the Social Sciences Division of the Gran Sasso Science Institute - a recently established international doctoral school in L'Aquila, Italy - is launching a webinar series particularly aimed at postgraduate students and researchers specialising in urban and regional issues related to economic development and local governance.

You will find all details here

The inaugural seminar will be held by Prof. Ron Boschma (Utrecht University, The Netherlands)  

How to get Smart Specialization policy smart? 

Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2020, 10 a.m. (Central European Summer Time & South Africa Standard Time)

Duration: 2 hours

Chair: Prof. Sandro Montresor (GSSI)

About: My lecture will devote attention to three building blocks of Smart Specialization Strategies (S3) in the EU that aim to develop new activities in a region: local capabilities, inter-regional linkages, and regional institutions. I will explain why the three dimensions are considered important in S3, and how these may be incorporated in Smart Specialization policy. I will present empirical studies on European regions that show how the three dimensions might affect the ability of regions to develop new economic activities. What types of activities could S3 target to make it place-based, what kind of capabilities are needed to enable diversification in regions, what types of inter-regional ties are important to enhance the development of new activities in regions, and what kind of regional institutions might facilitate this transformation process. Last, we will discuss what are the implications for S3, and how to get Smart Specialization policy in the EU smarter. 

The registration link for web access will be communicated here and on Facebook

All the best,

Ugo

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Ugo Rossi

Associate professor of economic and political geography

Area of Social Sciences, Gran Sasso Science Institute, L'Aquila, Italy

academia gssi