Setting high standards together - Regions and central government work together for innovation
The Netherlands stands on the eve of major transitions to a green, sustainable, digital and inclusive economy. Innovation plays a vital role in this, and it takes place in the regions. That is where companies, researchers, talent and civil society organisations find each other, new initiatives arise and opportunities for innovation are found. Each region faces specific challenges to innovate its economy, improve the broad prosperity and contribute to transition issues. The differences between regions – partly due to the COVID-19 crisis – continue to increase. However, broad prosperity in the Netherlands and the progress of its transitions depend on the innovative strength of all regions.
Central government and the regions have set up extensive collaborations for regional innovation and much has been achieved already. Now the parties concerned need to jointly ensure that innovation in the regions really takes off and that relevant regional innovation initiatives become connected and accelerate, states the AWTI in the report “Samen de lat hoog leggen - Regio en rijk bundelen krachten voor innovatie” [Setting high standards together - Regions and central government work together for innovation] (in Dutch). This can be achieved through a better alignment between regional and national innovation objectives, more connection between regions and an approach that fits the regional context. With this, all regions can increase their growth potential, improve broad prosperity for their inhabitants and contribute to the transition challenges that the Netherlands now faces.
Download the AWTI advisory report "Samen de lat hoog leggen - Regio en rijk bundelen krachten voor innovatie" (in Dutch)
image: Bas Kijzers