INNO-Partnering Forum – INNO-Net for better SME innovation support services: Call for members of the INNO-Partnering Council

The INNO-Net for better innovation support services targeting SMEs (INNO-Partnering Forum) has launched a call for the expression of interest for the appointment of Members of the INNO-Partnering Council.

1. Announcement

A call for the expression of interest for the appointment of Members of the INNO-Partnering Council of the INNO-Net for better innovation support service targeting SMEs (INNO-Partnering Forum) is now open.

This call for the expression of interest is addressed to interested persons within government mandated innovation agencies, ministries and other public authorities at regional or national level, who are engaged in the development and implementation of support services promoting innovation in SMEs. The INNO-Partnering Council will be set up under the INNO-Partnering Forum in framework of the PRO INNO Europe initiative of the Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry (see short summary of the project in Annex 1 of the call).

 

2. The INNO-Partnering Forum and role of the INNO-Partnering Council

The objective of the INNO-Partnering Forum is to improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of SME innovation support in Europe. The expected outcomes of the project are:

1. SME adapted policy implementations
– Improved innovation conditions for innovative SMEs in Europe


2. A sustainable learning platform
– A forum for European co-operation on public innovation support for innovative SMEs


3. Mechanisms to assess, transfer and exchange better-practices
– Transferability of proven innovation support schemes in new policy contexts.

An important vehicle for the sustainable learning platform (second point above) is the establishment of the INNO-Partnering Council which will bring key public innovation support and policy actors together for improved collaboration, learning and provision of innovation support to SMEs in regional, national and trans-national contexts. A more detailed description of the INNO-Partnering Forum initiative encompassing the INNO-Partnering Council can be found in Annex 1. The INNO-Partnering Council will act as a sounding board for the INNO-Partnering Forum. In this context, the Council will:

• Provide advice and guidance on the main findings of the INNO-Partnering Forum activities and pro-actively contribute to leverage the relevant results to a Europe-wide community of public stakeholders;
• Foster mutual learning and cooperation between public actors responsible for innovation support in view to accelerate the take-up of the most advanced support systems for innovative SMEs;
• Facilitate strategic discussions between public actors on the challenges facing innovation support for the benefit of SMEs in Europe, considering the main trends, needs and barriers in providing public innovation support and the need to achieve better synergies between the different levels of innovation support in Europe.

The issues to be addressed and discussed by the Council members will be developed and prepared by special task forces dedicated to support the INNO-Partnering Council. The task forces will be led by the INNO-Partnering Forum partners and composed of members of the Council as well as external experts where relevant. The work and meetings of the INNO-Partnering Council will be facilitated by a Secretariat provided by the initiative.

Members of the INNO-Partnering Council are expected to participate in two meetings per year for a period of three years starting November 2009. The working language will be English (no translation). The Council will be composed of around 20 individuals, representing mainly public authorities or organisations acting on behalf of ministries at national or regional level with a clear focus on innovation support services for increased international competitiveness of SMEs. All selected members will receive a special invitation for the PRO INNO Europe® Annual Partnering event taking place in Stockholm, Sweden on November 24 – 26, 2009. The kick-off meeting for the INNO-Partnering Council is planned to take place during this event.

 

3. Eligibility and selection

In order to be eligible for selection applicants must represent national or regional public authorities such as ministries or innovation agencies responsible for the design and/or implementation of support services promoting innovation in SMEs (describe these activities in a short note, see details under instructions). All organisations must be from CIP-EIP eligible countries. (For the latest information on participation of non-EU member countries in the EIP, please consult the CIP website).

Applicants which have been found eligible will be assessed against the following criteria in order to be considered for membership in the Council:

The applicants must:

• Represent an eligible organisation with decision-making power at senior level,
• Demonstrate that the represented organisation possesses a key role in the formulation or implementation of SME innovation policy either at national or regional level,
• Have a high level and proven track record of professional experience in innovation policy development or implementation of innovation support schemes targeting SMEs,
• Have the ability to work and interact in teams,
• Preferably have experience in European affairs and working in an international environment,
• Communicate (oral and written) in English allowing them to contribute to discussions and preparations of reports.
• Be prepared to participate in at least six two-day meetings over the course of 3 years and to actively contribute the preparation of the Council's discussions by participating in therelevant Council's Task forces to be established under the INNO-Partnering Forum.

Based on the applications the final selection will be done by VINNOVA, the coordinator of the INNO-Partnering Forum, together with the project’s Steering Committee.

Selected candidates will be contacted by e-mail or telephone and those who accept the commitment in accordance with the present Specification and Conditions will sign an appointment letter.

Successful candidates will be remunerated on the following basis:

• Normal travel expenses (only flight tickets in economy class is accepted) for participation in the Council meetings provided by the coordinator.

Selected candidates are appointed on a personal basis and no substitutes will be allowed.

 

4. Instructions: How to submit an application

To submit your application as a potential Member of the INNO Partnering Council, simply send, by electronic mail a short (max 1-1½ pages) letter of interest including:

• an indication of which eligible organisation you are representing (see details under eligibility)
• a short description of relevant experience in innovation support schemes targeting SMEs
• your motivation for applying to be a member of the INNO Partnering Council.

In addition, please attach a detailed Curriculum Vitae using the European format,

Please send you expression of interest to participate in the Council by 23 October 2009 at 4 pm CET.

The expression of interests should be sent by e-mail to the project coordinator VINNOVA innopartneringforum@vinnova.se . E-mails must be clearly marked: “Name of the potential participant organisation, address, title: “Expression of interest INNO-Partnering Council”. Only applications by e-mail will be accepted.

Please make sure you provide complete, true, accurate and viable data and contact details. More specifically, the INNO-Partnering Forum consortium:

• assumes the truthfulness of the information provided in the form;
• may, at all times, request written documents supporting this information;
• cannot be held liable for use of incorrect information obtained via the application form.

By submitting your Curriculum Vitae in European format to the e-mail address mentioned above, you accept the terms of the call.

Applicants will receive a confirmation of receipt of their application by e-mail.

The call is open from the date of publication until 23 October 2009.

 

5. Information

For information related to this call, please contact the project coordinator of the INNO-Partnering Forum:

Dr Jenni Nordborg
VINNOVA, Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems
Telephone: +46 8 473 30 75
e-mail: jenni.nordborg@vinnova.se