“The Lighting Metropolis project has strengthened existing networks and established new collaborations between stakeholders. At the same time, it has identified regional strongholds and market niches in the field of intelligent lighting.”
This is one of the conclusions in a new policy brief by Nordregio, on how to build effective transnational partnerships. Lighting Metropolis has also identified several challenges ahead, as well as opportunites.
The policy brief examines the requirements for building effective transnational partnerships in different policy fields, based on the lessons learned from the recent Lighting Metropolis project – asone of the major cross-border innovation ventures between Denmark and Sweden, that sought to develop smart lighting solutions in urban environments.
The Lighting Metropolis project has helped to develop transnational partnerships and foster learning and best practices across borders. However, challenges remain in relation to promoting transnational collaboration in the area of smart lighting. Based on key findings from the project, here are some of the key recommendations proposed to encourage effective transnational collaborations in smart lighting and other fields in the future:
- Ensure that transnational projects have strong, proactive and diplomatic leadership to drive cooperation forward and help partners reach consensus.
- Engage more private actors and citizens in the governance process by holding events and seminars with innovation experts in the local authorities.
- Increase the attractiveness for SMEs of participation in transnational projects by reducing administrative and financial burdens, including lower co-funding rates.
- Establish intermediaries and consulting roles within projects to support partners with limited experience of participating in transnational collaborations.
- Increase the number of public outreach activities to enhance awareness of activities among stakeholders and citizens via more effective advertising of project aims, results and best practices across different levels of governance (at transnational, national and local levels).
- Encourage international benchmarking with other regions, based on areas of regional strength.
- Be realistic in the number of suggested demonstrations and trials, which require significant leadership and administrative support.
The policy brief has been prepared by Nordregio as part of the BSR Stars S3 project. It is based on a literature review and interviews conducted with partners involved in Lighting Metropolis.
Click here to read the full briefing.
