Each year WIRE brings together stakeholders such as policymakers, enterprises, public institutions and European research centres to discuss the latest issues relating to research and innovation.

One of the main issues on the agenda of WIRE 2015 is the challenges faced by European regions in implementing the Smart Specialisation Strategy, which is the decisive element for national or regional competitiveness.

The participants at the conference will also work on solutions to overcome barriers toinnovation by promoting cooperation among researchers, businesses, public authorities and society. Issues related to research and innovation will be discussed from a regional perspective, thus promoting cooperation and the exchange of best practice.

WIRE 2015 will be opened by Mārīte Seile, the Latvian Minister for Education and Science. The Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, Carlos Moedas, and the President of the European Committee of the Regions, Markku Markkula, have confirmed their participation.  

Live broadcast will be available on the Presidency website:

4 June

9:30-10:00 - Welcome

10:00-10:45 - Opening session: Towards jobs and growth: boosting research and innovation investment at regional level

11:30-13:00 - Plenary session 1: Meeting the implementation challenge: rolling-out and scaling-up implementation of Smart Specialisation Strategies

14:30-16:30 - Parallel session 1: Governance for implementing Smart Specialisation Strategies

17:00-18:00 - Plenary session 2: The challenge of Open Data

5 June

9:00-9:30 - Keynote speech by Markku Markkula, President of the Committee of the Regions

9:30-11:00 - Plenary session 3: The Challenge of Synergies between funding instruments

11:30-13:00 - Parallel session 4: Rolling out the operational programmes and maximising impact of all available instruments

14:30-15:30 - Closing Session