Punctuated equilibriumsThe added value of the Ex-Ante Evaluator in R&D and Innovation focused Operational Programmes

4-5 July, Vilnius, Lithuania

Derek Jan Fikkers

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R&D and Innovation focussed Operational Programmes

“Innovative and competitive business and research environment”

is the 1st funding priority for most countries (Mendez et al. 2013)

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The Netherlands in the 2014-2020 period

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The Netherlands in the 2014-2020 period

• Three main priorities:1. Insufficient R&I intensity and uptake by businesses2. Unsatisfactory labour market participation3. More efficient and sustainable use of resources, in

particular of renewables.

• For ERDF: #1 ≈ 80%

• Main challenge for the 4 MA’s: draft ERDF OP’s:1. increase R&I intensity, and2. enable en masse uptake by businesses

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Pre-2014: bottlenecks in the process of drafting the OP’s• Autumn 2012:

• Financial: Substantial budget cuts;• Institutional: Osmosis in the innovation system;

• Early 2013:• Cultural: MA’s traditional focus on universities;• Semi-smart specialization: University focus often ≠ business

focus• Continuously:

• Political: sectoral advocacy coalitions

• May 2013: 80%• September 2013: 100%

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Two unconventional roles of the ex-ante evaluator

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Thank you

Derekjan.fikkers@technopolis-group.com

technopolis |group| has offices in Amsterdam, Ankara, Brighton, Brussels, Frankfurt/Main, Paris, Stockholm, Tallinn and Vienna