1. Building research and innovation capacity within the region to secure long term sustainability – achieving excellence WP 5 Juha Alarinta University Consortium of Seinäjoki / University of Tampere juha.alarinta@uta.fi

2. Innovation process - a framework to division of labour at regional level Basic research - new scientific kn. Applied research - knowl. appl. to problems Investment Production Marketing Sale / Delivery Develop- ment work planning / experiment s Adoption People (individuals) and their interaction Education and training JAR 27.4.2010

3. Aim of the work package 5 Exchange experiences of local / regional development policy, how regional competitiveness is sustained. Collect and share information and experiences of existing practical models and concepts of co-operation between private enterprises and academic organisations to sustain or create competitive advantages of the economy. The ‘triple helix’ creates the overall background for the case study and it will focus on the question: how the interaction takes place or how the non existing third part (academic) has been ‘imported’ to the regional innovation systems. By non-existing we mean that it is not present as an institution in the region and private enterprise-academic institution interaction (face to face) is not possible as part of their daily activities.

4. * The work will be based on analyse of the regional case studies focusing on existing interaction and co-operation between private enterprises and academic organisations at different scales (e.g. single private enterprise, organisational models between two or more partners). * The selected cases from different participating regions can also have different focus in the urban-rural continuum. Starting point for the case study is the existing co-operation/interaction which is considered to be successful. * Aspects of three partners (public authorities, universities and private enterprises) will be considered.

5. Case study questions: Case study analysis should focus on following questions: Strategies of regional competitiveness, how and where strategies are formulated Recognition of important fields of knowledge, leading edge technologies, in regional development policy What kind of interaction/co-operation exists (major enterprises – universities) How interaction/co-operation has progressed in recent years (10 years) Win-win analysis by the partners (different motivations to partnership) Human capital (important individuals in interaction, attendance to r & d or education) Roles and modes of knowledge transferring organisations (their role and services) How science based development-work has been funded? Future plans (opportunities/challenges/threats) of the future The role of supporting policies (Regional, National, EU) policy recommendations