Smart Specialisation Hub Masterclass - East of England

Smart Specialisation Hub – Masterclasses Roadshow 2016

The Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) is pleased to announce the launch of the Smart Specialisation Hub – Masterclasses Roadshow 2016. This roadshow has been designed to:

a) raise awareness and increase understanding about the Hub and Smart Specialisation;

b) engage and identify relevant existing knowledge and expertise within the Innovate UK / BIS family, which could support Hub activities.

These meetings are intended to be an open dialogue, a two-way process, which will on the one hand give you an opportunity to learn more about the Hub, and on the other hand, will enable the Hub team to fully understand the existing knowledge and expertise of regions and regional networks. We are particularly interested in engaging with those with visibility of LEP relationships. We are keen to explore how the Hub can support your work, and for you to get involved in our activities as expert or ambassador for the Hub, promoting the benefits and services of the Hub to businesses and other organisations in their regions.

The main aims of the masterclass are:

• understand how smart specialisation can support their work through the development of stronger clusters of excellence across the UK;

• contribute the knowledge of where those clusters are located;

• act as ambassadors/champions for the programme through their work.
  

Provisional agenda of Masterclass

Start: 10am,
Close: about 12.30pm with lunch provided

1. Welcome & Introductions

2. Smart Specialisation and Successful Innovation Ecosystems
– Smart Specialisation – Driving Local Innovation and Growth
– Smart Specialisation Hub (for England) – Background, Mission and Objectives
– Smart Specialisation Hub and its relation to Science and Innovation Audits

3. Open Discussion / Q & A

4. Smart Specialisation Strategies in Practice
– LEP presentation + Q & A

5. Smart Specialisation Hub and Plans for the Future
– Master Classes – national and regional
– Working with LEPs
– Scoping and Innovation Review Workshops
– Data Analytics
– Advisory Group and Expert Network

6. Open Discussion

What can the Hub do for you? What can you do for the Hub?
– Facilitated work in groups
– Feedback / summary to plenum

7. Next Steps

8. Lunch

9. Close at 13.00

About the Smart Specialisation Hub

The Hub is being delivered by the partnership of KTN and the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB).

The main role of the Hub will be to:

• Advise the Managing Authority and ESIF Growth Programme Board on the extent to which proposals are compliant with the ex-ante conditionality;
• Advise LEPs and local partners in devising strong plans;
• Provide evidence to support local investment plans within the national context, promoting coherence in setting collaborative priorities within / between localities;
• Identify and share good practices of most effective local structures / plans;
• Address challenges to unlock local innovation, e.g. capacity, collaboration;
• Achieve a more evidence-based and collaborative basis from which local investment decisions are made.

For more information contact – smartspecialisationhub@ktn-uk.org or go to: www.smartspecialisationhub.ktn-uk.org

The Smart Specialisation Hub is funded by ERDF, BIS, Innovate UK and HEFCE.