Semester 4 of P-IRIS project was devoted to analysis and discussions about approaches and methodologies for developing Action Plans. First draft Action Plans were prepared as a bilateral exercise in semester 4. We exchanged drafts with another partner to get feedbacks. During our next Study Visit in Italy (June 2019) we will orientate on the question "how to facilitate implementation of individual Action Plan."
P-IRIS project is addressing the ambition to improve skills of public authorities and business support systems. In semester 4 all partners also addressed the question "how to build the human resource capacity (local skills) required for professional network management and efficient use of related innovation tools". Improved skills are the most important prerequisite for the implementation of recommendations through Action Plans. This was important topic of our last Study Visit in Slovenia.
During first two semesters P-IRIS partners successfully mapped challenges and opportunities of managing 3H or 4H cooperation in rural innovation systems. Partners also evaluated the Toolbox and the template. This will be a tool for public authorities and network managers to help them professionalise network management. The revised Toolbox and template will be an output in semester 5.
During all Study Visits in Norway, Spain, Croatia, Finland and Slovenia, partners successfully exchanged experiences and demonstrated good practices from rural environments. In the coming semester, which is the last semester of Phase 1, partners will finalize Action Plans and have the opportunity to elaborate further on the issue of how to overcome distance, this time by studying the urban-rural cooperation in Lombardy. Phase 1 will be concluded with Phase 1 Final Event in Italy (June 2019).
Six policy instruments will be improved in terms of governance measures. The implementation of policy instruments will improve the innovation readiness in rural areas by increasing the number of SMEs cooperating with R&D institutions and authorities.
