EADTU-EU Summit 2021

1. Digital Higher Education
and Smart Regions
Richard Tuffs
Friends of Smart Specialisation (FoSS)
EADTU
17th June 2021

2. Overview
Setting the scene
Transformation
Policies
Role of universities
Green
Deal
Industrial
Strategy
ERA EEA
Horizon
Europe
Digital
Compass
RRP
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Digital Innovation
Hubs
Smart
Regions
Smart
Specialisation

3. Crisis: Share prices: Boeing v Amazon
Boeing Amazon

4. Crisis requires new answers via
transformative big action
• Need to prepare the workforce for
new technologies, together with
better labour-market conditions.
Improve social protection and social
insurance, especially for those in the
gig economy and in non-standard
work arrangements
• ….but most importantly change what
we produce and how we do it . Go for
the green and digital systemic
transformations…
• (The Post-Pandemic Social Contract,
June 11, 2020 |Dani Rodrik, Stefanie
Stantcheva, Project Syndicate)
• European Policy Response
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Green
Deal
Industrial
Strategy ERA
EEA
Horizon
Europe
Digital
Compass
RRP

5. EU Green Deal - overview
‘…a new growth
strategy that aims to
transform the EU into
a fair and prosperous
society, with a
modern, resource-
efficient and
competitive economy
where there are no
net emissions of
greenhouse gases in
2050 and where
economic growth is
decoupled from
resource use.’
‘The EU Green Deal is the
S3 for the EU today’
Mikel Landabaso,
JRC Seville, 22nd June 2020
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6. EU Digital Compass
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•Skills
•ICT Specialists: 20 millions + Gender
convergence
•Basic Digital Skills: min 80% of
population
•Secure and sustainable digital
infrastructures
•Connectivity: Gigabit for everyone, 5G
everywhere
•Cutting edge Semiconductors: double EU
share in global production
•Data - Edge & Cloud: 10,000 climate
neutral highly secure edge nodes
•Computing: first computer with quantum
acceleration
•
•Digital transformation of
businesses
•Tech up-take: 75% of EU companies using
Cloud/AI/Big Data
•Innovators: grow scale ups & finance to
double EU Unicorns
•Late adopters: more than 90% of SMEs
reach at least a basic level of digital int
ensity
•Digitalisation of public services
•Key Public Services: 100% online
•e-Health: 100% of citizens having access
to medical records
•Digital Identity: 80% citizens using digital
ID
By 2030

7. Digital Education Action Plan 2021-
2027
1. Fostering the development of a high-performing digital education ecosystem
• infrastructure, connectivity and digital equipment
• effective digital capacity planning and development, including up-to-date organisational
capabilities
• digitally competent and confident teachers and education and training staff
• high-quality learning content, user-friendly tools and secure platforms which respect privacy and
ethical standards
2. Enhancing digital skills and competences for the digital transformation
• basic digital skills and competences from an early age
• digital literacy, including fighting disinformation
• computing education
• good knowledge and understanding of data-intensive technologies, such as artificial intelligence
• advanced digital skills which produce more digital specialists and also ensure that girls and young
women are equally represented in digital studies and careers
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8. The Commission’s proposal for a New
Industrial Strategy for Europe
Europe’s new industrial strategy
• New focus on 14 industrial eco-
systems…
• Globally competitive and paving way
to climate neutrality…
• SME Strategy, Just Transition Platform,
Skills Agenda for Europe in 2030,
Digital Innovation Hubs, PPPs, IPCEIs…
• Reinforcing Europe’s industrial and
strategic autonomy
• Joining the dots: A partnership
approach to governance
• Industrial Forums, Industrial alliances
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9. Update of Industrial Strategy May 2021
Lessons learned:
• Need to uphold free movement – strengthen single market
• Analyse strategic dependencies
• e.g. raw materials, batteries, active pharmaceutical ingredients, hydrogen, semiconductors and
cloud and edge technologies
• continue to support industrial alliances, in strategic areas – raw materials, batteries & hydrogen…
• Alliances can lead to Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEIs) – batteries and
microelectronics.
• Business case for the green and digital transition is stronger than ever
• Co-creating transition pathways the 14 industrial ecosystems and transformative initiatives already
undertaken to achieve the twin transition and increase resilience. These analyses can serve to co-
create, in partnership with industry, public authorities, social partners and other stakeholders,
transition pathways for ecosystems
• Industrial Forum
• Tracking implementation and input to the foreseen update of the strategy
• Contributing to industrial ecosystems in the context of the recovery, and their green and digital
transformation, with a focus on cross-border and cross-ecosystem collaboration
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10. A new ERA: the European Research Area
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11. ERA – 14 key actions – 5 key points that link
better education and the real economy
1. Reaffirm the target of 3% GDP on EU research and development
investment
3. Support Member States that are below the EU average level of
research and innovation investments to increase their investment by
50% in the next 5 years.
5. Develop common industrial technology roadmaps to maximise
innovation in strategic areas like Artificial Intelligence, circular industries
and resilient health industries.
6. Develop and test a networking framework in support of Europe’s
research and innovation ecosystems, building on existing capacities, to
strengthen excellence and maximise the value of knowledge creation,
circulation and use.
14. Develop with Member States a new approach to set and implement
strategic priorities for the European Research Area, through a Pact for
Research and Innovation in Europe*
* (Consultation closed on 13th May 2021 Pact for research & innovation in Europe
(europa.eu) )
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See link to
‘transition
pathways’

12. ERA Hubs – new idea / early thinking
• ‘…strengthen the quality of R&I systems and their linkages across Europe,
while contributing to better interactions between R&I policies and other
policy fields, in particular Higher Education policies and industrial policies
and provide for a more effective interaction with society.’
• According to the Committee of the Regions, ERA Hubs shhave a capacity for
collective coordination, strategy definition and shared decision-making
when it comes to adopting priorities and allocating resources.
• ould offer:
• an integrated approach to higher education,
• digital education,
• lifelong learning,
• including upskilling and reskilling,
• research and innovation;
• involving all stakeholders, on the basis of the quadruple helix model
and
These features of future
ERA Hubs need to be
associated with smart
specialisation strategies
that can provide a
coordination and
governance model not
just inside a region but
also support
interregional
connectivity through
the linking of smart
specialisation priorities
in European-wide value
chains.
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13. Recovery and Resilience Facility
• The EC has proposed the ‘Recovery and Resilience’ Facility’
(proposed €672.5 billion) within the proposed European
Recovery Instrument ‘Next Generation EU’, proposed budget
€750 billion. The RRF will be €312.5 billion in grants and up to
€360 billion in loans.
• This Facility is ‘voluntary’ but it puts national reform plans
centre stage.
• The grant support is linked to the successful implementation
of policies.
• The Member States will formulate their priorities in a
Recovery and Resilience Plan taking into account the findings
of the European Semester, as well as national energy and
climate plans and Just Transition plans. The support is
disbursed on completion of milestones.
20/05/2021 FoSS 2021 13
Recovery Plans Recovery and Resilience Facility | European Commission (europa.eu)
Belgium: NL - Nationaal plan voor herstel en veerkracht.pdf (belgium.be) (716 pages)

14. 20/05/2021 FoSS 2021 14

15. 20/05/2021 FoSS 2021 15

16. RRP Belgium
• Belgium Recovery and Resilience Plan: six strategic axes:
(1) Climate, sustainability and innovation;
(2) Digital transformation;
(3) Mobility;
(4) Social cohesion;
(5) Future economy and productivity;
(6) Public finances.
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17. Digital agenda
• Accelerate digitalisation and increase resilience against cyber crime
• On line public administration – boost digital take up and improve
efficiency of services across all levels of government. Digitalisation is
also important for the health system and companies in the media and
cultural sector.
• While the fixed and mobile network is good and covers the country
and new technologies integrated (cloud /big data), there is a delay in
the roll out of 5G. The RRP will support the development of 5G for
universal and available access.
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18. Economy
• Recovery and resilience are lined to the dynamism of the economy. This involves an
optimal job market and a capacity to innovate and develop new production methods.
• The RRP will improve the functioning of the job market and assure the competitiveness
of companies, support research and innovation and the switch to a circular economy.
• The first objective is to increase the employment rate while retaining an inclusive job
market. This will focus on increasing the competences for current and future needs
including the shift to green and digital transitions. Participation in the job market will be
increased by training and challenging obstacles to employment and making work pay.
• Secondly, there is a need to increase activities that add value and this involves
innovation and emerging technologies.
• Thirdly, need to move to a circular economy in order to fight against climate change. This
will also increase our resilience and develop sustainable new markets and local
employment for both skilled and non-skilled employees.
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19. Horizon Europe
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20. Partnerships
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21. FoSS 2021 21
❑ Each mission will operate as a portfolio of actions – such as research projects, policy measures
or even legislative initiatives - to achieve a measurable goal that could not be achieved through
individual actions.
❑ EU missions will contribute to the goals of the European Green Deal, Europe’s Beating Cancer
Plan as well as the Sustainable Development Goals.

22. Horizon Europe: Pillar 3 Innovative Europe
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23. EU Budget 2021-2027
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24. Bringing it all back home – smart
regions
• Key role of regions in developing new growth dynamics for Europe, based on
bottom-up entrepreneurship and innovation.
• The smart region is a geographical area in which through common and shared
policies it will increase the competitiveness and attractiveness of the territory,
with particular attention to social cohesion, spread of knowledge, creative
growth, accessibility and freedom of movement, the usability of the environment
(natural, historical architectural, urban spread) and quality of the landscape and
the lives of citizens. (Cresta 2017)
• The "smartness" of a region relates to its capacity to leverage its human,
structural, and relational capital, and its ability to integrate diverse actors in the
region’s innovation practice. Leveraging regional strengths and capacities in
relation to Europe’s program for research and innovation strategies for smart
specialisation (RIS3) is essential. The contribution of universities, in their diverse
roles, is especially important (Markkula and Kune 2015)
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25. Cohesion Policy 2021-2027
• Five main objectives will drive EU investments in 2021-2027:
• Regional development investments will strongly focus on objectives 1 and 2. 65% to 85%
of ERDF and Cohesion Fund resources will be allocated to these priorities, depending on
Member States’ relative wealth.
• Smarter Europe, through innovation, digitisation, economic transformation and support
to small and medium-sized businesses
• a Greener, carbon free Europe, implementing the Paris Agreement and investing in
energy transition, renewables and the fight against climate change
• a more Connected Europe, with strategic transport and digital networks
• a more Social Europe, delivering on the European Pillar of Social Rights and supporting
quality employment, education, skills, social inclusion and equal access to healthcare
• a Europe closer to citizens, by supporting locally-led development strategies and
sustainable urban development across the EU.
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26. Smarter Europe
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27. What is Smart Specialisation
• Smart Specialisation is a place-based approach characterised by the
identification of strategic areas for intervention based both on the
analysis of the strengths and potential of the economy and on an
Entrepreneurial Discovery Process (EDP) with wide stakeholder
involvement including universities. It is outward-looking and
embraces a broad view of innovation including but certainly not
limited to technology-driven approaches, supported by effective
monitoring mechanisms.
• A Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3) relies on successful EDP
processes that are in turn dependent on genuine quadruple helix
constellations and partnerships. This is where the role of
Universities comes in as a priority.
20/05/2021 FoSS 2021 27

28. Smart specialisation
EDP needs Quadruple
Helix
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• Home - Smart Specialisation Platform (europa.eu)

29. Capital of Innovation – ecosystem
thinking
Leuven
Capital of
Innovation
2020
Deadline for
2021
applications
15th July…

30. Engaging in the regional innovation
ecosystem
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31. Possible early wins…
• Centres of Vocational Excellence (Erasmus+)
• Alliances for Innovation (Erasmus +)
• European Digital Innovation Hubs €0.5 and 1 million
per year in each hub (100-200 in total in EU)
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32. Discussion
• Period of transformation
• Increase role of digital – economy, education
• Shift to ‘new normal’
• Increased EU funding – RRP, EU budget – Cohesion and Horizon
Europe
• Where can digital education add value – EU, national, regional?
• At regional level linking digital education into Smart Specialisation,
Digital Innovation Hubs and possible future ERA Hubs
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33. Friends of Smart Specialisation (FoSS©)
an independent Brussels expert group
▪Dimitri Corpakis (d.corpakis@gmail.com),
▪Jan Larosse (jan.larosse@telenet.be),
▪Richard Tuffs (richardtuffs@ymail.com )

https://friendsofsmartspecialisation.eu
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