IQ-Net programme managers, together with Alida Staicu from the European Commission, met at the 36th IQ-Net conference in Denmark on 2-4 June 2014. The conference in Ry (East Jutland) was hosted by the Danish Business Authority and chaired by John Bachtler of EPRC.
The main focus of the conference was on IQ-Net partners' approaches to project generation and selection in 2014-20 and how to link these to results-orientation. Discussions were supported by a research paper prepared by Frederike Gross and Laura Polverari of EPRC, as well as by presentations given by Vladimir Kváča from the Czech Ministry of Regional Development and by Alida Staicu from the DG Regio.
Discussions also covered the preparations for closure of current programmes as well as the preparations for the forthcoming programmes, supported by a presentation by Rona Michie of EPRC.
Finally, Stefan Kah, IQ-Net Network Manager, provided an overview of future network developments. During the conference, partners also viewed two projects which have benefited from European funding: STARTmidt Accelerator, the Business Development Centre for Central Denmark and the Transformer project, which helps small enterprises in the green energy sector to grow and create jobs.