Events

Th!nk East Netherlands is organising the workshop Regions shaping Europe’s digital future as part of the European Week of Regions and Cities 2021 on 12  October from 16.30-18.00.

The event will provide the opportunity to gain insights in the East Netherlands' regional approach to the digital transition and specialization strategies in smart industry, food production, health, and mobility. 
SMEs, research institutes, and regional authorities in Europe are key drivers in the twin – green and digital – transition to shape future value chains. In this interactive workshop, Th!nk East Netherlands and its international partners will show how digital impact is created in the field of digital industries, smart food production, smart health, smart mobility.
The workshop will last 90 minutes. After a plenary introduction, the program consists of four break-out rooms.
 

Digitalisation, a human centered approach

The aim is to give you deep insight into the regional approach to the digital transition which is rapidly changing our economy and society. The awareness of the importance of digitalisation in all economic sectors has become very clear: on EU level, national level, and a regional level. New knowledge and skills and a human-centered approach are needed to tackle digital challenges in healthcare, industry, the energy transition, as well as in the areas of food, and mobility. Learn more about East Netherlands' approach to digitalisation.

S3 Strategies and opportunities
During the plenary part of the program, participants will learn and discuss how S3 strategies – the quadruple helix model of innovation – contribute to the digital transition, what opportunities the new EU programming 2021-2027 period provides, how synergies with regional and national support and funds are increased, and the role of the European Digital Innovation Hubs will be discussed.
 

Best practices 
In four interactive breakout rooms best practices will be shared by representatives from regional authorities, SME’s and research institutes, with the aim to further explore possibilities to extend, test and pilot these initiatives into interregional, European partnerships and shape joint projects.
 

1. Digital industries
   Focus on artificial intelligence and the AI Hub East Netherlands. The Twente region, Vanguard Initiative, Emilia Romagna and the Garden of Kairos will provide insight in how they maximize their key strengths in in AI, they will share their challenges and long term goals;
    
2. Smart food production
   Wageningen University, the S3 partnership on Food, and multiple food companies will share and discuss opportunities and challenges of data in the food sector;
    
3. Smart Health
   Focus on prevention, health data and healthy aging. Stakeholders from the Green Metropolitan Region Arnhem-Nijmegen, Achterhoek Region join forces with our European partners from Euregha, Puglia (Italy), and Basque Country (Spain) showcasing interregional initiatives.
    
4. Smart mobility
   Focus on data-driven solutions in the mobility. Region Zwolle and Port of Zwolle and their European partners from Aarhus and Copenhagen will provide insights in Intelligent Bicycle transport systems and port management systems.  

More information and the latest updates on the programme can be found on the website of Th!nk East Netherlands.