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The project “Excellence in Central Macedonia” was successfully completed in June 2005. The project belongs to the Regional Programmes of Innovative Actions, supported by the European Commission, DG Regio, and continued the efforts of previous RTP and RIS+ initiatives to support and expand the regional system of innovation in Central Macedonia, Greece.
The programme started in September 2002, when the assignments of actions to the implementation agencies were concluded. Contracts were signed by the end of August 2002 and covered all issues related to objectives of the actions, financial resources, budget, and financial management rules, timetable, and contractual obligations. Ten individual actions were implemented:
In the field of regional intelligence
Technology Foresight in C. Macedonia: a regional foresight exercise covering 8 industrial sectors
Digital Research Centre: Codification and presentation of the R&D results, products and services achieved by regional university and research centres, online roadmaps for the commercial exploitation of research, and brokering events
In the field of clustering
Clustering and cooperation of SMEs in four sectors of services: medical, legal consulting, tourism, and education.
Ecological food cluster: new products development and diffusion f organic farming principles to farmers and food enterprises
ICT cluster: support for innovative business start-ups in the sector, drafting of business plans, benchmarking, evaluation, and initial funding.
In the field of technology transfer, dissemination of business excellence and world class manufacturing principles
Technology transfer through technology clinics; setting-up 10 technology clinics
Innovation and business excellence award for the adoption of the EFQM practices and business model
Training in innovation management / e-learning: dissemination of innovation management techniques and training courses to business managers, employees and unemployed people.
E-partenariat: establishment of an innovative electronic system to assist the development of international partnerships.
In the field of innovation monitoring and evaluation
Observatory of Regional innovation and Entrepreneurship: development of a specialised Observatory for evaluating the results and impact of all innovative actions on the regional economic and social structure and of proposing appropriate policies.
The regional authorities responsible for the management of the Programme were:
Competent authority: Region of Central Macedonia
Managing Body: Management Authority for the ROP Central Macedonia
Paying Body: Regional Development Fund of Central Macedonia
Evaluation: URENIO, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
More: http://www.urenio.org/excellence/