| EU enlargement and European monetary integration will both intensify interregional competition and increase inequalities between European regions. Growth and interregional competition will be based on "growth nodes" (networked clusters).
Objectives:
The objectives of this project are:
1) to develop a strategic road map for research activities under the 6th framework programme;
2) to develop a pan-European network of researchers and key stakeholders contributing to policy development on European 'information society' issues -e.g., industry and government players as well as civil society representatives.
The strategic road map focuses on the nature and dynamics of ICT-enabled 'growth nodes' in Europe, and addresses three questions:L1) How will the deployment and use of new ICTs modify the viability and sustainability of growth nodes;
2) What new 'rules of the game' will be required to equitably foster the growth of ICT-enabled growth nodes;
3) At what policy level will such rules be managed?
Work description:
The project analyses relationships, stakeholders and issues in emerging 'growth nodes', and develops a research agenda ("strategic road map") for the 6th Framework Programme. More specifically, the project involves the following activities:
- Contextualise and motivate research on 'growth nodes'; e.g. identify its importance, link it to broader economic, social and political issues / agendas. (Work Package 1);
- Define Growth-Nodes patterns, key issues, and key stakeholders (also in WP1);
- Describe the emerging phenomena of 'growth nodes' from the perspectives of Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) and knowledge management (also in WP1);
- Develop a conceptual framework, methodology, and interview schedule (WP2);
- Review documented practices (including EC projects, innovative case studies, research databases, regional databases), interview leading experts (WP3);
- Develop Preliminary Research Road Map: Generation and evaluation of alternative scenarios, selection of preferred approach (WP3);
- Conduct a workshop with key stakeholders for constituency building and stakeholder feedback (WP3);
- Structuring, analysis and interpretation of data and stakeholder feedback (WP4);
- Re-assessment of the key issues by incorporating feedback from stakeholders, and (re)formulation of the framework, scenarios and working hypotheses (WP4);
- Final deliverables: Research Roadmap and plan for a Research Network (WP5);
- Communications via: Project Website, presentation at IST conferences and Published Report (WP6).
Milestones:
June 13-14, 2002: Presentation at Concertation Meeting in Brussels;
June 2002: Project website;
August 2002: Report "Conceptual Framework, issues and stakeholders";
October 2002: Report "Road Map (version 1)";
October 16-18: Presentation KAII Conference, Prague;
November 4-6: Organization and participation in IST 2002 Conference, Copenhagen;
November 11-13: Presentation at the 6th Framework Programme Launch, Brussels;
February 2003: Stakeholder workshop;
February 2003: Report "Road Map (version 2)" to be submitted to the first call for proposals under 6FP;
May 2003: Report "Road Map (version 3)" Final versions: restricted and public. |