Smart Specialisation in Portugal

This Chapter analyses the process of developing Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) at national and regional level in Portugal. After an introduction to the concept of smart specialisation and its policy relevance for spending European Structural and Investment Funds on Research and Innovation (R&I), the article shows that the new approach was introduced at a critical time for Portuguese R&I policy. Pressure on public finances and a poor return on investment in science and technology capacity provides the backdrop for smart specialisation in this country. The new approach offers an opportunity to analyse Portugal's strengths from a place based perspective, and more importantly, to put in place a more strategic and integrated governance structure for R&I policy that will lead to more results in terms of economic and social development. However, there are many obstacles and challenges because of policy path dependency when smart specialisation requires new types of policy making that cross ministerial and geographic competences. ; JRC.B.3 - Territorial Development