About the project

(you can download a project presentation from here)

The project "Regional innovation strategy for the Southeast region of Bulgaria" started on 01.06.2005 г. in the scope of SIXTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME FP6-2004-INNOV-4 RESEARCH AND INNOVATION and will be implemented for 32 months.

Overall objective of the project:
To increase the competitiveness of the region in terms of innovative development by creating innovating culture as a locomotive for efficient policy making within the South-East planning region of Bulgaria.

Project objectives:

• To create and develop innovative capacity;
• To improve the capability of the regional business to implement innovations and benefit from them;
• To create an active regional network that supports the establishment and development of working partnerships for innovation;
• To support the successful integration of the South-East planning region of Bulgaria in the European Research Area.

The first goal will aim at:

• Strengthening the existing R&D entities;
• Stimulating the development of new R&D units.
• Promoting innovation-oriented thinking within the institutions of High Education and the Universities.

The second goal will aim at:

• Stimulating the establishment of innovation-oriented clusters;
• Supporting the development of innovative SMEs;
• Supporting the establishment of spin-off entities.

The third goal will aim at:

• Raising public awareness for the importance of innovative thinking and action both on policy making and implementation level;
• Building consensus among the main actors from the South-East planning region of Bulgaria for the main strategic innovation areas of development;
• Creating a culture for shared responsibility among all the key players for the implementation of the Regional Innovation Strategy of South-East planning region of Bulgaria.

The fourth goal will aim at:

• Creating long-lasting and fruitful relationship on political level between the South-East planning region of Bulgaria and the EU partnering regions;
• Stimulating linkages between R&D and business entities from South-East planning region of Bulgaria and the EU partnering regions;
• Supporting the process of integration of the South East region of Bulgaria within the European Innovation Area.

Project beneficiaries:

Critical success factor for this overall objective is the creation of a common vision and shared responsibility about the priorities of the further development among the main groups of actors on regional level – the policy decision makers, the suppliers of innovations (R&D and educational establishments) and the implementers of innovations (representatives of the business community).

Expected results:

Two main outcomes at the end of the project will be achieved in order to prepare the basis for reaching this long-term overall objective - Regional Innovation Strategy with Action plan for the South-East planning region of Bulgaria developed and consensus-adopted, and the project Steering committee transformed in to a Consultative body for the implementation phase of the RIS.