INVESTING IN OUR SHARED FUTURE THE 8 TH CONFERENCE ON THE EVALUATION OF EU COHESION POLICY DATA SOURCES OP information systems data, a survey addressed to operations promoters, and case studies. MAIN FINDINGS • Rival theories for explaining the results achieved by RIS 3 implementation were considered. Innovation policies have achieved a high level of persistence and maturity in previous programming periods. • RIS3 approach arrived in the right moment allowing to focusing RIS3 priorities and to increase a moderate selectiveness in a context of high level of maturity of innovation policies. • Flexible governance models implemented in each NUTS II region contribute for the minimization of increasing returns risks (trend to benefit regions presenting more robust regional innovation systems and more diversified specialization profiles since that model). It was also partially successful in increasing the institutional quality of regions with less robust RIS3 and in creating conditions to increase the technological effort of those regions (R&D expenditures/GDP). • With a very high contribution of ESIF to national and regional RIS3 implementation, the anticipated effects on Smart Growth goals are: creation of more favourable conditions to increase technological effort (less robust RIS3); intensification of technological efforts (robust RIS3); intensification of collaborative practices (research centres, interfaces and SME’s). • The structural change of specialization profiles could be achieved through the persistence and sustainability of the most promising practices enhanced by RIS3 and enlarging the mass of SMEs involved, in a context of external demand-pull. • The principles of upgrading related to variety should be more present in projects selection criteria and more effective links between RIS 3 development and support to technologically-based entrepreneurship will be welcome. MAIN OBJECTIVE To evaluate: the implementation of National and Regional Smart Specialisation Strategies in Portugal; pertinence of administrative procedures; role of management practices; appropriateness of RIS3 governance models; effects on entrepreneurial discovery processes; expected contribution of ESIF; expected contribution to Smart Growth goals. METHODOLOGY USED Theory of Change and contribution analysis. FUND(S) COVERED • European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) • European Social Fund (ESF) • European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) • European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) PROGRAMMING PERIOD • 2014-2020 PROGRAMME(S) COVERED • National OPs: Competitiveness and Internationalisation, Human Capital • Regional OPs: Norte, Centro, Alentejo, Lisboa, Algarve, Madeira and Açores • OP EMFF, EARDF • Continental Rural Development Programme (RDP), Açores RDP, Madeira RDP THEMATIC OBJECTIVE(S) • T001: Research and innovation • T003: Competitiveness of SMEs • T008: Employment and labour mobility • T010: Education, training and vocational training TYPE OF EVALUATION • Process YEAR OF COMPLETION • Ongoing AUTHOR(S) OF THE EVALUATION CONTACT PERSON Quaternaire Portugal, SA Carla Leal [email protected] Implementation of the National and Regional Research Strategies for Smart Specialization Evaluation (RIS3) • Cohesion and Development Agency Continuity and maturation of R & D, innovation and internationalization policies; clusters and EEC National and regional strategies Activities On Going Structural Change To define: Outputs 1 st level outcomes 2 st level outcomes/Impacts Major transformation goals National and Regional S3 put in place and articulated Intensified knowledge production and I&D in S3 priority areas of national productive specialization and its knowledge intensity Smart Growth and Specialization Progression in the value chain Better systemic collaborative indices processes of translation and valorization of knowledge consolidation and maturing of the Portuguese RIS and their systemic interaction territorial basis for economic competitiveness corporate absorption of qualified human resources Sustained dynamics of interaction: producers of knowledge and technology, and advanced users Collective efficiency strategies at sectoral and territorial levels Intermediate and highly qualified human resources training articulated with business innovation. Operational coordination and monitoring mechanisms Instruments (operation typologies, criteria, calls…) articulated with S3 and promoting adequate policy mix Active EDP (Entrepreneurial Discovery Processes) Demand in accordance with expected Institutional and functional conditions for adequate governance Policy mix Instruments Coordination and government arrangements Deepening and widening in the productive structure Increase extroversion ratio, tradables and effects of international competition