During the meeting of project “GoSmart BSR” partners, a workshop was held with external experts from Poland, Latvia, Germany and Lithuania involved in the project. Experts gave an added value by expressing their opinions on the policy paper on TransS3 methodology developed by project partners, as well as on the goals and importance of the project itself in the Baltic Sea Region. One of the main questions the workshop tried to address was about the sustainability of the results of “GoSmart BSR”.
“GoSmart BSR” external expert and director of the Institute of Environmental Solutions in Vidzeme, Latvia, Inese Suija-Markova emphasizes the importance of the project. “We live in an era where technologies are developing very fast, human handwork are gradually replaced by robots, an increasingly intense struggle for valuable employees takes place. Big companies are becoming bigger and competition in different markets is intensifying. In order to survive and develop, despite the challenge regions are facing, they need innovative, viable companies, sustainable thinking policymakers, creative and productive employees. Regions that are experiencing a lack of certain resources, for example, human resources, knowledge, technology or natural resources, require cooperation partners that can help minimize these disadvantages, and, in turn, make strengths stronger. The “GoSmart BSR” project helps to define the strengths and development priorities of its region, to evaluate it in the context of the development trends of other regions, to successfully identify cooperation partners and, by sharing resources with them, promote the development of the business environment and the creation of new jobs,” is convinced Inese Suija-Markova.
“Benefits that the project brings are undoubtedly the exchange of knowledge, good practices, consulting, business partners. Support for the involvement of entities in international initiatives in the areas of smart specialisation is extremely important,” says Katarzyna Poleszczuk-Woźniewska, main Specialist of Department of Regional Development Marshall Office of Podlaskie Voivodeship in Bialystok, Poland. But also, she draws attention to the problem that may occur – the identification of entrepreneurs who may or may want to begin cooperation with partners from other regions. “Perhaps the most important part of the project will be to develop a mechanism to attract the most active, innovative enterprises to this type of activity,” says K. Poleszczuk-Woźniewska.
Regards the question about how to strive to make the results of the project sustainable, K. Poleszczuk-Woźniewska says: “Maybe it should be considered to undertake activities within “GoSmart BSR” project aiming at preparing and involving entities in international partnerships of S3 (Smart Specialization Platform), creating synergies with Horizon 2020 – within which a significant funds is allocated for regions that cooperate. Partnerships established under the three thematic Platforms benefit from a number of EU support actions in each phase.”
Expert Edyta Dabrowska, Head of Regional Territorial Observatory in the Department of Regional Development of Marshal Office of Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland, informed that there is a discussion on the shape of regional policy for the next financial perspective: “Four goals for new perspective are discussed: a Smarter Europe; an ecological, low-emission Europe; Europe closer to citizens and building administrative potential”. Edyta Dabrowska says that intelligent investments will probably be one of priorities. “There might be a chance for funds on networking, clustering and transnational cooperation in the new perspective and new conditions will give possibilities to continue activities of the “GoSmart BSR” project”, says Edyta Dabrowska.
