Dominique Foray: “The mere fact of preparing a regional Specialisation Strategy brings a big benefit” - RIS3CV

The father of the RIS3 paradigm states that it has become an indispensable tool for the exchange of knowledge and inter-regional cooperation.

Last March 23^rd , at the Valladolid meeting on the "Beyond Entrepreneurial Development Process (EDP)" project, Dominique Foray presented his vision on the evolution of the S3 paradigm that he and Philip McCann designed for DG REGIO of the European Commission.

In his speech, he emphasized that the mere fact of developing a RIS3 strategy has generated in many regions of Europe the emergence of cooperation environments between agents that did not have an established channel of dialogue, but also has become a language of communication between regions. "The regions now know themselves much better, and the way of making policy on the potential of knowledge is being transformed: concentrating efforts, involving actors, studying effects and results ..."

Foray pointed out that RIS3 is not a substitute for other policies to promote research and innovation, but an additional option that should focus on identifying new combinations between existing and potential capacities and new opportunities, technological or otherwise, to constitute the priority areas for action. Priorities should not be limited to the field of high technology. It encouraged the European regions to evolve towards an entrepreneurial breakthrough that they described as "high intensity", rewarding the involvement of economic, social and knowledge agents, supporting exploratory projects, building capacity and service coordination mechanisms, developing new skills in human capital and, without fear, refocusing local and cluster policies when necessary.