South Great Plain Regional Innovation Agency

Relevant programme: Hungary-Serbia IPA Cross-border Co-operation Programme – Magyarország-Szerbia IPA Határon Átnyúló Együttműködési Program
Title: Cross-border cooperation in innovation process for the development and harmonization of clusters to increase competitiveness of their SMEs
Acronym: CROSS-CLUSTER
Projekt ID: HUSRB/1203/211/063

Duration: 01.09.2013. – 31.08.2014.

Innovation is important driving force of competitiveness on regional, national, even European level. In the years of the financial crisis the companies, especially SMEs are working under severe circumstances. The financial limitations make them unable to accomplish their development plans, to manage their innovations, and commercialize new products, services.

The general objective of the project is to implement a cross-border pilot programme where the target clusters and the cluster members’ innovation process are developed as well.

During the project we are planning to implement the following activities:

1. analysis of the value creating processes (production chain) for each companies inside selected clusters in both regions
2. using the results of the analysis, identification of the most appropriate (company specific and cluster-generic) management methods and tools to be integrated into the process of innovation in the production processes;
3. elaboration of a policy for the innovation and intellectual property management both on company (cluster member) and on cluster level;
4. cross-border exchange of knowledge and management skill obtained in the above mentioned process.

Benefits of the project:

• It constitutes a new approach for the creation of useful skills for the managed organizations.
• The former innovation management projects focused for the most part on the regional strategies of innovation. The present tools are to be formulated in such a way that they are as close to the companies’ specific product development process as it is possible.
• The project helps the internal cooperation of the cluster members in the field of innovation.

The project helps the interregional cooperation of the companies and the clusters.

During the implementation of the project we focused on innovation and intellectual property management processes of clusters operating in agro-food sector in South Great Plain Region and Vojvodina, since the sector is significant in the economy of both regions.

Several members of Kincses Bácska and Somborski salaši cluster attended at the opening conference of the project, which was held in December 2013. The event contributed to strengthening cross-border connections and increasing innovation activities within clusters and SME’s.

Results of the project:

• a training material was elaborated in Hungarian and Serbian taking into account the current legislation
• Intellectual Property policies were made for Kincses Bácska Cluster and Somborski salaši Cluster which participated in the project, application of this could intensify the efficiency of cooperation between cluster members
• 20 IP policies were made for the companies participated actively in the project both in Hungary and in Serbia
• a database of innovative clusters was completed in order to intensify cross-border cooperation between organizations
• trainings and workshops were organized for the cluster members in the subject of intellectual property protection.
• 7 multilingual information materials were created during the implementation of the project we built connections with 28 Hungarian and 31 Serbian organizations

Brochures

Introduction (HU-SRB)

Results of the project (HU-SRB-EN)

Training material (HU-SRB) 

Informativni centar za poslovnu standardizacijui i sertifikaciju (Information center for business standardization and certification)

Budget: 119 267,72 EUR
Contribution of the European Union to the project budget: 101 367,56 EUR
Budget of the Agency: 61 287,72 EUR
Contribution of the European Union to the budget of the Agency: 52 094,56 EUR

This website has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The content of the document is the sole responsibility of Regional Innovation Agency of South Great Plain Associaton of Public Utility and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union and/or the Managing Authority.