OVERIJSSEL

Their core work

Provincie Overijssel is a Dutch regional government authority (province) that participates in EU research networks to strengthen its regional innovation and industrial policy. In H2020, it contributed its regional governance perspective to both an advanced manufacturing ERA-NET network and a responsible innovation ecosystem programme. Its practical role in these projects is to bring the voice of regional public administration — connecting regional SMEs and research actors to European frameworks, testing policy instruments at territorial scale, and monitoring regional development outcomes. As a public body, it functions as a bridge between EU-level research agendas and the on-the-ground industrial and societal realities of the Overijssel province in the Netherlands.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Overijssel's earliest H2020 engagement (MANUNET III, 2016) was firmly in industrial policy territory — supporting advanced manufacturing competitiveness and SME access to technology networks. By 2020, their focus had broadened considerably toward responsible innovation governance, societal actors, and territorial ecosystem-building, as seen in RRI2SCALE. The shift tracks a wider EU policy trend where regional authorities moved from sector-specific funding support toward systemic innovation governance roles. For Overijssel, this suggests a maturation from "regional funder supporting manufacturing SMEs" toward "regional governance actor shaping how innovation happens across society."

Overijssel is moving toward broader innovation ecosystem governance roles, making them a relevant partner for projects that need engaged regional public authorities willing to pilot new science-society frameworks at territorial scale.

How they like to work

Overijssel participates exclusively as a consortium partner — they have not led any H2020 project, which is typical for regional governments that join networks to represent territorial interests rather than drive research agendas. Despite only two projects, they have engaged with 37 unique partners across 14 countries, suggesting they joined well-connected European consortia rather than small bilateral arrangements. This profile indicates they are a reliable but passive contributor — valuable for their regional mandate and stakeholder access, not for research or technical leadership.

With 37 unique consortium partners across 14 countries from just two projects, Overijssel has accessed broad European networks primarily through large ERA-NET and CSA consortia. Their connections span the EU manufacturing and innovation policy communities, reflecting the multi-country nature of both MANUNET and RRI2SCALE.

What sets them apart

As a provincial government with direct responsibility for regional economic development in one of the Netherlands' key industrial regions, Overijssel brings something most research partners cannot: legitimate public authority, access to regional SME networks, and the ability to implement or test policy outputs at territorial level. For consortium builders who need a Dutch regional public body to demonstrate uptake, governance integration, or multi-actor engagement, Overijssel is a credible and well-connected choice. Their combination of manufacturing heritage (MANUNET) and emerging RRI engagement makes them useful in projects that bridge industrial modernisation with responsible innovation policy.

Highlights from their portfolio

• RRI2SCALE
  The larger and more recent of the two projects (EUR 88,125), RRI2SCALE positioned Overijssel at the intersection of responsible innovation, intelligent cities, and regional governance — marking a clear strategic shift from sector-specific to systemic roles.
• MANUNET III
  Overijssel's entry into H2020 via the pan-European MANUNET ERA-NET network reflects its regional mandate to support advanced manufacturing SMEs and ties it to a long-running European manufacturing research coordination effort.