TWENTE REGION Green Knowledge Portal Twente Profile Green Knowledge Portal Twente Functions and Green Knowledge Portal is a Triple Helix Cooperation in Region territorial Twente, which supports the realisation of projects in the field of coverage innovative rural development. It connects the newest knowledge and ideas of students and researches with the real demands and needs of the Region. In so doing, it creates conditions for building clusters and real life networks focusing on innovation and experiments. Policy instrument Green Metropolis Twente: Programme Powerful Twente 2014-2020 Territorial Context and Major Challenges for Twente Region Region Twente is part of the cities or even outside of the region in Province Overijssel in the Eastern search for education and job Netherlands. It consists of three opportunities. Presently, the digital major cities Almelo, Hengelo and infrastructure in rural areas is Enschede, which are located in the lagging behind compared to cities centre of the region, and large rural and the social liveability is areas. In total, Twente includes 14 decreasing due to loss of facilities municipalities and has appro- such as supermarkets or sports ximately 600,000 inhabitants, half of facilities. There is a clear need for which live in the rural parts of the new economic activities and Region. It is exactly the combination employment opportunities in the of rural and urban areas that makes rural areas of Twente. Twente a special place in the Given the large rural areas, it is no Netherlands - a Green Metropolis - surprise that the Agro & Food sector and that comes with context specific is among the most important social and economic challenges. economic sectors in Twente. In the last decades, the Region Currently, the sector is changing Twente, and especially its rural rapidly due to the increasing areas, has been significantly affected awareness and responsibility of by demographic changes, character- consumers about their food and the rised by aging population and outer stricter requirements for environ- migration of young people moving to mental regulations. The main future 2 challenge for the Agro & Food sector recreation in a healthy environment. is to grow towards a sustainable Strengthening urban-rural relations regional and circular production in the Region is vital for this system that respects the natural development, because the greatest resources and responds to the demand for food products, energy demands of regional consumers for and recreational opportunities healthy and traceable food, sus- comes from the cities. tainable energy, and space for © Region Twente Policy Landscape in the Field of Regional Innovation Regional innovation in Twente is Overijssel): smart specialisation facilitated through various programs in the fields of Agro & Food, of regional government bodies, Health, High-Tech Systems and among which: Materials and Energy, Envi- o RIS3 Strategy OP Oost (covering ronment and Technology, inclu- the provinces Gelderland and ding bio-based technologies. 3 o Innovation programmes of the regard to tourism development. province Overijssel in the field of These include: Agro & Food, Tourism, Energy o Green Metropolis Twente: Prog- and Economic Development. ramme Powerful Twente: a o Rural Development Programme policy instrument that gives of the province Overijssel. direction to the economic and In recent years, different programs social development of the Region have been initiated to enhance the Twente in the period of 2014- sustainability and liveability of the 2020 Region Twente in terms of working o Agenda for Twente: program to and living conditions as well as with support investments in regional innovation. Green Metropolis Twente: Programme Powerful Twente Green Metropolis Twente: Prog- the connection between cities and ramme Powerful Twente is a policy their surrounding rural environ- instrument in line with the ERDF ment. The Programme aims at Operational Programme of Eastern closing regional economic and Netherlands. Different stakeholders ecological chains, improving sustain- from Region Twente are represented ability, and fostering innovation in the Programme, among which the through support of new forms of municipalities of Twente, the water cooperation. Altogether seven boards, educational institutions, the themes have been identified in the provincial organisation for land- Programme, among which Agro & scape and nature conservation and Food and Biodiversity. Within these the farmers’ organisation LTO. themes, the Programme supports Together, they define the future the building of clusters and the paths for economic and social creation of networks that lead to development of the Region for the more innovation orientated coop- period 2014-2020. eration between educational insti- Green Metropolis Twente: Prog- tutions, public authorities and ramme Powerful Twente focuses on entrepreneurs. 4 Green Knowledge Portal Twente Green Knowledge Portal Twente is incorporate the scientific knowledge part of the Green Metropolis Twente in real-time innovation processes. network. The Knowledge Portal is a The crossovers stimulate creativity regional network for realisation of and create innovation hubs. projects in the field of innovative The main aim of Green Knowledge rural development. It was set up by Portal Twente in the project educational institutions and govern- RUMORE is to speed up innovation ments with the aim to promote in the Agro & Food sector through cooperation between educational support of living labs, in which institutions, public authorities, busi- stakeholders from the urban and nesses and the inhabitants of rural areas work together towards a Twente. Green Knowledge Portal sustainable regional circular eco- Twente facilitates and supports nomy. triple helix cooperation and works on innovations in the region Previously, the Agro & Food sector in especially by connecting practical Twente was predominantly focused questions from regional stake- on the international market. With holders to researchers and students the activities in RUMORE, Green from different levels and educational Knowledge Portal Twente aims at backgrounds. supporting the local market in Twente and at closing the local food The activities and projects of Green chain. It will stimulate the Green Knowledge Portal Twente support Metropolis Programme to organise the building of clusters and the local knowledge meetings and bring creation of networks with focus on local parties together, which can innovations and experiments. They jointly identify existing gaps and bridge the gap between cities and develop innovative ways to fill in their surrounding rural parts by these gaps. It is important to take a linking enterprises, research insti- step forward, broaden the per- tutes and consumers from both spective and put the results in urban and rural areas. Moreover, practice through meaningful inno- they fill the gap between practice vations in the field of Agro & Food. and study and offer opportunities to 5 .