Baltic TRAM Project Mid-Term Conference

Tighter collaboration between the industry/small & mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) and the research sector can contribute to a fuller and broader capability of the knowledge and innovation system in Europe. Bearing in mind the outstanding innovation performance showcased by the Baltic Sea Region, the Baltic TRAM partnership brings forward the science-business cooperation in our region.

In light of this, the Baltic TRAM Mid-Term Conference presented an extensive overview of various activities, projects and framework conditions for a better support of access opportunities for the industrial sector/SMEs to analytical research facilities.

CBSS Director General Maira Mora highlighted during her welcoming words Baltic TRAM as one of the driving forces behind the regional consultations on the Baltic 2030 Action Plan and one of the key implementers of its thematic strands namely SDG 9.

Hosted on 25 – 26 October 2017 by the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), the Conference further engaged the participants in discussions around innovation policy issues and possible solutions for the Baltic Sea Region.

“Baltic TRAM influences the future transnational
cooperation and in the macro-regional context of
innovation governance is one of the driving forces
behind the focus area ‘Transition to sustainable
economy’ of the CBSS Baltic 2030 Action Plan.”

The conference provided a glimpse of the latest European and Baltic Sea Region-wide policy-level thinking and showcased the leading science-business cooperation initiatives, such as Linking Industry to Neutrons and X-rays (LINX) and Excelsus Structural Solutions.

The event highlighted to the wider audience three reports which explain the latest dynamics of the multi-level governance, smart specialisation and science diplomacy across the Baltic Sea Region and beyond it:

The mapping exercise captured in the BSR Policy Briefing 4/2017 “National innovation and smart specialisation governance in the Baltic Sea region: Laying grounds for an enhanced macro-regional science-business cooperation” was concluded by identifying sustainable energy as one of the three strongly shared smart specialisation priorities among the Baltic Sea Region´s countries. In order to ensure that Baltic TRAM findings regarding this thematic area are based on a comprehensive outlook, during the second Baltic TRAM High Level Group meeting the CBSS publication “Energy Efficiency in the Baltic Sea Region: Policy and Project Review” was outlined as a potential source of valuable earlier findings on the subject matter.

Among other agenda items of the second meeting of the Baltic TRAM High Level Group was the project partners´ Letter of Intent which defines principles of open data access. The document is designed to facilitate further introduction of relevant stakeholders to how Baltic TRAM supports the commitments enshrined in the Lund Declaration 2015, Reflection Paper on Harnessing Globalisation as well as the Digital Single Market Strategy for Europe through the project´s open data pilot´s adherence to the European Open Science Cloud. Thus, Baltic TRAM emerges as one of the notable macro-regional test-beds which crafts a vision and practical implementation measures how the Baltic Sea Region can jointly advance open science and open data.

Baltic TRAM press release regarding the conference is available here.

Presentations of the Baltic TRAM Mid-Term Conference are available here.

Photo album is available here.