Authority for Digitalizing Romania (ADR) organized a selection of the most representatives DIHs for Romania, part of the process Digital Europe Program
A. Qualifying criteria:
1. Written collaboration protocol of founding members
2. Previous experience as DIH
3. Digital competency center already in place at DIH level
4. Partnership accord with beneficiaries
B. Selection criteria:
1. Previous experience (EU experience, CDI and digitalisation, support for SMEs and workforce)
2. Proposed methodology (SMEs’& public needs; Strategic & coherent answer to the needs; Coherent resources allocation according to needs and plan )
3. Representativeness for the region and proposed domain (Openness to society/ economy/ functionality/ ecosystem; Technical expertise; Coherence/regional inclusion )
4. Resources and ecosystem (Current competences; Diversity at competences level; relevance digital Europe; Human Resources )
The Digital Europe Program will increase the capacities of the selected hubs to cover activities with a clear European added value, based on networking the hubs and promoting the transfer of expertise.
Added value of becoming a EDIH:
1. Access to technical expertise and experimentation, possibility to “test before invest”;
2. Help companies improve business/production processes, products, or services using digital technologies.
3. Provide innovation services, such as financing advice, training, and skills development that are needed for a successful digital transformation
Resources needed
Current ADR’s financial resources were involved (e.g. staff evaluating applications, answering questions)
Evidence of success
12 DIHs were selected to be EDIHs:
Benefits for awarded DIHs:
1. Access to the first-ever Digital Europe Program, which would invest €9.2 billion to align the next long-term EU budget 2021-2027 with increasing digital challenges.
2. Extensive network at National/European level
3. A central role in the Digital Europe Program to stimulate the broad uptake of digital technologies by industry (in particular SMEs) and public sector organizations in Europe.
Difficulties encountered
1. Lack of national public policies regulating DIHs activity.
2. Not homogenous national customization could determine, in some contexts, too much diversity.
(still opportunity – access at European tools as Handbook “Digital Innovation Hubs as policy instruments to boost digitalisation of SMEs”);
Potential for learning or transfer
A clear, verified selection process (https://www.adr.gov.ro/adr-lanseaza-procedura-nationala-de-selectie-pentru-reteaua-edih/)
Changes for selected DIHs as EDIHs: step up from local to European level.
1. Local
a. Improve competitiveness of local economy by stimulating digital transformation;
b. Specialization which is based on local strengths and addresses local needs;
c. Being near customers and speak the same language.
2. European level;
a. Improve their offer by acquiring new knowledge and capacities through their participation in Digital Europe on HPC, AI, Cybersecurity, Advanced digital skills and public sector solutions;
b. Improve networking by stimulating knowledge transfer between hubs and rationalization of investments;
c. improve networking by promoting excellence developed locally to other regions in Europe;
d. Improve learning by sharing best practices, and by collaboration of hubs in case of missing expertise/facilities; )
Tags: Digital, Digitalisation, Efficiency
