Foresight and the transition to regional knowledge-based economies : policy orientation report of the expert group "Blueprints for Foresight Actions in the Regions

DG Research commissioned an Expert group in the end of 2003 to develop "blueprints" for how to effectively initiate foresight processes in regions facing different types of challenges. Five blueprints aimed at foresight practitioners (i.e., regional stakeholders championing or initiating foresight) as well as a synthesis report summarising the blueprints and providing a contextual framework have been produced by the group.This policy orientation paper briefly sets the scene, describes the work of the group, its impact in the participating regions, as weil as a short list of key recommendations for senior policy makers at regional, national and EU level.