South Great Plain Regional Innovation Agency

The innovation strategy of a region aims to increase the economic competitiveness of that certain region by the correct selection of innovational activities which form the innovation system. The innovation systems cannot be interpreted either apart from each other or isolated from other innovation systems designed for bigger geographical units. The economic relations of particular regions include innovational connections, cooperation, and in certain case, competition as well. It is justified that the strategic planning should be done by realizing the cooperation with the neighboring region and by the harmonization and optimal exploitation of resources. The first innovation strategy in the South Great Plain region was made in 2004, and it has been constantly revised since 2008. There has not been a regional innovation strategy in Vojvodina yet. However, the South Great Plain strategy also stops at clarifying relationships linked to interregional innovation and it does not pay attention to cross-border innovational relations that are also important. The aim of this project is to fill these gaps.

Objectives of the project are the followings:

a) supplement of the South Great Plain innovation strategy in relation to the Vojvodina regional innovation system, possibilities of cooperation, common cross-border innovational planning and the mutual interest from advantages of the new R&D investments;

b) Transmission of the South Great Plain regional innovation strategy as a benchmark planning methodology and;

c) Commencement of strategic planning in Vojvodina by elaborating the Vojvodina regional innovation strategy based on sampling and the dissemination of this among concerned economic participants.

Benefits of the project are the followings:

• Strategic preparation for the accession of Serbia to the EU;
• Defining the possibilities of breakout to reach economic growth;
• Discovering cross-border cooperation in the field of research and development;
• Exploring possible co-operations; Enlarging the range of innovational services and counseling of bridging organizations;
• Increasing commitment of stakeholders towards innovation;
• Defining operational priorities in national resource planning;
• Defining possible big projects and their cross-border characteristics;

Methodological phases of the project are the followings:

1. Processing of planning methodology of the South Great Plain Innovation Strategy as a curriculum;
2. Organizing trainings;
3. Elaborating common questionnaire;
4. Sampling based on 100-100 questionnaires;
5. Creating a common database for innovative participants;
6. Statistical analysis of questionnaires and drawing appropriate conclusions;
7. Secondary data collection;
8. Elaboration of regional and interregional strategies in the cross-border region.