Ruslan is a policy researcher working for the European Commission’s Smart Specialisation Platform based at the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS, DG JRC) in Seville, Spain. The S3 Platform was established by the European Commission to provide professional advice to EU Member States and regions for the design of their innovation strategies for smart specialisation. In his EC position, Ruslan was involved in the development of a peer review methodology which was primarily applied in the context of regional and national S3 strategies.
Ruslan has also worked for the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe in Geneva where he was involved in the UNECE work on fostering an international policy dialogue aimed at critical assessment and adaptation of relevant national and international experiences, the identification of good practices and formulation of policy recommendations and guidelines related to the promotion of innovation and knowledge-based development.
Ruslan has also spent a number of years working for the COST Office (European Cooperation in the field of Science and Technology) of the European Science Foundation in Brussels. Ruslan’s research interests are in the field of evaluation and assessment studies. He has obtained a Ph.D. from the School of Business, Trinity College, University of Dublin.
Presentation Abstract
Title: Examining the use of peer review in the development of integrated sustainable urban development strategies
In 2011, the European Commission launched its Smart Specialisation Platform to help European regions and Member States to develop, implement, and review research and innovation strategies based on the principle of smart specialisation (S3). European regions are encouraged to identify their own R&I assets and strengths so that they can focus efforts on a limited number of justified priorities. To help policymakers with this complex task, the S3 Platform team has developed and implemented a peer review methodology to assess the smart specialisation strategies drafted by regions (Midtkandal and Rakhmatullin 2014). RIS3 peer-review workshops bring together regions with a common goal of facilitating mutual learning around specific policy-related issues, and exploring the ways in which RIS3 strategies can be further improved.
Following the success of this established peer review approach, the Urban Development Network (DG REGIO) together with the S3 Platform (DG JRC) applied this methodology in the context of Integrated Sustainable Urban Development Strategies (ISUDS) during a recent workshop organised in January 2016 in Seville, Spain.
This first experience confirmed that participation in such workshops can allow urban authorities to examine their strategies from the perspectives of other cities with an ultimate goal to improve their policymaking, employ best practice, and follow tested standards in the this policy area.
In addition, such peer review events can provide a good opportunity for urban policymakers to network with their international counterparts, where such networks could be tapped for solving any common regional policymaking issues. The pilot workshop confirmed that the peer review approach is an appropriate instrument which allows urban policymakers to assist their counterparts from other parts of Europe in the development of their Integrated Sustainable Urban Development Strategies, so that their design and methodology could be continuously shaped around the changing needs of European cities.
