The METRIC project is a part of the EU FP7 framework program and is about measuring innovation in transport and developing recommendations to support innovation in European regions. The aim of the project is to classify regions by their innovation potential and to provide decision makers with personalized recommendations in order to improve a region’s potential.
What influences innovation and how to make a region innovative are questions to be answered during the project.
First insights are the innovation studies of the EC, even if they do not specifically address the transport sector. According to the EU’s Regional Innovation Index (RII) 5 of 24 countries of the EU are Innovation Leaders (see map): Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland and Denmark. Some countries in the EU have single regions which are at the same level with the innovation leaders. The incentive of METRIC is to support regions individually and to create “tailor-made” recommendations. As can be seen on the map of RII, it concerns for example the regions outside Paris. These do not differ too much from the city of Paris and potential for a Smart Specialization can be seen. According to the OECD smart specialisation suggests that countries or regions should identify and select a limited number of priority areas for knowledge-based investments, focusing on a region’s strengths and comparative advantages. This Smart Specialization of regions can create an USP (Unique Selling Proposition) starting a self-reinforcing cycle, which leads to higher innovation potential and thus higher economic performance.
