ACTIONS OF THE STRUCTURE

The RIS Support Structure / Regional Development Fund of Western Macedonia, in order to contribute to the sustainable development of the Region of Western Macedonia (RWM), by applying the philosophy of the RIS3 Smart Specialisation Strategy and with the following objectives:

  • the submission of well-documented proposals on research, technological development and innovation (RTDI) issues to official state bodies,

  • the provision of information on entrepreneurship issues related to investment in research, technology and innovation.

  • and, primarily, the networking of bodies that are active and possess or generate specialised knowledge on RTDI issues in Western Macedonia,

undertakes, among others, the following actions:

Within the framework of the RIS3 Smart Specialisation Strategy and during the previous programming period, various projects were approved and are being implemented in the Region of Western Macedonia. These projects are either research-oriented or apply Research, Technological Achievements and Innovation (RTDI) results, and are funded both by the Operational Programme of the Region of Western Macedonia (OP RWM), as well as by other programmes, including sectoral programmes such as EPAnEK, the Rural Development Programme, etc., and European initiatives such as Horizon, etc.

A key action of the RIS Support Structure / Regional Development Fund of Western Macedonia is the recording of these projects, in order to prepare the annual monitoring report on the implementation of the RIS3 Smart Specialisation Strategy in Western Macedonia, so that stakeholders, businesses and the Administration are kept informed.

Entrepreneurial Discovery is the term chosen by the EU to emphasise the role and importance of entrepreneurship in the development of a country or region. Believing that entrepreneurial knowledge is a key prerequisite for development, the RIS3 Smart Specialisation Strategy uses the Entrepreneurial Discovery Process (EDP) as a tool to identify opportunities for cooperation between the research community and the business sector.

More specifically, the objective of the EDP is to identify those business-sector activities which, by leveraging Research, Technology and Innovation generated by the research community, can bring about structural changes in businesses and improve their competitiveness, placing the entire region or country on a path of growth.

The success of the EDP and, consequently, of the RIS3 Smart Specialisation Strategy, is based on the active participation and cooperation of businesses, the research community, public-sector officials responsible for allocating available resources, as well as civil society.τετραπλή έλικα).

For this reason, the RIS Structure of the Regional Development Fund of Western Macedonia holds one-to-one meetings, workshops or special events with stakeholders and businesses from the region’s innovation ecosystem, in order to record innovative ideas, proposals for investment plans, and the needs of the stakeholders and businesses involved, as well as the overall trends in each sector. The processing of this information will shape the final Base Document and provide input for the strategy and directions of the Region of Western Macedonia in that sector.

For the asynchronous collection of innovative proposals and ideas, the RIS Structure of the Regional Development Fund of Western Macedonia has created the following online links, which you are invited to complete.

For the monitoring of the implementation of the RIS3 Smart Specialisation Strategy in the Region of Western Macedonia and the documentation of information, the RIS Support Unit / Regional Development Fund of Western Macedonia monitors a wide range of indicators classified into the following three general categories:

  1. Smart Specialisation Indicators (RIS)
  2. Innovation Indicators
  3. General Interest Indicators

More specifically, the following indicators are monitored and/or independent reports are prepared for them:

Smart Specialisation Indicators included in the RIS strategy for the Region of Western Macedonia

  • Outputs
    • 11304 Supported plans for the creation of new enterprises
    • CO01 – 11010 Number of enterprises receiving support
    • CO01 – 12010 Unemployed, including the long-term unemployed
    • CO02 Number of enterprises receiving grants
    • CO03 Number of enterprises receiving financial support other than grants
    • CO04 Number of enterprises receiving non-financial support
    • CO05 Productive investments: Number of new enterprises receiving support
    • CO05 – 12050 Employed persons, including self-employed persons
    • CO08 Employment increase in supported enterprises
    • CO09 Increase in the expected number of visits to supported sites of cultural and natural heritage and visitor attractions
    • CO23 Surface area of habitats supported to attain a better conservation status
    • CO25 Number of researchers working in improved research centre facilities
    • CO26 Number of enterprises cooperating with research institutions
    • CO27 Private investment matching public support in the field of innovation or research and development
    • CO30 Additional renewable energy production capacity
    • CO32 Energy efficiency: Reduction of annual primary energy consumption of public buildings
    • CO32 Estimated annual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
    • CO34 Estimated annual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
    • SO007 Digital services created/upgraded
    • SO033 Research infrastructures supported/upgraded
  • Results
    • 11305 Number of enterprises that continue operating one year after the end of the intervention
    • CR 03 Participants gaining a qualification immediately after leaving the intervention
    • T2001 Scientific personnel employed in the field of Research, Technological Development and Innovation (RTDI)
    • T2002 Business investments in Research, Technological Development and Innovation (RTDI)
    • T2003 Number of users of public service digital applications
    • T2005 Exports of enterprises in the Region
    • T2007 Share of thermal power plants (TPPs) in carbon dioxide emissions at national level
    • T2011 Number of visitors to cultural and natural resources of the Region
    • T2024 Percentage of Protected Areas (total NATURA 2000 sites) with management tools
    • Y2021 Gross Value Added (GVA) in smart specialisation sectors

Results for the above indicators will be available after the completion of the projects. You can find a report on them, at project inclusion level, here:
 RIS3 2020 Summary Monitoring Report
 RIS3 2021 Summary Monitoring Report

RIS3-WM 2022 Summary Monitoring Report

RIS3-WM 2023 Summary Monitoring Report

2.Innovation Indicators

  • Research & Development (R&D) Expenditure in the Region of Western Macedonia
  • Regional Innovation Index (derived from 17 individual indicators)

You can find the 2021 report here:  Innovation Indicators

You can find the 2023 report here:Regional Innovation Index of Western Macedonia 2023

3.General Interest Indicators

  • Demographic Indicators
    • Demographic Indicators in the Region of Western Macedonia (RWM) – Year 2020

You can find the report here:   Demographic Indicators

    • Demographic Indicators in the Region of Western Macedonia (RWM) – Population Change by Regional Unit & Municipality of RWM – Census Data 1991, 2001, 2011

You can find the report here:  RWM Population Census by Regional Unit

  • Economic Indicators
    • Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the Region of Western Macedonia
    • GDP per capita in the Region of Western Macedonia
    • Gross Value Added (GVA) in the Region of Western Macedonia
    • International Trade Transactions of the Region of Western Macedonia: Exports – Imports – Balance by RIS Priority Sector

You can find the reports here:

 International Trade Transactions – Years 2004–2020

International Trade Transactions RWM_Years 2022+2018+2014

  • Entrepreneurship Indicators
    • Entrepreneurship in the Region of Western Macedonia (RWM) – Year 2020

You can find the report here:  Entrepreneurship Indicator Report

    • European Regional Competitiveness Index
  • Labour Market Indicators
    • Labour Force
    • Labour productivity
    • Unemployment
    • Employment

You can find the report here:  Labour Market