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2	DG Research unit K2 - “Science and Technology Foresight” Promote a European Foresight Area Interconnect and support TF activities at European, national and regional level, in close co-operation with all related actors in Europe
3	Blueprints for Foresight Actions in the Regions expert group – why?
4	Blueprints for Foresight Actions in the Regions expert group – how? Creating mutual learning partnerships between regions between old and new Member States, Candidate Countries & New Neighbours Identification of regional typologies = challenges
5	Practical results (1): 5 Blueprints for how to initiate regional foresight FOR-RIS Combining short term regional innovation strategies (RIS/RITTS) initiatives with long-term time perspective of foresight initiatives UPGRADE Towards more knowledge based regional economies: reconversion of regional production systems in decline TECHTRANS Trans-regional integration and harmonisation of technology support mechanisms – a multi-regional response to multi-national firms TRANSVISION Bridging culturally close neighbouring regions separated by national borders AGRIBLUE Foresight for sustainable rural economies
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8	Blueprints (3): TECHTRANS Open method of co-ordination (OMC) put in practice - structural foresight aiming at building the regional base of the European Research and Innovation Area Trans-regional integration and harmonisation of technology support mechanisms Technology/innovation process oriented, independent of geographical closeness ”Multi-regional” response to multi-national enterprises
9	Blueprints (4): TRANSVISION Neighbouring,historically and culturally close, regions divided by national borders building common visions of the future Geographical orientation (as opposed to sector/system orientation in TECHTRANS) Devolution of power and territorialisation of RTD policies Harmonisation and integration of regional support measures and RTDI infrastructure Building on the “Zukunftsbild – Vision d’Avenir 2020” SaarLorLux SeeForesighT: 1 MS, 1 Candidate Country and 1 New Neighbour State
10	Blueprints (5): AGRIBLUE
11	Practical results (2): Conference, horizontal report & policy orientation paper Conference dissemination of work mobilisation of stakeholders information of EU policy and instruments Horizontal report synthesis of work the regional context and environment the why? and how? of foresight Policy orientation paper recommendations to European, National and regional policymakers
12	Practical results (3): Stakeholder mobilisation & regional actions Mobilisation & awareness amongst regional stakeholders and decision makers Continued cooperation of involved actors for mutual learning on a voluntary basis Continuation & deepening of actions started in the framework of the Blueprints expert group Initiation of new foresight actions Individual regions (ERDF, RIS-NAC, etc) Transregional cooperation (INTERREG, etc) Association of regional foresight labs (planning stage)
13	Blueprints expert group - lessons learnt The importance of focus on key questions and issues that foresight can influence The need to mobilise key stakeholders The usefulness and demand for practical tools The willingness to engage in regional, trans-regional, or horizontal foresight actions
14	Some lessons fom individual blueprints (1): 20 key questions (UPGRADE)
15	Some lessons fom individual blueprints (2): (Rural) Regional foresight – how?
16	Some lessons fom individual blueprints (3): Most important tools (UPGRADE)
17	Some lessons fom individual blueprints (4): The (real) cost of regional foresight
18	Some lessons fom individual blueprints (5): TRANSVISION process conclusions Foresight training needed: methodological quality & success of spreading foresight in the regions linked to learning of foresight values & methods Common confusion between: «ultimate aims» (sustainability, social cohesion, welfare of the citizens, etc.); and «strategy» (to become the most competitive region, the 3 % action plan, the ERA, etc.). Links between companies, research and territories are extremely important in a transition to a knowledge-based economy Investments and support of EC in the process of restructuring R&D in transition countries is crucial Need for permanent drivers to develop continous foresight process in transborder areas: specific teams, agencies, networks of existing organizations (administrations, think-tanks, etc.)
19	Some lessons fom individual blueprints (6): Impact in an UPGRADE region “My work in the UPGRADE-Group was for us the basis for our “real”, structured foresight-process. Though we made some attempts before, our new approach, making the twenty steps of the blueprint, gives us the chance, to improve the competitiveness of our region by bundling our resources to a critical mass.Then we have a much better chance to fight unemployment and migration.The discussion in the group made it possible for me, to find out my own standpoint and develop my own idea of the right, suitable foresight approach, to solve our specific regional problems. Because we learned a lot from best practice examples of regional foresight, we are now able to make the next, right steps and to save a lot of time and money.The experience of seeing a working programme in NE-England encouraged us, to start a region-wide foresight-process for the whole land of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern”. Thilo Streit Forschungs- und Technologietransfer Kultusministerium Zeppelinstr., 19055 Schwerin, Germany