The impact of Smart Specialisation on the governance of research and innovation policy systems

This policy insight provides evidence of the impact of the adoption of the Smart Specialisation approach on the governance of research and innovation policy systems in EU regions and countries. Results show that Smart Specialisation has strengthened the networks of actors involved in the policy process and made the governance of innovation policy more inclusive. Despite the general increase in pressure for coordination, the effectiveness of horizontal and vertical coordination within and across administrative levels is still weak in many territories. More efforts are needed in this area in the future, together with the strengthening of skills and resources to perform policy functions. There is evidence that Smart Specialisation has supported the production of a wide range of tangible and intangible collective goods. These are crucial in generating external economies, which in turn increase the innovation capacity and competitiveness of local firms. In view of the EU Cohesion policy 2021-2027, the Smart Specialisation approach needs to recognise more explicitly the need for upgrading the quality of governance and policy capacity. Where these elements are weak they should be addressed with specific measures.