AC/UNU Millennium Project

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 European Millennium Project Initiative (EuMPI)--SPIDER Project

Brussels, March 13, 2006

See the official announcement (PDF file)

Background
It has been acknowledged already in the early 90s by both researchers and policy makers that knowledge
will be one of the key factors for prosperity in the 21st century. During that time, it was also
argued that the evolution towards a knowledge economy will dramatically reduce the importance of
space. Globalization and new information and communication technologies, the argument went, will
render spatial units of policy-making obsolete: Geography is a thing of the past, distance is dead,
place is irrelevant.
However, things turned out differently. While globalisation indeed poses serious challenges for traditional
spatial units of policy-making, it became clear in recent years, that place continues to matter,
albeit its role may change drastically. A spatial unit that seems to gain importance in the knowledge
economy is the region. Economic success continues to be deeply rooted in regional performance,
witness, e.g., the phenomenon of clusters of tightly connected companies structured around a regional
core. Increasing regional competitiveness, we may conclude, becomes a central challenge – for
the regions themselves, but also for the EU member states and the EU institutions.
The SPIDER Project (funded by the European Union’s Regions of Knowledge Pilot Action Programme),
was focused on the potential of using foresight methods to increase regional competitiveness. The
conference ‘Rethinking Regions - Improving Regional Performance in the Knowledge Economy’ will be
the main dissemination event of the project as well as an opportunity to discuss the challenges regions
face today, and the steps regions need to take accordingly.

Main Topics
The main topics for discussion at the conference were chosen in the light of what turned out to be
key issues region face today in the course of the SPIDER Project. Specifically, the conference will
discuss and compare visions for knowledge regions first (see programme below), and subsequently
concentrate on the following topics:
• Networking
-How to network knowledge regions – internally and externally?
-What makes networks function effectively?
-Is there a risk of over-networking?
• New Tools for Knowledge Regions
-What are the new challenges of managing knowledge regions?
-Which new tools are needed in general?
-What role does foresight play for knowledge regions?
• How to Inspire Innovation
-Innovation in R&D institutions vs. innovation in a broader sense, including social innovation, and organisational learning
-How to attract creative people
-Creative tension in regional development

Format
The questions mentioned above will be tackled in a one-day conference. After a presentation of the
SPIDER Project results and a key note address by Dimitri Corpakis, Head of Sector „Regional Aspects
of Research Policy“, European Commission Directorate General for Research (see programme below),
there will be a panel discussion and three parallel workshops lead by European experts on the
topics mentioned above.

Target Audience
The conference aims at bringing together experts from different areas, including regional policy
making, private und public sector innovation experts, researchers with a focus on knowledge society,
and foresight experts.

Time and Location
The conference will take place in Brussels, Belgium, on March 13th 2006 in
Novotel Brussels Centre Tour Noire
Rue de la Vierge Noire 32, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 2 505 50 22, fax: +32 2 505 50 00
www.novotel.com/novotel/fichehotel/gb/nov/2122/fiche_hotel.shtml

PROGRAMME
8.30 Registration and coffee
Visions of Region of Knowledge
9.15 Introduction by Juha Kaskinen, Coordinator of SPIDER (Finland Futures Academy, Finland Futures Research Centre, TSEBA)
9.30 Presentation of the KnowReg initiative and issues Dr. Dimitri Corpakis (Head of Sector
Regional Aspects of Research Policy, European Commission Directorate General for Research)
10.00 Presentation of the SPIDER Project results by the SPIDER project team
10.30 Issues of regional development in the knowledge society

Panel ‘My vision of region of knowledge’
11.00 Coffee break
11.30 Panel discussion, conclusions (key points to be discussed) and introduction to the afternoon session
12.30 Lunch break
Regional Solutions and Tools for Innovation
14.00 Parallel open workshops:
-Networking
-How to Inspire Innovations
-New Tools for Knowledge Regions
15.30 Coffee break
16.00 Conclusions of the workshops and exchanges with the audience supported by the conference animator
16.45 Closure of the conference

Registration
No conference fee, coffees and lunch are also free of charge
Please confirm your presence latest 7th of March 2006 via e-mail, phone call, fax or
letter:
Ben Rodenhäuser
Z_punkt GmbH The Foresight Company
Bullmannaue 11
45327 Essen
Email rodenhaeuser@z-punkt.de
Phone +49 201 74727 14
Telefax +49 201 74727 22

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