Benefits and Impacts of Foresight Mutual Learning based on Regional Experiences

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Benefits and Impacts of ForesightMutual Learning
based on Regional Experiences

• Stocktaking of the follow-on activities
• in the Blueprints working groups
• Peter Heydebreck
• p.heydebreck_at_innovating-regions.org
• Brussels, 19th October 2005

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Overview

• The blueprints exercise.

• Preconditions to foresight processes.

• Contribution of the blueprint exercise to
  satisfy the preconditions.

• Status today.

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The blueprints exercise

• DG RTD mandated a High Level Expert Group to
  develop blueprints for regional foresight.
• Five working groups developed and validated a
  blueprint each for a specific type of region.
• A Steering Group secured exchange of experiences
  between the five groups and prepared a policy
  paper on regional foresight.

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• Contacts
• Karel Klusacek Marja Toivonen
• Technology Centre AS CR Helsinki University of
  Technology
• Prague, Czech Republic Helsinki, Finland
• klusacek_at_tc.cas.cz marja.toivonen_at_te-keskus.fi
  
• Reference regions
• Lower Austria experienced RITTS/RIS region
• South West Region (Sofia Region) planning to
  undertake a RIS

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• Contact
• Gordon Ollivere
• RTC North
• Sunderland, UK
• gordon.ollivere_at_rtcnoth.co.uk
• Reference region
• Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

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• Contact
• Henning Banthien Rafael Muguerza
• IFOK Gobierno Regional de Navarra
• Berlin, Germany Spain
• henning.banthien_at_ifok.de rmuguera_at_cfnavarra.es
• Reference object
• The whole network with all partners.

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• Contact
• Philippe Destatte
• Destree Institute
• Namur, Belgium
• destatte.ph_at_destree.org
• Reference regions
• The Large Region
• SEEForesighT area

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• Contact
• Patrick Crehan
• CKA
• Brussels, Belgium
• Patrick.Crehan_at_cka.be
• Reference object
• Border Midland Western (BMW) Region in Ireland
• Weser-Ems Region (Germany)

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Comment on the blueprint exercise
The blueprint exercise was a cost effective work
of small passionate groups with highly rewarding
outputs and great benefits.
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Foresight challenges

• Get started!

• Do it right!

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Preconditions for foresight (1)

• Necessity to do something.
• There were existential problems in the of MV,
  like for example high unemployment and migration
  of young qualified people.
• Individuals feel that "something is going
  wrong".
• Identification of the 'problem' or objective is
  essential.
• Contribution of blueprint exercise
• By offering an approach to address major threats,
  denial can be overcome.

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Preconditions for foresight (2)

• Awareness of foresight potential.
• The common understanding between the main
  potential stakeholders of the "why" launching the
  foresight exercise and the specific support of
  the foresight approach. The identification of the
  real motivations is therefore a main issue before
  starting.
• Contribution of blueprint exercise
• Blueprint exercise helped to put regional
  foresight into the spotlight.
• Wide distribution of blueprints (partly
  translated, e.g. Polish version).
• Blueprint results presented at series of
  conferences stimulation of pure foresight
  conferences.
• Motivation of individuals and organisations to go
  on with foresight.

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Presenting at conferences

• Champions serve as key note speakers at
  conferences/workshops with very different foci
  e.g.
• Methodological focus Coach spoke on role of
  knowledge in rural regions at DATAR Summer School
  in Lille.
• Thematic focus Coach contributed to conference
  on cap reform in Sofia.
• Function respectively objective-related like
  Coach spoke at Asia Invest forum in Thailand on
  inward investment.
• Support measure-specific Coach presentation at
  IST programme conference in Prague led to SSA
  proposal called NEWRURAL under last IST call. The
  objective is to develop research agendas and
  communities of interest for a series of living
  laboratories on issues such as e-government.

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Innovation in the 21st Century
Event TII Annual Conference Dates 26-28
April 2006 Place Millennium Quayside
Gateshead Conference Structure Day 1 Half
day seminar on Science Cities the UK
experience Day 2 Future drivers
of Innovation i. RD, GDP and the regional
economy ii. Challenges of Globalisation in
21st Century iii. Foresight for companies and
clusters Day 3 Converting policy into practice
Practical tools i. Disruptive technologies
and the role of Universities ii. Tools and
techniques for educational foresight

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Motivation to go on

•  
• Proposal for a concrete project follow-up of the
  blueprint TECHTRANS
• Executive Summary
•  
• Athens / Berlin / Navarra / Stuttgart / Valencia
•  

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION Community Research
Blueprints for Foresight Actions in the Regions
Transvision and the Foresight Action in the
Large Region19th Meeting of the Working
GroupSpatial and Urban DevelopmentEC DG
Regional PolicyBrussels, 6th December
2004Philippe Destatte, The Destree Institute
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Preconditions for foresight (3)

• Knowledge about regional specificities.
• A SWOT analysis of the region.
• Analytical studies of available information
  resources (statistical and administrative data,
  existing policy documents et al).
• A very thorough self-understanding process, a
  SWOT/STEEP analysis to highlight areas of
  interest, the identification of key actors.
• Contribution of blueprint exercise
• Interlink foresight with classic tools of
  regional innovation policy (see in particular
  FORRIS blueprint which highlights that foresight
  is not in competition to other approaches/tools).

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RITTS/RIS - Foresight

• Latvian foresight specialists have been experts
  in Blueprints for Foresight Actions in the
  Regions group - FOR-RIS Experiences and ideas
  for developing regional foresight in a RIS/ RITTS
  project context in 2003-2004. Example
  'Stakeholder mapping as a means for finding
  champions, supporters and initiators for
  foresight activities - Latvia' was published
  within outcome of the aforementioned project. At
  European level LATVIA can be perceived as a
  single region, so RIS Latvia project activities
  (2002-2004) covered whole territory of Latvia
  http//europa.eu.int/comm/research/conferences/200
  4/foresight/pdf/for-ris_en.pdf.

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Preconditions for foresight (4)

• Appropriate climate.
• A consensus building process among the different
  stakeholders is a strategic issue that I have
  noted to be strategic during foresight projects.
  
• The will of the regional institutions to
  cooperate with each other on the long range the
  responsibility of all partners to investigate
  manpower, time and money.
• Appropriate climate in the government,
  scientific and business community.
• Contribution of blueprint exercise
• Providing grounds for discussing with the
  others.
• Community building internationally.

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Preconditions for foresight (5)

• Commitment of key stakeholders to clear goals.
• Dedication of the most important stakeholders.
• Commitment from and involvement by key
  stakeholders (triple helix) to drive the region
  forward.
• Commitment of partners with the necessary legal
  (policy) competence to deal with the results of
  foresight.
• Full commitment from all stakeholders.
• Clarity of objectives. Realistic expectations
  of the outcome.
• Contribution of blueprint exercise
• Marketing material to convince key stakeholders
  (good practice examples).
• Direct integration in the blueprint exercise.

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Preconditions for foresight (6)

• Budget.
• Budget that runs for long enough time (more than
  one year) to finance the foresight process (only
  quote from an individual who has participated in
  a foresight process in his region). Some more
  quotes from experts not attached to a particular
  region.
• Contribution of blueprint exercise
• Provision of seed money.

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Preconditions for foresight (7)

• Existence of champions and drivers of the process
  
• Effective delivery agency to take the lead.
• A network of key person responsible for
  development - steering committee.
• Contribution of blueprint exercise
• Champions further developed competence,
  reputation and networks.

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Momentum is mirroredin policy and support actions

• Clarification of policies (e.g. rural development
  agenda).
• Explicit reference of programmes to the
  blueprints exercise (e.g. future of rural regions
  by DG AGRI refers to AGRIBLUE explicitly as a
  reference document).
• Focus of key initiatives on regional foresight
  (MLP).
• High response rates and high quality in responses
  to foresight relevant calls (e.g. Knowledge
  Region 2).
• It is discussed/planned to take up Foresight in
  forthcoming measures.

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Projects have been initiated

• In specific regions, e.g.
• Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Preventive medicine.
• Bergslagen (Sweden) Food/packaging.
• Western Pomerania (Poland) open.
• Ukraine
• In trans-regional co-operation
• E.g. within Knowledge Region2 many foresight
  projects have been suggested, some will be
  supported (e.g. Foresight Lab).

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8. Gipfel der Exekutiven der Großregion Lothringis
che Präsidentschaft Treffen der persönlich
Beauftragten Metz, 4. November 2004 Zukunftsbild
2020 der Großregion Machbarkeitsstudie zu
Interregionalen Agenturen Vorläufige Vorschläge
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Projects have been influenced

• Foresight process in the BMW region (e.g.
  methodological input drivers actively
  participated in AGRIBLUE).
• Irish foresight on marine environment (possible
  impact of AGRIBLUE on design of process).
• Rural Ireland 2025 is managed by the Chairman of
  the blueprint exercise.
• Irish Archaeology foresight is managed by the
  Chairman of the blueprint exercise.

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Professionalisation

• Key individuals of the blueprints exercise are
  frequently invited to serve as trainers and
  mentors.

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Is it all done?

• No, we need to further develop methodologies for
  the actual process after having started.

• No, we need to strengthen the role of foresight
  in Education and Higher Education.

• No, we need to further develop the platform of
  mutual learning on foresight and the interfaces
  between foresight and other fields.

• No, we need more joint good practice!