Strategic objectives

The general objective of the INNFORMED project is to increase the use of participative foresight approaches in support of joint efforts of the European Union and Mediterranean Partners in developing strategic approaches to the development of the innovation systems of partner countries and thus opening up the European Research Area to the Mediterranean. This two-year project will strengthen RTD and Innovation (RTDI) policy development processes in the non-EU MEDA partners through the use of foresight for the integration of national RTDI systems with the ERA. The project is to be carried out in cooperation with teams based in four countries (Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan and Egypt), while ensuring that learning benefits are disseminated to the whole group. INNFORMED will involve the MoCo in a strategic consultative capacity and will draw upon other policy-related initiatives such as the complementary FP6-INCO ESTIME project.

Scientific and Technological Objectives:

• To use a combination of Innovation Systems thinking and foresight approaches as the basis for developing a structured dialogue in research and innovation between the EU and the Mediterranean, thereby facilitating the opening up of the ERA to the Mediterranean.
  
• To embed in the non-EU MEDA partner countries innovation systems thinking and a broader-based foresight capability at the policy design and implementation levels by identifying and developing capabilities in a network of foresight and RTDI experts and key stakeholder organisations in the national RTDI system.
  
• To facilitate and support the work of local experts and stakeholders in pilot exercises for the development of success scenarios for exploiting and turning the countries’ current/potential strengths and investments in RTD into economic opportunities by producing clear roadmaps to improvement of the functioning of key aspects of their innovation systems.
  
• To disseminate and discuss the findings with policymakers and other key stakeholders in the region and the EU through a high-level conference, project website and publication in the popular and scientific literature.