EUROCITIES Economic Development Forum (EDF)
The role of cities in the knowledge economy
Braga (Portugal), 26-28 March 2018
Programme
Language: EN – Twitter: #edfcities
Concept
The EU has toadapt and innovate by investing in new technologies and embracing changes brought on for instance by increased digitisation and the transition to low-carbon and circular economy. Most of the tools for innovation and to embrace the knowledge economy are developed by cities at the local level.
What is the knowledge economy?
In the knowledge economy[1], knowledge and information are the main inputs and outputs; there is an ever-increasing diffusion speed of information and knowledge; the knowledge economy is a network economy, where connectivity increasingly matters; in the knowledge economy, there is a high premium on entrepreneurship and innovation, and knowledge infrastructure (universities, other educational institutes, etc.).
Why is the knowledge economy relevant for cities?
Cities are important sites for innovation because of the opportunities they provide for interaction between businesses, research centres and universities, public authorities and the civil society. Cities have a key role to play in knowledge creation and its translation into innovative products and services. Cities have developed a range of mechanisms to facilitate this translation process. These include advice and services to SMEs, the placement of graduates in these businesses, incubating spin-offs in science and technology parks, facilitating networks in business clusters and meeting the skills needs for the local labour market.
Objectives of the forum
We will discuss the key messages we want to deliver to the European policy-makers, as well asexchange information, learn and identify best practices on:
-How do cities shape the local economy in order tocapitalise on the opportunities of the knowledge economy?
-How do cities support the development of new products and services, new industries and new forms of businesseslinked to the knowledge economy as well as facilitate the transition from the old industry to new economy?
-How do cities foster sustainable industrialization and inclusive growth in the knowledge economy - thus contributing to Sustainable Development Goals 8 and 9?
EU Context:
-On 13 September, the European Commission adopted a Communication where it set political priorities and guidelines for a renewed EU industrial policy strategy[2]. The purpose of this strategy is the empowerment of industry to create jobs, boost Europe’s competitiveness, foster investment and innovation in clean and digital technologies and defend Europe’s regions and workers most affected by industrial change. The European Commission would like to work in partnership with national, regional and local authorities on this renewed strategy.The Commission will launch a Pilot action to provide tailor-made and joined up support to address the specific challenges of regions going through an acute crisis or falling into decline.The Commission will set up in 2018 a High Level Industrial Roundtable with representatives of national, regional and local authorities, industry, social partners and civil society. This Roundtable will provide feedback on the Commission's initiatives and actions, and advise on the implementation of EU industrial policy. EDF Forum within EUROCITIES would like to participate into this process by bringing lessons and recommendations from the cities.
-The Sustainable Development Goals: on 25 September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly formally adopted the universal, integrated and transformative 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, along with a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals[3]. The EU has committed to implement the SDGs both in its internal and external policies[4]. Some of these goals are connected to the knowledge economy:
-Goal 8 is to ‘promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all’.
-Goal 9 is to‘build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation’.
-EU funding for research and innovation: The Horizon2020[5] programmeis the financial instrument implementing the Innovation Union. It focuses on excellent science, industrial leadership and tackling societal challenges. The goal is to ensure Europe produces world-class science, removes barriers to innovation and makes it easier for the public and private sectors to work together in delivering innovation.
Monday 26 March 2018Venue: GNRation
10:00 – 12:00 / Steering Committee meeting (for members only) –cf. separate agenda
11:00 – 12:00 / Newcomers session
12:00 – 12:45 / Welcome lunch and registration
12:45 – 13:15 / Official welcome and information on Braga’s economic and social context
- EDF Chair, Vienna
- Braga city representative
13:15 – 17:45
(including coffee break from 15.00 to 15.30) / 3 working groups in parallel:
- WG City branding and international economic relations
- WG innovation
- WG Entrepreneurship and SMEs
17:45 – 18:30 / Startup Braga presentation and visit
Startup Braga is an innovation hub designed to assist the inception and development of high potential entrepreneurial projects for international markets. In partnership with Microsoft Ventures we provide business acceleration programs for startups with global ambitions. It has a special link with the local universities and research labs.
This presentation will introduce the visitors the innovative and creative environment of Braga and put them in contact with entrepreneurs and Startups.
20:00 – 22:00 / Informal welcome reception & dinner
Venue: Taberna Migaitas
Tuesday 27 March 2018
Venue: TheatroCirco
08:30 - 09:00 / Coffee and registration
09:00 – 09:15 / Official Welcome by Ricardo Rio, Mayor of Braga
09:15 – 09:30 / Presentation of Braga strategy on the knowledge economy
by Ricardo Rio, Mayor of Braga
09:30 – 10:15 / Keynote speeches
- European Commissioner, Carlos Moedas (tbc)
- Lamia Kamal-Chaoui, Director of the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Local Development and Tourism
10:15 – 11:30 / High-level panel debateon the role of the cities in the knowledge economy
Roundtable discussion & interaction with the audience:
- Maria João Rodrigues (tbc)
- InvestBraga President, Carlos Oliveira
- InL Director, Lars Montelius
- Ana Lehman – Secretary of State of Industry (tbc)
- Tanja Wehsely, Member of Vienna City Council & EDF political Chair
- André Sobczak, Member of Nantes City Council and EDF political vice chair
- Barcelona (tbc)
- Lisbon (tbc)
11:30 – 11:45 / Coffee break
11:45 – 12:40 / World café: to discuss research and development, and funding for research and innovation.
The results of this discussion will feed into EUROCITIES influencing work, in particular on the future budget of the EU post-2020 and on the successors programmes to Horizon2020 and COSME.
12:40 – 13:00 / Report from the world café
13:00 – 13:45
Venue: TheatroCirco / Lunch
13:45 – 14:00 / Family Photo
13:00 – 14:00
Venue: Casa dos Coimbras / Political Lunch followed by family Photo
Theme: the sustainable development goals (SDG) linked to economic development: SDG8 ‘decent work and economic growth’ and SDG 9 ‘Industry, innovation and infrastructure’[6]
14:00 – 16:00
Venue: TheatroCirco / Speed-networking sessions: EUROCITIES members present their experiences
We will send a call to EDF members who are interested to come to present a specific project. We will select 8 projects. The projects proposed should focus on one of the following themes:
-cities and the knowledge economy
-SDGs
-long-term investments
The sessions would run for 50 minutes and then they would be repeated so members could attend 2 sessions.
16:00 -16:15 / Coffee break
16:15 – 18:15 / Study visits:
1) The INL - International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory
2) Visit to Bosch Car Multimedia
3) IB-S - Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability
20:00 – 22:00 / Formal dinner
Venue: Colunata dos Eventos, Bom Jesus
Wednesday 28 March 2018
Venue: Museum Dom Diogo de Sousa
09:00 –12:00 / EDF business meeting (preliminary programme)
-Including a session on the future of EUROCITIES
-Including reports on WG meetings outcomes
-Including small groups discussion for instance on the urban agenda, on public procurement, etc.
12:00 – 13:00 / Presentation of new Working Group on long-term investments: ideas and expectations. Short presentation of the new EDF Working Group and brainstorming about ideas, contents, expectations and presentations of the first city members of the Working Group
13:00 – 14:00 / Steering Committee meeting (for members only) – cf. separate agenda
13:00 – 14:00 / Lunch and farewell
14:00 -16:30 / visit of Braga city (optional)
City Centre- Bom Jesus - Sameiro
For more information on the forum, please contact:
Marie Ranty, EUROCITIES policy advisor: Mobile: +32 (0) 492 731 091
Local contact person:
Nuno Gouveia, Braga International Relations Advisor: nuno.gouveia@cm-braga-pt Mobile: +351910902266
Draft programme, EUROCITIES economic development forum, Braga, 26-28 March 2018, Page 1
[1]According to the World Bank, knowledge economies are defined by four pillars. These are: institutional structures that provide incentives for entrepreneurship and the use of knowledge, skilled labour availability and good education systems, ICT infrastructure and access, and, finally, a vibrant innovation landscape that includes academia, the private sector and civil society. World Bank’s Knowledge economic index, 2012
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]See explanation on SDGs on page 2 of the programme in ‘EU context’ part