A lecture on “Regional smart specialization as an important direction for increasing the competitiveness and innovation activity of the region” was held within the framework of the Jean Monnet Module, Erasmus (Project 101085642 – SSEPRDS – ERASMUS-JMO-2022-HEI-TCH-RSCH “Smart Specialization: European Experience of Regional Development Strategy”).
The lecture for masters was conducted by Doctor of Economics, Professor Petro Putsentailo, Head of the project “Smart Specialization: European Experience of Regional Development Strategy”.
Regions should define themselves in terms of specialization to gain competitive advantages. The basis of smart specialization is an “entrepreneurial discovery” that shows what a country or region does (will do) best in terms of socio-economic development and innovation. In the top-down approach, it is difficult to identify the risks that may arise at the beginning of the production of a product (service), in accordance with the regional development priorities set from the Center.
The following issues were discussed during the lecture:
- Smart specialization as a new policy tool.
- Regional strategies for smart specialization.
- Smart specialization as a European concept of innovation policy.
- Practical implementation of regional strategy projects based on smart specialization.
Today, the smart economy is rapidly taking shape in the world. It is based on the introduction of new technologies, the totality of which is most often referred to as Industry 4.0 or the fourth industrial revolution. Its important structural element is the active development of a new strategic trend – “smart specialization” or “smart specialization” of regions, based primarily on innovative regional management technologies that should be taken into account when developing regional and cluster policies. Smart specialization is one of the most central aspects of the modern innovation policy of the world’s leading countries, including the European Union. In the regional policy of European countries, the strategy of smart specialization is an important and effective tool for accelerating innovative development, structural and technological modernization, and increasing the competitiveness of regions.
The lecture covered the following areas: the essence, structure and features of smart specialization in the EU and Ukraine; the institutional units that ensure its formation; the peculiarities of the content of smart specialization, the features of its components to achieve economic, innovative, organizational, technological and social goals; the relevance of research on the introduction of smart specialization for the development of Ukrainian regions based on the recommendations of international organizations.
In addition to the masters, the class was also attended by the department’s research and teaching staff. The participants positively evaluated the lecture and noted its high educational, methodological and scientific level. The class received positive feedback from colleagues and students.
We invite everyone to attend the lecture series and take an active part in studying the European experience of the smart specialization regional development strategy!
Funded by the European Union. However, the expressed views and opinions belong solely to the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the grantor can be held responsible for them.