Climate-KIC’s Emilia-Romagna centre strengthens ties with Slovenian regions

Climate-KIC’s regional innovation centre in Emilia-Romagna, Italy has been collaborating with regions in Slovenia as part of the EIT's Regional Innovation Scheme.

In 2014, in collaboration with the Regional Innovation Centre (RIC) Emilia-Romagna, nine Slovenian researchers took part in Climate-KIC’s Pioneers into Practice programme, within which they had the opportunity to carry out their one-month international placement either in Emilia-Romagna or in another one of the six regional centres.

Last November, a group of Slovenian pioneers and start-ups visited Emilia-Romagna and took part in many events with Italian pioneers and young entrepreneurs. The ECOMONDO – International trade fair of Material & Energy Recovery and Sustainable Development, and the CNR Bologna (Italian National Research Council – Bologna Research Area) hosted several meetings, conferences and workshops focused on giving space to innovative ideas, research projects and case studies on the transition to a low carbon society.

Climate-KIC spoke to Masa, Petra and Janez and Pislar, who are researchers of international business law, eco-villages and industrial chemistry and who had just finished their international placement period.

Masa Kovic-Dine – International Law researcher working on international regulations for environmental sustainability

Petra e Janez Matos – Ecologists without Borders, they are currently developing the Sustainability Park Istra

Pislar Bine – Expert in waste water treatment and in industrial chemistry

Regional Innovation Scheme

Aim of the Regional Innovation Scheme is to stimulate collaboration and coordination by even more local policy makers, businesses and academics across a larger area, to increase the impact on the economy and CO2 levels.

Last year, Climate-KIC discussed the scheme in the European Parliament during a debate on how the EU can benefit from more impact of its low-carbon programmes through more coordination on the local levels.

The participating regions are the West Midlands (UK), Hessen (Germany), Valencia (Spain), Emilia Romagna (Italy), Lower Silesia (Poland) and Central Hungary, who have paired up in two-region partnerships with Cork/Dublin (Ireland), Helsinki/Uusimaa (Finland), North Portugal and Lisbon, Slovenia and Timis (Romania).