COVID-19 pandemic, which has dragged the world around, is inevitably changing the way international projects are implemented. International seminars are moving into an interactive space, changing the communication environment. However, researchers have so far managed to avoid critical disruptions in the implementation of commitments to ongoing international projects.
On April 23-24, 2020 LAEI (Lithuanian Institute of Agrarian Economics) researchers participated in the 5th international seminar of the INTERREG Baltic Sea Program project LARS - Learning Among Regions on Smart Specialization, which was held interactively using a unified communication platform “Microsoft Teams”.
During the seminar, project partners presented and then discussed in detail their readiness to transfer best practices in smart specialization implementation among the 11 project regions through pilot actions. The potential for transferring best practice between regions has been assessed through multiple previously implemented research stages, including Gap Analysis, good practice transferability assessment between LARS regions, the Quadruple Helix Model of Innovation, and the results of good practice ranking in line with particular region’s needs. Factors contributing to failure and success for transferring good practice in particular area of smart specialization between the sending and the receiving region of partner countries (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany) were discussed in detail.
LAEI smart specialization research in this project is focused on circular and bioeconomy field - biogas production from manure and waste in agribusiness. Research has shown that it is beneficial for Lithuania to receive part of the good practice of developing smart specialization in the field of bioeconomy from the Västerbotten region (Sweden).
For more information on the LARS project, please visit the website: http://projects.interreg-baltic.eu/projects/lars-93.html
Project is coordinated in Lithuania and implemented by dr. Živilė Gedminaitė-Raudonė
Tel. (8 5) 261 7071, el.p.zivile.gedminaite@ekvi.lt;
Alongside the project is implemented by:
Dr. Dalia Vidickienė (8 5) 2613169, el.p. Dalia.vidickiene@ekvi.lt
Dr. Rita Vilkė el. (85) 2624156, el.p. Rita.vilke@ekvi.lt