Different paths. Meghan Palmer-Abbs and Nhien Nguyen have investigated how European projects can help regions adopt new technology. Photo: Karoline OA Pettersen
European projects can give regions the time and resources to better understand their own challenges, making it easier to plan for a sustainable digital future.
Text: Tarjei Abelsen
This is an important finding in a new study from Researchers by, among other things, Nordland Research Institute The researchers have examined the experiences of three European industrial regions: Värmland in Sweden, Grand Est in France and Upper Styria in Austria.
The regions participated in the EU-funded project DigiTeRRI. The project investigated how industrial regions can collaborate on digitalization and new technologies. The goal was to find solutions that are sustainable and inclusive of different groups in society.
The researchers found that the projects can provide more than the activities in the project itself.
– European projects can provide something that regional actors often have difficulty finding in their daily work: time, resources and space to take a step back. It gives them the opportunity to look at their own needs and think together about what might happen in the future, says Megan Palmer-Abbs, researcher at Nordland Research Institute .
This case is also discussed on forskning.no .
Different regions, different paths
The three regions progressed in different ways in their work on digital transformation. This is due to differences between the regions.
In Värmland, there was a great focus on cooperation between various actors in the region.
In Grand Est, the region had a joint plan, but responsibility was divided across several parts of the region, making it possible for different actors to contribute.
In Upper Styria, the residents and local perspectives were particularly important, and local needs were therefore taken into account in the work.
Despite their differences, all three regions saw the value of the process, helping them understand their own needs and work towards a more sustainable digital future.
– The important thing is that there was no one path that all regions had to follow, says Palmer-Abbs.
– The process allowed the regions to take their own situation as a starting point. They could figure out what was important to them and develop at their own pace.
To highlight how the regions learned
The researchers used a tool called Systems Design Approach+ (SDA+). The tool helps Researchers and local actors to follow developments in a region over time.
The researchers created visual maps that showed what the regions had done, what challenges they faced, and what goals they had for the future. The maps also showed what actions the regions planned to take to achieve their goals.
The maps were used in interviews with experts and other key stakeholders. Together they discussed whether the maps gave an accurate picture of the development, and what they had learned from the project.
According to Palmer-Abbs, the work made it easier for the regions to compile the results of the project and plan both in the short and long term.
The researchers looked at what new technology the regions needed. They also examined what kind of knowledge and skills the employees needed. Finally, they looked at how companies, governments, Researchers and citizens could work better together.
They found that the regions had different needs. Värmland emphasized cooperation between different actors. Grand Est focused on strategic management, with responsibility distributed across multiple levels. In Upper Styria, the needs and perspectives of the residents were central.
The analysis also showed that local conditions were important. This included how well different actors already cooperated. It was also about how easy it was for the region to implement changes. The ability of the local project groups to adapt the work to their own needs was also important.
Research as support for regional development
The findings are particularly relevant as regions face pressures from digitalization, climate change, and global unrest.
The study shows that one solution does not necessarily fit all regions. Instead, local actors can be given time and resources to understand their own situation and find solutions together.
– Our work shows that regions can benefit from having time, structure and support to reflect on where they are, where they want to go and how they can get there together, says Palmer-Abbs.
The study shows that research communities can contribute when Researchers , governments, businesses and citizens work together.
Together they can find solutions to the challenges in the region and plan for the future.
Want to read more about what the researchers found? You can read the full scientific article about the DigiTeRRI project here: