When the government's four strategic partnership programmes launched in February 2020, Vinnova was commissioned by the government to take a process-leading role and coordinate with other designated authorities. The work in the collaboration groups is now in full swing and a number of working groups have been formed.
Vinnova's mission is to create good conditions for the collaboration programs to achieve results. Andrea Råsberg, who coordinates the assignment from Vinnova's side, says that the assignment is broad and ambitious and could be described as a plus menu with extra everything. For example, it is about creating an overview of ongoing efforts, simply standing for the holistic or system perspective and finding synergies between the programs. In addition, Vinnova will contribute to increased international connection and provide support for proactive work with policy development.
The work has started very well in a short time, despite the fact that all meetings with the collaboration groups have taken place digitally. Six months into the initiative, all programme have landed in a number of priorities, and 25 working groups are in the starting blocks with a view to landing in concrete innovation projects in collaboration after further prioritization work.
Dialogue with politics important
- Collaboration is so much based on what happens "in the spaces", which is easier to find in the meeting at the coffee pot than behind a screen. But we have come a long way, thanks to patience and new creative ways of working, says Andrea Råsberg.
Andrea Råsberg coordinates the process management from Vinnova.
- A unique opportunity with the collaboration programs is the proximity to politics. The dialogue-based work with the State Secretary and in some cases the Minister present at the collaboration group meetings shows a great deal of commitment. This certainly contributes to the great willingness to participate and contribute. In combination with the bottom-up-initiated work in the working groups, the potential to make a difference is really great.
Another important part of the assignment is to coordinate contact with other authorities. A large number of authorities are designated and involved in the work with the collaboration programs. Some are members of the collaboration group or the working groups, others have been organized in a separate authority group which, for example, has the task of assisting the working groups with surveys, analyzes or connections to ongoing innovation initiatives.
A unique opportunity with the collaboration programs is the proximity to politics. The dialogue-based work with the Secretary of State and in some cases the Prime Minister shows great commitment.
- We have been challenged in our mission to keep this work together, and still have a lot to learn. But the ambition is to bring about this collaboration through a variety of initiatives. One help is the digital platform Teams as a central collaboration infrastructure for collaboration programs, says Andrea Råsberg.
The expectations for concrete results from the collaboration groups' work are high. But what is really realistic to expect?
- I think that all programme envisage at least one effort where the Prime Minister cuts a red ribbon. At the same time, there is an expectation that the work initiated in the programs will contribute to system innovation, and this of course has a slightly different time horizon. My hope is that we will be able to derive parts of the adjustment that future innovations make possible to some of the seeds that have been sown in this work.