The Self-governing Region of Kosice and the Faculty of Economy, Technical University of Kosice are involved in a project within 6th EC Framework Programme entitled “COGNAC - Coordination of R&D&I policies and their coherence with other policies in Newly Acceded Countries”. In the project coordinated by INNOVA - Hungarian Regional Development Agency from Debrecen, 16 partners from 7 European countries focus at using their experience from regional strategic planning to improve quality and promote development. Although the project title seems complicated, COGNAC as an acronym of English project title is easy to remember and it is a symbol of quality.
COGNAC Project follows the objectives of Lisbon Strategy, aimed at increase in expenses on science and research up to recommended 3% GDP in EU member countries to boost EU competitiveness. Project priority is to harmonize, and consequently increase efficiency of a broad range of R&D activities taking place on different levels in EU member countries, use their interconnection and eliminate duplicities.
The main project objective is development of R&D&I policies. Project implementation is divided into 6 working packages, such as:
- Surveys of R&D&I policies applied partner regions on international, national and regional level
- Benchmarking of R&D&I policies
- Identification of synergy effects and weak points by testing coordination of applied R&D&I policies
- learning lessons from partner regions based on sharing good practices
Project activities will foster development of public and private research mainly by providing the decision-makers with better information in creating appropriate framework conditions.
Every participant region is represented by a research institute and a regional government, hence to ensure crosscutting partnership in strengthening policies in order to promote research, development and innovations. Project with 24-month duration is to be concluded in September 2009. Overall project costs are 799 982 €, KSR costs are 19 000 € (in 2 years). The project is not co-financed by the KSR but a fully EU-funded project.
Cognac Project Partners
Regional Development Agency in Eszak Alfold Region, (RDANGP), Hungary
Regional Development Council in Eszak Alfold Region (RDCNGP), Hungary
Debrecen University (UDMHSC), Hungary
Bay Zoltan Foundation for applied research (BZAKA), Hungary
Kosice Self-governing Region (KSK), Slovakia
Technical University Košice (TUKE), Slovakia
Castilla-León Provincial Government (JCYL), Spain
CARTIF Foundation (CARTIF), Spain
Office of Styria County Government, Austria
Joanneum Research– Development Institute (JR), Austria
Krakow Technological Park (KTP), Poland
National Institute of Animal Production (NIAP), Poland
Applied Research and Communications Fund (ARC Fund), Bulgaria
Stara Zagora District Government (STARA), Bulgaria
Zlin Region, Czech Republic
Tomas Bata University in Zlin (UTB Zlin), Czech Republic
„Kosice Self-governing Region (KSR) realizes the importance of innovations - key factor in development of knowledge economy. In regard to a wide international representation in the project, KSR will be able to capitalize partners’ experience in creating Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS), development of structural fund projects and implementation of R&D&I policies“, KSR Vice-President, Emil Durovcik said at the press conference within 2nd working meeting of project partners in the Office of KSR.
As Peter Tapak, the Head of KSR Regional Development Department said, KSR has been developing an innovation strategy. There has been an extensive survey of SMEs to define their needs, bottlenecks and potential partners to develop innovations, innovative products or services. On the other hand, KSR has analysed the standpoints of promotion, financial, consultancy institutions and institutions of science, research, technologies and innovations (mainly universities and the Slovak Academy of Science) in order to define what is at our disposal in the region, mismatch or insufficient communication. Framework to promote a joint strategy will then be set accordingly.
„Regional benchmarking is the main COGNAC working method. It is a procedure based on mutual comparison and comparison with the best regions. Thanks to that we can find out our weak points and what can be improved. It is a marketing method used successfully by companies worldwide and we are now applying it to regions. Its fundaments are used intentionally or less intentionally by each of us“, Oto Hudec, Vice-chancellor for R&D, Foreign Affairs and Development of Economic Faculty, Technical University of Košice said.
Text: Viera Dulinova, Zuzana Bobrikova