EURIS addresses the Lisbon Strategy’s challenge of shifting towards a Knowledge based economy, if EU is to become the more competitive world economy, from 2 complementary perspectives:§ The lack of many EU regions of a critical mass on the RTDI field, opposed to the increasing globalisation of RTDI (Global Networks of Innovation) and the enormous potential to build on the complementary strengths of EU regions. § The “Closed” and outdated concept of Innovation, versus the “Open Innovation” (OI), demanding the co-opetition (cooperation/competition) and experimentation between companies, Universities, Research Centres, consumers and public authorities. The EU urgently needs to translate the OI culture from the private sector to the “opening up for better horizontal and vertical co-operation of the governance system, in order to accompany Open Innovation processes in economy, more and more trans-national”, as fostered by EC Communications.A broad framework of policy areas affects OI, but EURIS focuses on the Collaboration Policy area, because 1) it falls under the direct competencies of Regional Innovation Strrategies (RIS); 2) collaborative environments are crucial for companies to embrace OI and 3) it benefits from an interregional approach, as OI requires the overcome of the regional strategic thinking, and to open up innovation systems.The embracement of OI, in terms of accelerated intraregional and interregional cooperation rates among Innovation Stakeholders is the ultimate goal of EURIS. Programme aims to: § The development of more effective RIS of partners, through the mutual learning, exchange of Good Practices and the joint development of new interregional approaches on the field of Collaboration Policies conducive to OI. § The dissemination and transfer of such Good Practices to other EU Regions.§ The delivery of Policy Recommendations at the regional, national and EU level, to embrace Open Innovation.The innovative character of OI policy implications demands a high level of cooperation, reason why a Mini Programme has been designed, by a partnership made up by some of the EU powerhouses on the OI field (Stuttgart, Eindhoven), and catching up regions (Navarra, Lodz and West-Pannon), allowing, by the means of Subprojects, the further research, analysis and exchange of existing Good Practices, and the joint development of new interregional approaches.EURIS will improve partners' 5 RIS, enhance the capabilities on the design of new Collaborative Policies of 58 policy-makers and Stakeholders, organise 35 interregional exchange events, with an attendance of 440 people, and provide a comprehensive pool of Best Practices (30) and Policy Recommendations for the further embracing of Open Innovation at EU level. Dissemination events of EURIS will outreach 1,700 people at the EU level. Achievements: EURIS started its implementations at the end of March 2010. After 2 years, project's progress is high: * 5 Regional Indicators Matrix Reports have been elaborated with regional performance on 30 Indicators on 5 policy areas linked to Open Innovation.* Regional Stakeholders have been consulted on their Open Innovation performance, as well as on the overall regional conditions for Collaborative and Open Innovation dynamics. * 35 Good Practices on 5 policy areas positively affecting Open Innovation practices have been published at EURIS website.* "Embracing Open Innovation in Europe. A Best Practices Guide on Open Innovation" has been produced and disseminated with a selection of 18 Good Practices and guidelines for their assessment and transfer to other contexts.* Good Practices Exchange Sessions have been held on Stuttgart (Germany), Eindhoven (The Netherlands), Gyor (Hungary), Lodz (Poland) and Pampona (Spain) where regional stakeholders have had the chance to get to know first hand 26 of reported Good Practices. Non regional Good Practices have been visited on Oresund, Sweden (Mobile Heights Business Center), Birmingham, UK (Birmingham Science Park Aston), and Otaniemi, Finland (Aalto Design Factory). In total 153 regional stakeholders have benefited from such exchange activities. * Following EURIS Call for the support of interregional Sub-projects for the exchange and development of new approaches, 6 sub-projects started their implementation on April 2011:- "InfoPro" has conducted 4 regional studies and SWOT analysis on information processing flows withing regional innovation networks, and is reporting and exchanging Best Practices on this field, leading to the delivery of regional recommendations for the improvement of such methods.- "OPINET" has launched 3 regional Open Innovation Contact Points, has produced a guide with Case Studies of relatable SMEs embracing Open Innovation and a guide for the management of Intellectual Property Rights in Open Innovation environments.- "HYBRISECTORS" has developed a method for the identification of hybridation opportunities, following regional capabilties and assets. Navarra, Stuttgart and West-Pannon are implementing the method on the following 3 hybridations fields: Renewable Energies and Advanced Materials, Nanotechnologies and Electromobility.- "ORP" has developed the Open Research Platform upon open source showcasing the technological capabilties of Universities and technology centers, and allowing the matchmaking of companies and research centers for projects and start-ups. Companies have also been consulted in order to assess the barriers and chances of embracing such collaborative platforms and for the design of the ORP exploitation model.- "SFFS" has identified 4 case studies of shared facilities and facility sharing schemes in the automotive seector, and has field visited such initiatives in Gothenburg (Sweden) and ELaT region (The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany) and conducted Exchange Workshops for the delivery of learnings and recommendations to be transfered and implemented at regional level.- "BMOI" has analysed availabe public data in order to asess the openness of innovation practices by companies from Eindhoven, Stuttgart and Navarra, has studied in depth 10 Case Studies of companies who have changed their business model following Open Innovation, extracting learnings and guiding principles and has planned the delivery of such guidance through workshops. * A Sub-projects Monitoring Workshop with the participation of Lead Participants took place in March 2012 in order to provide insight and guidelines to sub-projects on the delivery of general and regional policy recommendations for the improvement of RIS.