WIRE2012 will focus on smart regional development based on knowledge and innovation; it will address main current issues related to the effective implementation of the Innovation Union at regional level for the next period 2014-2020.

The aim of the WIRE2012 conference is to present both main challenges and barriers concerning the development of innovation in regions and to elaborate recommendations for European and regional innovation policy-makers. The issue to be tackled is how to implement the Innovation Union at the Regional level; it will address three main thematic pillars:

• Innovative regions in the Horizon 2020 will investigate the role of regions in smart specialisation, the role of cities as innovation hubs, and regional innovation ecosystems within Horizon 2020;
• Stairway to Excellence will focus on the future of research and innovation at the regional level, on synergies between Horizon 2020 and the Cohesion Policy, and on smart specialisation in convergence regions and Centres of Excellence;
• Networking for ERA at the Regional Level will discuss the European Territorial Cooperation, networks of clusters, European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation, networks of research infrastructure and Multiregional Knowledge Partnerships (e.g. Danube, Baltic)

During the WIRE2012 participants will have the opportunity to present posters on their projects. The poster session is free of charge. The participants shall prepared their posters on their own in A0 size (i.e. 118,9 cm x 84,1 cm vertical). There is no common template for the posters. If you are interested in a poster session please fill in the Poster Session Form and send to info@wire2012.eu.

Along to plenary and parallel sessions, an exhibition area will host projects and stands of several European regions. The exhibition will be an excellent opportunity to promote the most successful projects as well as shown the uniqueness and beauty of the regions. The exhibition possibility during the conference is free of charge. Detailed information on the size and equipment of the offered booths will be available soon. If you are interested in having a stand during the WIRE 2012 please fill in the Exhibition Application Form and send to info@wire2012.eu.

The Conference Programme can be found at: http://www.wire2012.eu/Default.aspx?id=16

Further information on the registration process is available at: http://www.wire2012.eu/Default.aspx?id=16

Contact Details:

National Contact Point for Research Programmes of the EU (NCP Poland), Ul. Krzywickiego 34, 02-078 Warsaw, Poland

info@wire2012.eu

Source: Email by Ökrös Fruzsina