1. Good Practice Examples to increase Innovation Capacities in the WBC
Ulrike Kunze, DLR
Steering Platform on Research for the Western Balkan countries
Tirana/Albania, June 12/13, 2012

2. Overview The framework The idea The partners involved The procedure
The results
The WBC examples
The next steps
The conclusions

3. 1. The framework (I / II)
WBC-INCO.NET Work Package 8 (“Innovation Support”):
Give overview on WBC innovation systems and key RTDI stakeholders;
Identify future research market needs and analyse the needs in innovation policy and innovation support;
Identify policy measures to improve framework conditions for innovation and define joint actions;
Organise and promote a dialogue of the regional R&I stakeholders in SEE at political and analytical level (Innovation Dialogue Fora, WBC Innovation Group of Experts, support to a networking conference);

4. 1. The framework (II / II) Work Package 8 (“Innovation Support”):
Train innovation stakeholders and auditors, support agencies and researchers in the fields of TT and market innovation needs
Identify good practices of innovation activities, policies and instruments from EU MS/AC and WCB, develop adaptation schemes for selected ones in view of implementation.

5. 2. The Idea Identify Examples of Innovation Good Practice in
EU Member States
the WBC
depending on the needs identified
having undergone evaluation – if possible
being suitable for adaptation in the region
having a realistic chance for implementation in the WBC

6. 3. The partners involved
DLR (International Bureau of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research at the German Aerospace Centre), Germany
BMBF (Federal Ministry of Education and Research), Germany
MPI (Mihajlo Pupin Institute), Serbia
UNU-MERIT (United Nations University MERIT- Maastricht), The Netherlands
WBC project partners
… and the contributions of many, many experts!

7. 3. The procedure Collect Good Practice Examples (Deliverable)
Select and discuss 8 examples in view of implementation
1st Review Meeting, 4./5. April 2012 in Tirana/Albania
“evaluation” by participants
4 proposals for Action Plan
Develop adaptation schemes for possible implementation in the WBC
2nd Review Meeting, autumn/winter 2012
Prepare adaptation schemes

8. 4. The results
Deliverable with 45 Examples of Innovation Good Practice
21 from the EU MS (Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary, The Netherlands, Sweden)
24 from the WBC
Broad range of innovation measures, programmes or infrastructure facilities
Wide spectrum targeted of innovation and market research needs identified in previous task (matching table)

9. Review Meeting on Innovation Good Practice Examples

10. Good Practice Examples presented and discussed
Research Voucher Scheme (Netherlands)
Innovation Officer (Netherlands)
Strategic Innovation (Netherlands)
Soft landing Platform Services in Croatia (Germany)
VINNVÄXT Programme (Sweden)
Knowledge Management Centre (KMC) (Hungary)
KOpEE Entrepreneurship training (Germany)
Integrated Destination Management System in Bulgaria (Germany)

11. The WBC examples Printed booklet with 24 examples Albania: 3
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 4
Croatia: 6
FYR of Macedonia: 4
Kosovo*: 1
Montenegro: 2
Serbia: 4
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

12. 4. The WBC examples (I) Business Incubators BIT Center Tuzla (BiH)
BIOS, Osijek (Croatia)
YES Foundation (FYR of Macedonia)
Foundation Business Startup Centre Bitola (FYR of Macedonia)
Inventivnost (Montenegro)
Zrenjanin (Serbia)
Technology Parks
Zagreb (Croatia)
Varaždin (Croatia)

13. 4. The WBC examples (II) Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centres (IEC)
University of Zenica (BiH)
IC Banja Luka (BiH)
National Center for Development of Innovation and Entrepreneurial Learning (FYR of Macedonia)
Innovation Centre Kosovo ICK (Kosovo*)
R&D Service Centre, University of Montenegro (Montenegro)

14. 4. The WBC examples (III) Competitions
Competition for Best Technology Innovation (Serbia)
Grant Schemes
RAZUM Seed Capital Programme (Croatia)
Proof of Concept Grant Fund (Croatia)
TEHCRO - Development of the infrastructure for technology development (Croatia)
Project for Supporting the Development of Competitiveness of SMEs and Innovation (Serbia)

15. 4. The WBC examples (IV) Clusters Vojvodina ICT Cluster (Serbia)
Industrial Research Laboratories
Pleuronectes mycelium production (Albania)
Industrial olive sapling production and intensive olive cultivation (Albania)
Sustainable Agriculture/ SASA (Albania)
Foundation for Management and Industrial Research, MIR (FYR of Macedonia)

16. 5. The Conclusions Broad range of Good Practice Examples
Collection based on expertise of experts and WBC project partners
Not all examples have undergone evaluation (reason: have started only recently or evaluation is not foreseen)
Drawbacks: some examples face bottlenecks and obstacles (Sustainability problems: lack of funding, poor coordination, economical crisis etc.)
Other examples have proven to be good practice examples that could easily be transferred to other countries
List not exhaustive, can be completed
Challenge: Implementation in WBC

17. 6. The Next Steps Organise review meeting in autumn/winter 2012
Develop Adaptation schemes
Optional: Provide hands-on support for implementation
Promote Deliverable and printed booklet of Good Practice examples (not only in WBC)

18. Contact: Ulrike Kunze, DLR ulrike.kunze@dlr.de
International Bureau of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR)
Heinrich-Konen-Str. 1
D Bonn, Germany
Prof.dr Sreten Škuletic Vice Rector for International Relations University of Montenegro Cetinjski put bb Podgorica MONTENEGRO Tel or Fax