Promoting Innovation and the Knowledge Economy
As a result of the INTERREG IIIC-BRISE project, some of the partners became aware and got first hand experience of other region’s good practices and it became apparent that they would be very interested in transferring some of the shared good practices to their own regions. It was felt that an ideal mechanism to get them implemented would be within the framework of an INTERREG IVC Capitalisation project, with a view to develop an Action Plan to be integrated into the regional Operation Programmes. PIKE involves 5 of the former BRISE partners: Donegal, Derry, Olomouc, Cantabria and Bologna.Vasternorrland and Galway, were aware of the work of BRISE and have participated with the lead partner in other ICT projects. They share the same ICT challenges and needs and have endorsed the good practices identified.With the aim of balancing the geographic scope of the project, broaden the partners’ experiences and test the good practices in different socio/economic contexts, the regions
of Bulgaria South East and Sterea Ellada were invited to participate. The relevant bodies responsible for the regional Operational Programmes in each region were approached at an early stage, have contributed to draft the proposal and have committed in writting to participate in the project. The aim of the project is to improve regional and local Innovation & Knowledge Economy policies through the exchange, sharing and transfer of eGovernment and Wireless Broadband good practices, and through the integration of these good practices into the Convergence and Regional Competitiveness and Employment policies of all the participating regions.In order to do so ALL 9 participating regions will develop an Action Plan to transfer the good practices into the mainstream Structural Funds programmes.Apart from project coordination and dissemination, PIKE's main activities will consist of Documenting and presenting the good practices (Good Practice Transfer Pack, Good Practice Transfer Workshop) ;
Transferring the good practices (Study visits/staff exchanges, Good Practice transfer roadmaps, Action Plans) and Ensuring implementation under the regional OPs (Local workshops, presentations to regional OP Monitoring Committees, regional Action Plan launches)
OUTPUTS: Project brochure, 4 newsletters; Interregional launch conference; Interregional project closing conference; 500 PIKE Good Practice Handbooks; Interregional Good Practice Transfer workshop; 27 Local workshops;  4 Good Practices made available;18 participants in study visits/staff exchanges; 9 regional Action Plan launches; Project presented at 9 regional OPs Monitoring Committee meetings; RESULTS: 9 Action Plans developed; 3 Action Plans developed by "Objective Convergence" regions further to the lessons learnt from "Objective Competitiveness" regions; €4,500,000 mainstream SF dedicated to the implementation of the 9 Action Plans; 9 regional/local eGovernment and Wireless Broadband policies and instruments improved