A Europe-wide project promoting best practice in business growth, job creation and policy will host a panel of experts at an event today.

The online event, taking place today, will look at multi-level governance and how it can work in Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3).

The panel event marks the start of the second phase of the COHES3ION project, a three-year EU Interreg project which brings together 10 partners from eight European countries; Spain, Italy, Romania, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, Poland and Wales. The project helps partners integrate local and regional priorities into their innovation policies and S3 to increase their impact and performance. In Wales, the COHES3ION project is run by Welsh Government’s Innovation team.

The March panel event will see presentations and insights shared by expert representatives from Cardiff University, The Basque Institute of Competitiveness, the European Commission Joint Research Centre, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research.

Discussions will cover how to increase the overall impact of S3; improving the links between research development and innovation and the environment and public and private sectors; as well as looking at promoting a policy and multi- level governance model.

The event follows the publication of the results of the COHES3ION project’s Smart Territorial Mapping exercise, with insights gained in the first phase. Project partners carried out a regional diagnosis to identify areas of collaboration and synergy, as well as looking at areas for improvement in the governance of research and innovation strategies for smart specialisation.

The second phase will look at developing and implementing regional action plans.

Speaking about the start of phase two of the COHES3ION project, Education Minister Kirsty Williams said:

“The event programme is a vital way for partners to gain insights from other regions across Europe.

“The ultimate goal of the COHES3ION project is to grow our economies and reduce inequality, by sharing innovative practice and working together. We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with our European partners in 2021.”

Register for the event at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6820400782117969422

For more information about the COHES3ION project, visit http://www.interregeurope.eu/cohes3ion/