1. MIRA-EMIS Research driven Clusters
experience
CAAST-Net-MIRA Workshop on Innovartion
Date : 22-23 Nov 2012
Cairo-Egypt
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012

2. MIRA Concrete Objectives/Activities
1) Create a dialogue platform to connect and facilitate the interaction between
the dispersed S&T cooperation initiatives already existing supported by the
Member States, the European Commission and other political bodies;
2) Address training activities to improve the quality of the participation and
management of the partners of FP7 from the MPC; create an IP in Palestine
3) Create discussion platforms and organizing meetings to monitor and
discuss the content of the Thematic priorities of FP7 in term of the
common interest of the EU and MPC;
4) Create an Observatory of the EU-MPC S&T cooperation, which will agree
indicators for the monitoring of RTD cooperation activities;
5) Create a “Gateway for EU-MPC Cooperation in RTD”
6) Create networks of research institutions and technological transfer services
from both sides of the Mediterranean, to provide a reference element for the
development of the Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Space (EMIS).
7) Support the functioning of the Monitoring Committee for Euro-Mediterranean
Scientific Cooperation ( MoCo) in order to provide a strong institutional basis
for the EU-MPC S&T cooperation.

3. The policy context
Relevant Projects & initiatives :
ASBIMED, MED7, ESTIME, MEDA, Barcelona process 1995 :
Medibtikar, ANIMA etc creation of (EMFTA) by 2010
 
The UfM / UpM : Horizons Association Agreements :
2020 Euro-MED transfer of new technologies
  + dissemination of know how
, Partnership
+ industrial cooperat
European Neighbourhood   ERA & FP7 (EMRA?) , Lisbon
Policy (Instruments): ENPI Strategy 2000: A series of
schemes and initiatives
The instrument: the Monitoring Committee of the EU-MPC cooperation in
RTD (MoCo),

4. EMIS
 Rational for EMIS:
 Innovation is a must : KBE, globalisation, MPCs?
 Worrying situation in MPC’s: Euro-Mediterranean region as an area of
sustainable development and shared prosperity (Barcelona declation)
 Why EU-MPCs cooperation on innovation?:
1. RDI are, by nature, widely internationalized activities
2. The existence of common problems and shared challenges
3. Big research and innovation programs require Critical mass &
Resources, not available in MPCs
Objective of EMIS: The mobilization of innovation stakeholders in common
framework and mutually beneficial partnership to develop a more intelligent
and competitive Euro-Med space
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012

5. EMIS
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012

6. EMIS WP –
RA, AM, …
EMIS Charter
(poiltical
MPC INNOVATION /strategic
ANALYSIS documents)
Mapping
actors /
stakeholders
MIRA FP7
Training
- Organisation
- Procedures JMG, AM, …
IA, AM, HZ, … RTD projects IA, RN, AM, …
(FP7-WP2011) - Nat. Corresp. EMIS
EMIS WG WEBSITE
Energy Clusters RESEARCH
DRIVEN NETWORKING
CLUSTERS -TT / EEN
-ANIMA- Invest
Water Clusters
INSTITUTIONAL -Tech Platforms
IA, RN, … COOPERATION -Diasporas
IA, RN, … DGENTR, … Twinning
EMIS Fora
2010-2011
IA, RN, JH, YK,
…

7. MIRA-EMIS
Forums
Within the Framework of EMIS activities MIRA Organised two
Forums to promote the creation of research driven clusters:
- The 1st Forum, held at Casablanca, 1-2 December, 2011 was
aimed at the promotion of a Research Driven Cluster initiative on
water and waste water, to support the integration of the
Knowledge Triangle (Academia, Business, and Public sector) in the
Mediterranean Area.
- The 2nd Forum on Solar Energy and Efficient use of Energy
(FORSEE) in Tunis 25-26th June 2012. FORSEE was structured
around relevant cross cutting issues including Innovation and
industrial and capacity building in MPCs, Euro-Med RDI
Collaboration, Market design and incentives.
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012

8. The approach
Definition: We perceive the transnational Research Driven
Cluster Initiative (RDCI) as an organised international effort to
increase the growth and competitiveness of cluster or network
structures within a macro-region (European Union – southern
Mediterranean Countries) involving the research community,
clusters, industry and government/administration.
Taking into account the conditions and possibilities of the MIRA
project, the efforts of the cluster development approach were
focused rather on the promotion of a cluster initiative and not so
much on the establishment of clusters itself.
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012

9. The approach
The Approach
EMIS Research Driven Cluster Initiative
Various partners and competencies, one vision: better environment, better living
conditions, a better developed of water and waste water management sector
Research Public
Industry Existing
Clusters
Projects
Networks
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012

10. The approach
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012

11. Rational for the
forums
Why EU-MPC collaboration on Energy & Water?
 Both sides face major energy, climate and environment
sustainability challenges .
 MPCs dispose of vast solar power resources which could tackle
Europe’s most pressing issues & can at the same time fix
complementary issues for MPCs including water shortage and
mobilisation.
 Several ambitious initiatives bringing together stakeholders
around the Mediterranean in energy and water issues are taking
place (Mediterranean Solar Plan, Desertec, Horizon 2020 for the
depollution of the Mediterranean Sea….)
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012

12. Rational for the
forum
Why EU-MPC collaboration on Energy & Water?
 All the ingredients for a Win-win situation :
EU motivations: EU has an interest in speeding up the
uptake of sustainable technologies to mitigate the global
environmental problems + new Market opportunities for EU
firms
 MPCs Motivations: more vulnerable to climate change and
water scarcity + Prospects of revenues from energy exports +
opportunity to access new technologies and build their
indigenous innovation capabilities
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012

13. MIRA-EMIS 1st
Forum
The 1st Forum on water & waste water organized its debates
along four thematic lines:
1.De-contamination of the Mediterranean, waste water
treatment from industry
2.Integrated Water Management and Waste Water sustainable
technologies
3.Innovation in Water and Waste Water Management in the
Mediterranean
4.Valorisation of research results and technology transfer
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012

14. MIRA-EMIS 2nd
Forum
The 2nd FORSEE Forum on energy organised its debates along the
following thematic lines:
1.Overview on the Euro-Mediterranean potential, challenges,
opportunities and Programmes of Solar Energy
2.concentrated solar thermal (CSP)
3.PV & Solar Architecture (PV)
4.Industry, Market design and needed policies for solar energy in
the Mediterranean
5.Capacity building and Innovation
6. Brokerage event where funding opportunities were presented
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012

15. Some Outputs of
the Forums
-Casablanca road map that was conveyed to the World Forum held
in Marseille afterwards.
- Follow-up cluster mission: As a follow-up of the EMIS Forum on
water technology and water management, a Cluster Mission of
experts from the MPCs to Germany was initiated. The aim of this
Cluster Mission was to support the initiation of transnational
cluster and network co-operation in the field of water
management, including waste water.
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012

16. Some Outputs of
the Forums
- Establishment of consortia following FORSEE Forum on energy to
submit proposals to relevant FP7 calls
- Identification of some R&D topics that could serve as good
starting point for reducing cost of RE technology and building
Indigenous Innovation Capabilities in MPCs by developing
solutions tailor made to MPCs conditions: Dust resistant coatings,
dry cleaning, test facilities, durability, standards development.
- Identification of some hurdles that impede the deployment and
industrialisation of sustainability technologies in MPCs.
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012

17. Some Outputs of
the Forums
• Water and Energy issues are interlinked and should be
integrated in the RDI approach towards MPCs.
• CSP with desalination is a good combination since both are
proven technologies and there are various options to couple them
effectively.
• Social sciences and humanities have a key role to play (RE
adoption, favourable culture, evidence-based policies, foresight,
capacity building studies, etc.)
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012

18. Innovation in
MPCs
Building Indigenous Innovation Capabilities in MPC : relevant
issues
Policy discussions addressing technology transfer at
international focus on providing developing countries with access
to existing technology on the basis of consuming technological
hardware .
 This attitude fails to recognize the vital importance of building
innovation capabilities (absorptive capacity) to promote the
diffusion of innovation within developing countries
 Environmentally sound technologies must fit with the conditions
faced by developing countries. which is not the case with imported
technologies combined with lack of absorptive capacity.
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012

19. Innovation in
MPCs
Building Indigenous Innovation Capabilities in MPC : relevant
issues
“Innovation” can be characterised as including points 1, 2 and 3 in the
following typology:
1.Innovations ‘new to the world’: Where a firm is the first to introduce
innovation for all markets & industries, domestic and international.
2.Innovations ‘new to the market’: Where a firm is the first to introduce
innovation in its particular market.
3.Innovations ‘new to the firm’: Where a firm introduces a product,
process or method new to that firm, or significantly improved by it, even if
it has already been implemented by other firms.
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012

20. Innovation in
MPCs
Building Indigenous Innovation Capabilities in MPC : relevant
issues
Often, it is type I innovation (radical: New to the world) that
captures the focus of policy discussions .
 type I innovation is more likely to be associated with more
radical innovations that are the results of deliberate R&D and
it requires the existence of a strong knowledge base
 in developing countries context (such as MPCs), where
rapid adoption and diffusion is a central concern, incremental
and adaptive innovations that are often underpinned by type
II (new to the market) and type III (new to the firm) are often
of more relevance and importance.
.
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012

21. Innovation in
MPCs
Building Indigenous Innovation Capabilities in MPC : relevant
issues
 Incremental innovation has often played a critical role in
technology “leapfrogging” in developing countries, where
countries have moved towards, and then surpassed the
international technological frontier.
 the most successful latecomers to the wind energy
market (e.g. Spain and China) took the first steps in
developing their industry through joint partnerships
technology transfer via licensing agreements and associated
royalty fees with manufacturers in Germany and Denmark
(MacLaglin et al., 2009)
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012

22. THANK YOU
‫شكرا‬
MIRA-CAAST-Net Workshop Cairo 22-23 Nov 2012