Session Information
02 SES 16 C, Policy & Governance IV: 1.VET and European Regional Smart Specialisation Strategies
Panel Discussion
Contribution
Purpose
It is to discuss about the role of the vocational education and training (VET) system within the framework of intelligent specialization strategies in different countries of the EU (Finland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and UK). Each member of the panel will present a regional experience showing whether and how these strategies integrate VET.
The main question is: How are intelligent specialisation strategies being worked out with regard to VET in your country or region?
Regional smart specialisation strategies (RIS3): a European approach
According to the EU, smart specialisation strategies ‘are about enabling regions to turn their needs, strengths and competitive advantages into marketable goods and services. They aim to prioritise public research and innovation investments through a bottom-up approach for the economic transformation of regions, building on regional competitive advantages and facilitating market opportunities in new inter-regional and European value chains.’ (COM, 2017: 3)
Smart specialisation is an innovative approach that aims to boost growth and jobs in Europe, by enabling each region to identify and develop its own competitive advantages. Through its partnership and bottom-up approach, RIS3 brings together local authorities, academia, business spheres and the civil society, working for the implementation of long-term growth strategies supported by EU funds. It is a place-based approach characterised by the identification of strategic areas for intervention based both on the analysis of the strengths and potential of the regional economy. It embraces a broad view of innovation including but certainly not limited to technology-driven approaches. By now, over 120 smart specialisation strategies have been developed at regional level in the EU and over EUR 67 billion available to support these strategies, under the European Structural and Investment Funds and national / regional funding.
Despite the emerging relevance of VET in terms of employment and industry, in the literature on regional innovation systems (RIS) (Cooke, 1992; Gibbons et al., 1994; Lundvall and Borras, 2005; Uyarra and Flanagan, 20019; Asheim et al.,2016) its role as part of the innovation system is very little present (Porto and Doloreux, 2018): It is usually limited to the issues of workforce qualification, separating it from the innovation services needs of small and medium-sized enterprises and from the diversity of local contexts existing in each region. Although in certain regional environments it is being integrated into the innovation system, where the centres have a key structuring role, development is still incipient and heterogeneous.
VET system as a catalyst for the dissemination of technology: an innovation approach
VET schools are oriented more towards dissemination of technology than universities (Toner, 2010; Toner and Woolley, 2016), and with a more incremental and practical focus of innovation (learning by doing, using and interacting, DUI) (Jensen et al, 2007). This strength is related to the territorial dimension, as VET schools operate more oriented towards local levels than universities (Rosenfeld, 1998), and is also related to the company dimension as they work mainly with micro, small and medium companies (Albizu et al, 2017). However, VET subsystem and especially VET schools are not included as one of the actors of the regional innovation systems and barely as key actor of RIS3, regarding the technical training, the provision of technological services to SMEs and local development (Olazaran 2013). The supply of these services implies that VET centres (with the traditional function of teaching) should turn into multi-functional ones (teaching, technology transferring and disseminating, local developing, etc.) (Navarro, 2018). This emerging approach involves a new conceptualisation and development of the VET system, and specifically centres, in terms of innovation and smart specialisation. In any case, this research topic needs to be more research.
References
Albizu, E., Olazaran, M., Lavía, C. y Otero, B. (2011). Relationship between vocational training centres and industrial SMEs in the Basque Country. A regional innovation system approach. Intangible Capital, 7 (2), 329-355. Asheim, B.T.; Grillitsch, M.; Trippl, M. (2016): Regional innovation systems: past– present–future, en Shearmur, R.; Carrincazeaux, C. y Doloreux, D. (Eds.): Handbook on the Geographies of Innovation, 45-62. Cooke, P. (1992). Regional innovation systems: competitive regulation in the new Europe. Geoforum, 23(3), 365-382. European Commission (2017). Strengthening Innovation in Europe’s Regions Strategies for resilient, inclusive and sustainable growth. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, The Council, The European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. COM(2017) 376 final. Gibbons, M., Limoges, C., Nowonty, H., Schwartzman, S., Scott, P. y Trow, M. (1994). The new production of knowledge. The dynamics of science and research in contemporary societies, London: Sage Publications. Jensen, M.B., Johnson. B., Lorenz, E. y Lundvall, B.A. (2007). Forms of knowledge and modes of innovation. Research Policy 36, 680–693. Lundvall, B.Å and Borrás, S. (2005). Science, technology and innovation policy, en Fagerberg, J., Mowery, D. y Nelson, R. (Eds.). Innovation Handbook. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 599-631. Moso, M. y Olazaran, M. (2002). Regional Technology Policy and the Emergence of an R&D System in the Basque Country. Journal of Technology Transfer, 27, 61–75. Navarro, M.; Albizu, M.; Egaña, J.; Egurbide, I.; Retegi, J. y Vázquez. R. (2018). La formación profesional de Navarra. Hacia un nuevo modelo de centro y el reto de la FP dual. Madrid: Fundación Bankia por la Formación Dual. Olazaran, M. and Brunet, I. (coord.) (2013). Entorno regional y formación profesional: los casos de Aragón, Asturias, Cataluña, Madrid, Navarra y País Vasco. Tarragona: Publicaciones UPV, Servicio editorial UPV/EHU. Porto, I. and Doloreux, D. (2018). Knowledge Stakeholders in RIS’ literature: To be or not to be. Ekonomiaz nº 94, 78-107. Rosenfeld, S. (1998): Technical colleges, technology deployment and regional development, Modena: OECD. Toner, P. (2010). Innovation and Vocational Education. The Economic and Labour Relations Review 21 (2) 75–98. Toner, P. and Woolley, R. (2016). Perspectives and Debates on Vocational Education and Training, Skills and the Prospects for Innovation. Revista Española de Sociología (RES) 25 (3): 319-342 Uyarra, E. y Flanagan, K. (2009). La relevancia del concepto de ‘sistema regional de innovación’ para la formulación de la política de innovació
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