About the Network

Companies and other innovation actors principally work and interact at local level. Regions are therefore at the front line in the delivery of innovation support to enterprises. The Innovating Regions in Europe (IRE) network was created by the European Commission in the mid-1990s. Its aim is to facilitate exchange of experience and good practice among European regions that are enhancing their capacity to support innovation and competitiveness among regional firms through the development and implementation of regional innovation strategies and schemes. Around 235 member regions are gathered in the IRE network with the following mission statement:

"Strengthening the global competitiveness of European regions by promoting innovation policies, and providing a unique platform for regions to cooperate and learn from each other."

The IRE network is open to all European regions that are committed to developing their regional innovation systems.

Regional innovation strategies making a difference

The majority of the IRE regions have undertaken Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS) projects with support from the European Commission. The RIS projects help regions to optimise their innovation capacity and strengthen the regional innovation system. In many regions, the RIS project has been the starting point for successful initiatives boosting innovation.

Many regions are interested in getting a better overview of the actual results of their innovation strategies. Eight Regional Innovation Policy Impact Assessment and Benchmarking projects are being undertaken to help assess the impact of regional innovation policies and strategies, and to create instruments for inter-regional benchmarking. Other IRE projects are also carried out to strengthen regional innovation.

The IRE network - your gateway to European innovation knowledge

Over the past decade, IRE member regions have generated a wealth of experience regarding regional innovation schemes and activities. The IRE network gives European decision-makers and innovation practitioners access to knowledge from all over Europe. A range of services - such as conferences and workshops, identification of experts and partners, tailor-made information on relevant good practice, etc - delivered by the IRE Secretariat provides member regions with new tools, schemes and inter-regional learning opportunities on innovation promotion. Three IRE working groups of regions work together on the topics of regional innovation systems, knowledge transfer between universities and enterprises, and innovative clusters. These working groups produce policy recommendations that can be used by other regional innovation actors.