ensure the future competitiveness of Europe. The discussions highlighted successful examples of regional innovation ecosystems and the importance of continued investment and collaboration to achieve long-term goals.
On the 9th of October, Neth-ER hosted an event titled “Regional Innovation Ecosystems in Education & the Impact of Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships.” Dominique Selier, policy officer at Neth-ER, opened the event with a warm welcome on behalf of Neth-ER and organizing members, MBO Raad, Nuffic, and Vereniging Hogescholen. The event started with a round of pitches presenting their regional innovation ecosystems through AIRinVET, E³UDRES², PoVE WATER and Run-EU. After, the pitchers participated in a panel discussion moderated by Scilla van Cuijlenborg, where they delved deeper into the ecosystems approach. Then, the event finished with a networking opportunity.
Martijn van Gruijthuijsen, Regional Minister for Economy, Talent Development, and Finance of the Dutch province of Noord-Brabant, delivered the keynote address. As a rapporteur for the European Committee of the Regions on the Future of the Single Market and the EU’s Competitiveness, Van Gruijthuijsen highlighted the critical role of regional innovation in maintaining Europe’s competitive edge. He discussed the 15 years of decentralization in regional economies and the initial results observed in his province Noord-Brabant. He stressed the importance of creating a knowledge-based economy that benefits both society and entrepreneurs. He noted that many industries in Noord-Brabant are heavily involved in international exports and collaborate extensively with knowledge and research institutes. Gruijthuijsen also referenced the reports by Letta and Draghi, which underscore the need for Europe to set higher standards in technology and innovation and implementing the fifth freedom. He called on the European Commission to implement the recommendations from these reports and urged regional stakeholders to use their networks to advocate for cross-border cooperation. He emphasized that educational institutions should play a key role in this process, highlighting the need for both applied and fundamental research to drive technological leadership in Europe. Educational institutions should play a key role in this process, highlighting the need for both applied and fundamental research to drive technological leadership in Europe.
The event featured several pitches from various institutions, showcasing successful examples of regional innovation ecosystems. Pili Alonso, Director of the Applied Innovation in Strategic Environments area at Tknika, presented their Applied Innovation and Research in Vocational Education and Training (AirinVET) project. The AirinVET project includes eight project partners. Alonso outlined their approach to mapping the current state of innovation in different countries through interviews and data analyses. The goal is to develop a framework that identifies barriers and enablers for applying innovation, which can be shared across Europe to enhance collaboration between VET centers and higher education institutions.
Henny Oude Maatman, Work Programme Leader of Engaged and Entrepreneurial European University for European Smart and Sustainable Region (E³UDRES²) at Saxion University of Applied Sciences Saxion, highlighted their efforts to establish a ‘university of the future’ through the Engaged E³UDRES² network. This network includes nine partners from across Europe. Their focus areas include deep tech and digital solutions, with an emphasis on open innovation hubs. Saxion collaborates with SMEs and the public and social sectors to foster innovation. Saxion has created a model that integrates SMEs into their labs, facilitating cooperation and knowledge exchange.
Pieter Hoekstra, Programme Director of CIV Water and Erna van der Werff, Co-Founder of Learning Hub Friesland presented their Platform of Vocational Excellence Water (PoVE Water) project, emphasizing the importance of vocational education and training (VET) in the water sector. CIV has nine partners in the field. Pieter and Erna showcased their internationalization efforts and collaboration with SMEs, highlighting the success of their project. The platform aims to scale up innovation and creativity in VET, focusing on practical skills and applied research.
Peter de Boer, Project Leader of Run-EU at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences discussed their RUN-EU initiative, a regional university network alliance of nine partners. They focus on mobility-driven projects, with over 2000 student mobilities and various skills programs. The second cycle of their initiative includes new partnerships in Eastern Europe and a focus on entrepreneurial components, innovation in primary and secondary education, and service learning.
The event proceeded with a panel discussion moderated by Scilla van Cuijlenborg, Senior Policy Advisor at the Dutch VET Council. The panelists included Peter de Boer from NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, Pili Alonso from Tknika, Pieter Hoekstra from Learning Hub Friesland, and Henny Oude Maatman from Saxion University of Applied Sciences. They discussed the impact of regional innovation on research and innovation, and how to enhance collaboration between VET and higher education institutions. The panel further discussed what their ecosystems and partnerships need to stay sustainable in the long term.
Henny Oude Maatman emphasized the importance of cooperation with SMEs and the VET field in Overijssel, involving students in makerspaces and international settings. He highlighted the need for new educational models that integrate primary education teachers and larger groups of students. Peter de Boer discussed the various ways RUN-EU collaborates with VETs and other stakeholders, moving from regional initiatives to broader engagement. He stressed the importance of co-creation and collaboration at multiple levels.
Pieter Hoekstra highlighted the success of engaging young people in the technical water sector through cooperation between Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and applied science students. He emphasized the role of companies in driving educational goals and the need for a more flexible education system. Pili Alonso focused on the collaboration between SMEs and the educational system in developing technologies that meet the needs of companies. She stressed the importance of government policies, funding, and long-term strategies for applied innovation. The panelists agreed on the necessity of multi-stakeholder partnerships to drive innovation and the importance of aligning educational systems with industry needs and vice versa.
The panel concluded with a discussion on what is needed to make their ecosystems and partnerships sustainable in the long term. Maatman highlighted the need for additional funding. All improvements need money, he stated. Hoekstra disagreed, and stated that the primary needs for the development of the innovation system are time and attention from partners to create added value. By leading by example, the necessary funding will follow, Hoekstra stated. De Boer agreed with both Maatman and Hoekstra, but emphasized that there is room for improvement in showing your work and your added value. Alonso agreed with all of the previous speakers, and added that government policy priorities are crucial in order to be able to get enough funding and attention for the field of innovation.
The event on regional innovation ecosystems in education was organized by Neth-ER, MBO Raad, Nuffic, and Vereniging Hogescholen, and focused on the impact of multi-stakeholder partnerships between vocational and higher education institutions. It’s aim was to showcase how these collaborations drive regional innovation and development. The event was organized in light of the European Week of Regions and Cities, an annual event that highlights regional and urban policy initiatives and fosters networking among policymakers, experts, and stakeholders across Europe.
Written by Iskender Şimşek