Leitat is one of the entities participating in the project R+D+4I Euro Action Group, an initiative launched by various institutions from some major economic locomotive regions of the EU trying to respond to the challenges and opportunities that globalization represents for the European economy.

The project is driven by the School of Industrial Engineers of Catalonia and has the support of civil society: employers, chambers of commerce, universities, business schools, research centers, technological centers and professional associations. They have established a nonprofit association based in Barcelona, who wants to improve the competitiveness of enterprises in the regions facing European locomotives to other emerging economies like India and China, and stimulating economic progress through the promotion of six essential factors of excellence such as:

• Research
• Development
• Innovation
• Identity
• Impact
• Infrastructure

R+D+4I will work to assess and identify the strengths and weaknesses of each of the regions and propose action plans to improve them from a global view. Each of these areas highlighted named after EULER (European Union Locomotive Region), Catalonia, together with Finland, Flanders, Lombardy, North Rhine-Westphalia, North West England, Rhone-Alpes and Hungary, one of the eight regions attached EULER this initiative.

The project is structured in four year cycles and will have a host venue during each cycle. The venue chosen for this first period is Catalonia, which will coordinate information gathering and field work, analysis of indicators related to the R+D+4I factors; the presentation, discussion of results and the adoption of a declaration through a final conference, publication of findings and the establishment of a Permanent Observatory.

Together with the Technological Center Leitat over thirty institutions are already part of this initiative to raise awareness in employers, government and civil society to agree on an effective action plan to improve economic competitiveness Catalan.

More information: www.rd4i-project.com