P-iris

Project name: Policies to improve rural areas’ innovation systems by professionalising networking activities and use of innovation tools

Acronym: P-IRIS

Financed by: Interreg Europe programme
Duration: 01.01.2017.-30.06.2021.
Project budget: 1.364.788,00 €

Young people are leaving rural areas because they do not find jobs answering their professional aspirations. There is therefore a need to boost innovation in these areas in order to develop knowledge-based or creative businesses, offering attractive jobs for well-educated and creative young people. The partners from Norway, Finland, Slovenia, Croatia, Italy and Spain have identified that triple helix (3H) or quadruple helix (4H) cooperation is important to boost innovation in rural areas.

The overall objective of P-IRIS is to improve policies related to 3H / 4H cooperation in rural innovation systems. We want to increase the number of SMEs in innovative networks and the number of innovation projects including R&D.

A 3-step interregional learning process will be applied:
• Mapping challenges & opportunities of managing 3H or 4H cooperation in rural innovation systems.
• Exchange experience in thematic seminars and demonstrate potential good practice in study visits.
• Prepare regional action plans.

More details about project on this link!

Project budget

Through the implementation of the project, we came to important insights on how to encourage innovation in rural areas. The recommendations we have made as part of this project can help in creating future development policies. You can read the recommendations in the P-IRIS position paper.