What is the S3?
It describes what the S3 is, why, what it consists of and its importance, as well as the reference to the RIS3 (2014-2020) and the current S3 (2021-2027).
What is the S3?
The RIS3 (or S3) is a regional development and positioning strategy, which is based on the pillars of research, innovation and entrepreneurship, integrating the different agents of the regional ecosystem that defines the quadruple helix (companies, academia, administrations public and social agents), all of this, in order to take advantage of the strengths of the region, its capacities and resources, through the discovery of new entrepreneurial opportunities (EDP) that result in innovative initiatives, in new products, goods and services, and ultimately, in a greater competitiveness and leadership of the agents of the region in the national and international arena, with the consequent social and environmental improvements.
For what?
In order to promote an economic transformation of the regions, taking advantage of the strengths of each one of them, avoiding the dispersion of available resources and optimizing the latter, the cohesion policy of the European Union instituted the definition of a RIS3 for each region of the countries of the Union, as a prerequisite for being able to access Union funds. This is how the first RIS3 (2014-2020) and the current ones (2021-2027) were defined.
The Smart Specialization Strategy or S3 (Smart Specialization Strategy) is, therefore, the regional strategic reference document for R+D+i, which the European Commission requires of all its regions, in order to qualify for the FEDER funds for research and innovation for the period 2021-2027. .
The S3 is a living document, subject to the socioeconomic, technological and geopolitical changes that occur during its validity and that need to be contemplated, in favor of the transformation, positioning and leadership of the agents that make up the regional innovation ecosystem and, therefore, of the region, for which all the actors of the quadruple helix (Academy, Business, Administration and Society) will be integrated into a model of participatory governance.
What is?
The design of the S3 begins with:
An update of the situation of the regional ecosystem and of all the agents that make it up, capable of demonstrating their capabilities, by identifying their strengths and opportunities, their weaknesses and threats (SWOT / CAME Analysis).
Based on this situation analysis, a vision objective of how this ecosystem would like to see itself transformed at the end of the period established by the current Framework Program (2021-2027). For it, opportunities are identified, within the ecosystem, where to concentrate the R+D+I efforts and policies in the coming years.
On the other hand, it is necessary to have a series of instruments aligned with the priorities and objectives of the S3, which support the set of ecosystem agents in the most efficient way possible. A key element of S3 is what is known as EDP (Entrepreneurial Discovery Process) o Discovery of Entrepreneurial Opportunities Process (bottom up, inclusive and interactive 4H process, capable of identifying new viable technological and market opportunities).
The S3 must be dynamic and in continuous adaptation to the socioeconomic, political and technological reality that occurs throughout its validity, and for this, it requires the participation of all its 4H agents integrated into the model of Governance.
The evaluation and monitoring of the S3 is part of the S3 itself, and must be continuous throughout the period. To this end, a system of indicators is established that assesses the degree of compliance with the objectives set over time.
Why is the S3 important?
In May 2018, the Commission proposed a series of regulations for the Union's cohesion policy for the new period 2021-2027. One of the main objectives of this reform is to simplify procedures and increase the efficiency of the Union's investments. Thus, the 11 thematic objectives used in the 2014-2020 cohesion policy are replaced by 5 Political Objectives for the ERDF, the ESF+, the Cohesion Fund and the EMFF. These political objectives advocate a EUROPE MORE
- intelligent: innovative and intelligent economic transformation, through innovation, digitization, economic transformation and support for small and medium-sized enterprises
- green and low carbon; apply the Paris Agreement and invest in energy transition, renewable energy and the fight against climate change;
- connected: mobility and regional connectivity in the field of ICT;
- more social: implementation of the European pillar of social rights; and that supports quality employment, education, educational and professional skills, social inclusion and equal access to healthcare
- close to its citizens: sustainable and integrated development of urban, rural and coastal areas through local initiatives. that supports locally managed growth strategies and that contributes to sustainable urban development throughout the U
During this new period, the Commission establishes for each Political Objective some preconditions for its execution, called "enabling or favorable conditions” (CH), which come to give continuity to the “Ex Ante Conditions” of the 2014-2020 period, with two fundamental changes:
- They are required throughout the entire period 2021-2027 (and not only at the beginning of the period, coinciding with the remission of the operative programs).
- Its compliance will be verified by the Member State (and not the European Commission, although it will rule on the opinion of the Member State).
The evaluation of each CH is established based on a set of objective criteria, being considered fulfilled when all of them are met. Otherwise, the Commission will not make the reimbursements associated with the Specific Objectives linked to these enabling conditions.
La I + D + i is within Political Objective 1: "A more intelligent Europe, promoting an innovative and intelligent economic transformation", being the enabling condition for this Political Objective 1, a "Good governance of the national or regional strategy of intelligent specialization" that translates into compliance with 7 criteria:
| POLICY OBJECTIVE 1. A smarter Europe, promoting an innovative and intelligent economic transformation |
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| Criterion 1 | The updated analysis of bottlenecks for the diffusion of innovation, including digitization |
| Criterion 2 | The existence of a competent national or regional institution or body, in charge of the smart specialization strategy |
| Criterion 3 | Monitoring and evaluation instruments to measure the results with respect to the objectives of the strategy |
| Criterion 4 | Efficient operation of the business opportunity discovery process (EDP) |
| Criterion 5 | Actions needed to improve regional or national research and innovation systems |
| Criterion 6 | Actions to manage the industrial transition |
| Criterion 7 | Measures for international collaboration |
The S3, therefore, is key to comply with the favorable condition 1.1 required by the European Commission in order to have access to FEDER funds, of the new program 2021-2027, in terms of R+D+I. Based on a participatory governance model, both for updating opportunities, the design of instruments, their follow-up, evaluation, etc., it constitutes the main reference document for the regions in terms of R+D+I with all that it entails. implies (diffusion of the regional ecosystem and its agents and capacities, etc.)
On the other hand, the R+D+I within the Community of Madrid (CM) is distributed in different Ministries, being the role of the S3, the integration of the different initiatives in a single framework for the region, putting coherence between them, coordinating actions, setting guidelines, leading and managing the R+D+I policies of the different Ministries in a single strategy: S3.