A two-day conference (WIRE X) will be organised by the North-East Regional Development Agency (ADR Nord-Est) for the tenth edition of the Week of Innovative Regions in Europe (WIRE X) as part of the EU Romanian Presidency in Iași (North-East Region) from 26 to 28 June 2019. The event will gather actors active in the innovation, research and education ecosystem with the aim of creating a community of practice that will make use of their institutional learning and collective intelligence in order to solve societal challenges and to debate the future of research and innovation. The conference will formally discuss and will offer potential solutions regarding the positioning of R&I policies, regarding societal challenges, manifested through innovation, research and higher education. Representatives of European institutions, research organisations, clusters, education organisations, start-ups, SMEs, authorities and NGOs will exchange views on the role of R&I instruments in solving societal challenges and missions: - that reinvigorate the democratic policies and civic engagement (quadruple helix, S3, bottom-up processes, community led actions), - that address all forms of instruments (grants, prises, new forms of procurement, experimentation); - that cannot be addressed by national states (underlining the importance of the European approach); - that put the directionality in the centre of policy making so that multi-stakeholders from sciences, technologies and humanities could avoid the risk of alienation. A mix-method approach, that will facilitate the creation of a community of practice during the WIRE X will be used. The methods should increase the participant engagement, future cooperation and sharing of knowledge, delivering ways of a better understanding of R&I in the context of our immediate challenges (from climate change to migration, aging population and illiberalism).

In the context of innovation-divided Europe and scarce consultancy in RDI, Macro Region 4 Romania is in full process of moving towards a "turning point" of economic positioning in a climate of globalization, disruptive innovations and circular economies. This dynamic brings to surface impediments innovation actors in the region face multiple challenges, while their ability to overcome them is crucial to the impact of such changes. The core members of the Ro-Boost SMEs consortium are aware that it is time for smart action in order to achieve the goal of reducing the innovation divide among companies. Based on the vision stated in the Ro-Boost SMEs Implementation Strategy, the core members of the consortium jointly elaborated the project "Ro-Boost Inno SMEs" aimed at consolidating innovative businesses - rooted into the Smart Specialisation Strategy - and to expand their position within the sector global value chains. To achieve this goal, dedicated innovation support envisaged at the beginning of 2015 shall be continued in order to increase added value of SMEs and innovative sectors in the global economy, using an innovative delivery system and consolidating the community of innovators. The proposal is built around the expertise of relevant partners at Macro Region 4 level and in-depth competences gained in 2015-2016. It shall also capitalize on the impact generated in the previous period in order to gain further recognition of the innovation management as success driver among SMEs in terms of both economic impact and innovation culture within business environment.

SmartyourHome has two strong motivations, related to senior’s needs: Seniors are mostly excluded from live long learning since specific, seniors’ adapted training is only provided, if ever, in agglomerations. But seniors live everywhere. An inclusive online learning approach is needed, which is applied in this project: everyone who has access to the internet can benefit. Second: Smart home technologies and services can be of special benefit for seniors if deployed in a target group oriented way. This project links both motivations: Reliable smart home competences are brought to the seniors’ reach. Objective is that seniors can benefit from smart home technologies for more comfortable, safer and healthier, empowered living which allows them to stay longer at home, as most seniors wish. They should be enabled to understand basic smart home principles and to start first installations. 120 seniors with basic ICT skills will be directly involved in the project, as learners and as tele-tutors. The number being limited due to the very innovative and early adopters’ related approach will not hinder large numbers of seniors to be inspired from the project and to go forward in the same direction. Targeted communication channels and strategies are therefore essential for SmartyourHome. Since publications are scarce in the field, a pre-study will be elaborated and published which make existing knowledge, competences and preferences of seniors more transparent. Based on it, three online and blended learning modules will be developed on basic smart home principles and hands-on which will be embedded in context of 360°, synchronous and asynchronous support, also by peers as tele-tutors. All developments will get feedback from seniors. As a result, a tested, evaluated and adapted introduction into the extremely beneficial field of smart home for seniors will be available for free as open resource for all seniors at the end of the project. This will contribute to higher awareness of options and benefits related to affordable and accessible smart homes amongst seniors in general.

In the context of innovation-divided Europe and scarce consultancy in RDI, Macro Region 4 Romania is in full process of moving towards a "turning point" of economic positioning in a climate of globalization, disruptive innovations and circular economies. This dynamic brings to surface impediments innovation actors in the region face multiple challenges, while their ability to overcome them is crucial to the impact of such changes. The core members of the Ro-Boost SMEs consortium are aware that it is time for smart action in order to achieve the goal of reducing the innovation divide among companies. Based on the vision stated in the Ro-Boost SMEs Implementation Strategy, the core members of the consortium jointly elaborated the project "Ro-Boost Inno SMEs" aimed at consolidating innovative businesses - rooted into the Smart Specialisation Strategy - and to expand their position within the sector global value chains. To achieve this goal, dedicated innovation support envisaged at the beginning of 2015 shall be continued in order to increase added value of SMEs and innovative sectors in the global economy, using an innovative delivery system and consolidating the community of innovators. The proposal is built around the expertise of relevant partners at Macro Region 4 level and in-depth competences gained in 2015-2016. It shall also capitalize on the impact generated in the previous period in order to gain further recognition of the innovation management as success driver among SMEs in terms of both economic impact and innovation culture within business environment.

In the context of innovation-divided Europe and scarce consultancy in RDI, Macro Region 4 Romania is in full process of moving towards a "turning point" of economic positioning in a climate of globalization, disruptive innovations and circular economies. This dynamic brings to surface impediments innovation actors in the region face multiple challenges, while their ability to overcome them is crucial to the impact of such changes. The core members of the Ro-Boost SMEs consortium are aware that it is time for smart action in order to achieve the goal of reducing the innovation divide among companies. Based on the vision stated in the Ro-Boost SMEs Implementation Strategy, the core members of the consortium jointly elaborated the project "Ro-Boost Inno SMEs" aimed at consolidating innovative businesses - rooted into the Smart Specialisation Strategy - and to expand their position within the sector global value chains. To achieve this goal, dedicated innovation support envisaged at the beginning of 2015 shall be continued in order to increase added value of SMEs and innovative sectors in the global economy, using an innovative delivery system and consolidating the community of innovators. The proposal is built around the expertise of relevant partners at Macro Region 4 level and in-depth competences gained in 2015-2016. It shall also capitalize on the impact generated in the previous period in order to gain further recognition of the innovation management as success driver among SMEs in terms of both economic impact and innovation culture within business environment.