This report of the European Foresight Platform (EFP) reports on a regional foresight programme carried out in 2011–2013 in the Antofagasta region of Chile (Dufva et al., 2016). Organised by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, the programme formed part of a broader joint project with the Chilean Mining Technological and Scientific Research Centre (CICITEM) that aimed at innovation-driven, sustainable economic development of the region. Its purposes were to improve foresight capability in the region, especially among the partner organisations, to enhance collaboration between industry, government and research organisations, and to support the creation of a strategic research agenda on a topic chosen by the partners. The time horizon was 2040.

The programme built on the Pact for Regional Development and Innovation signed by public and private actors in the Antofagasta region in March 2008, which sought economic growth and equality, better jobs and a path towards sustainable development. Chile looked to Finland as an example of how a resource-driven economy can become knowledge-driven when development strategies and policies are well chosen. Antofagasta is also an extreme risk area for ecological change: climate change and contamination from mining have had lasting effects on regional water supplies, and melting glaciers and the overuse of groundwater call for a significant redesign of water use.

The foresight activities had two parts. A three-day hands-on workshop in Antofagasta trained participants in futures thinking and in methods such as scenarios, roadmapping and Delphi, supported by a learning package with a glossary and a project website, and ended with group work on planning a foresight project for the region. On this basis, VTT and CICITEM selected the topic of a foresight pilot for its importance and relevance to different stakeholders. The pilot combined scenario and roadmapping work through a conference, two stakeholder workshops, a stakeholder survey, interviews with mining companies and a reflection discussion with CICITEM experts. VTT provided guidance and support, but the emphasis was on learning by doing for CICITEM researchers, who worked with researchers from local universities, representatives of local SMEs, government officials and mining companies.

Drawing on the process and the foresight literature, the authors developed a multi-layered framework for analysing the contributions of foresight (Dufva et al., 2015). At the landscape layer, foresight connects the region to the global context, helping participants to see Antofagasta as part of a larger system and to find its niche in global markets. At the innovation-system layer, it supports joint strategy formulation and a shared vision; stakeholder analysis helped to choose a suitably controversial topic that was interesting for all stakeholder groups and committed them to the process. At the organisational layer, the pilot generated new ideas about the role and mission of CICITEM, although not every researcher saw its benefit and some were reluctant to participate, which shows how a foresight process is entangled with organisational dynamics. At the individual layer, learning by doing gave participants experience in scoping, designing, implementing and documenting foresight; one CICITEM researcher reflected that he had learned to bring ideas 'high up in the sky down to earth'.

The report draws three implications for policy-making and practice. Foresight should be designed with multiple layers in mind, with particular attention to individuals, since changes in mindsets and worldviews through learning are what carry change into organisations and innovation systems. The nature of the effects varies between layers: knowledge produced weighs more at the landscape and innovation-system layers, whereas capabilities gained matter more at the organisational and individual layers. Finally, the layers can be used to structure the effects of foresight, showing that there is more to foresight than its immediate tangible outcomes and that a successful process can change the capacity of an organisation or a community to anticipate the future and, through that, contribute to regional transformation.

References

Dufva, M., Könnölä, T., & Koivisto, R. (2015). Multi-layered foresight: Lessons from regional foresight in Chile. Futures, 73, 100–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2015.08.010 

Dufva, M., Könnölä, T., & Koivisto, R. (2016). Building regional foresight capability in Antofagasta, Chile (EFP Brief No. 260). European Foresight Platform. https://if-institute.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Building_Regional_Foresight_in_Antofagasta_Chile_EFP-Brief-No.260.pdf 

Between 2011 and 2013, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the Chilean Mining Technological and Scientific Research Centre (CICITEM) carried out a regional foresight programme in Antofagasta, Chile's leading mining region, funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. The programme was part of a broader joint project to enhance innovation-driven, sustainable economic development in the region. It built on the 2008 Pact for Regional Development and Innovation in the Antofagasta Region and on Chile's interest in how Finland moved from a resource-driven to a knowledge-driven economy. The region also faces acute ecological pressures, not least on water supplies affected by climate change and mining.

The foresight activities pursued three aims: improving foresight capability in the region, especially among the partner organisations; strengthening collaboration between industry, government and research organisations; and supporting a strategic research agenda on a topic chosen by the partners. A three-day hands-on workshop in Antofagasta introduced futures thinking and methods such as scenarios, roadmapping and Delphi. A foresight pilot followed, combining scenario and roadmapping work through a conference, two stakeholder workshops, a stakeholder survey, interviews with mining companies and a final reflection session. VTT experts guided the process, but the emphasis was on learning by doing for CICITEM researchers, working alongside local universities, SMEs, government officials and mining companies, with a time horizon of 2040.

Reflecting on the process, the team developed a four-layer framework (landscape, innovation system, organisation and individual) for analysing how foresight contributes to new knowledge, capabilities and networks. The experience underlines that individuals are the key: changes in their mindsets and skills are what carry foresight into organisations and, ultimately, into regional transformation. The results are reported in EFP Brief No. 260 (Dufva, Könnölä & Koivisto, 2016) and in Dufva, M., Könnölä, T., & Koivisto, R. (2015). Multi-layered foresight: Lessons from regional foresight in Chile. Futures, 73, 100–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2015.08.010 

Founded in 1989 as an academic spin-off of Sussex University (UK), Technopolis Group is an international research and consulting organisation working for the public sector. Starting as a frontrunner in the science, technology and innovation policy sector, we have grown and diversified our areas of expertise and solutions to climate change and environment, digital transformation, education and skills, life sciences and health, and international cooperation. We have expanded our activities beyond Europe, to Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. 

Technopolis Group combines state-of-the-art social science methods with international expertise in core domain areas. We conduct strategic and foresight studies on a wide range of topics related to research and innovation, entrepreneurship, SMEs and industry, digital transformation, regional development and cohesion, higher education and skills, green economy, and health and life sciences.

We empower you to work with the futures. Our ideas show organizations how to deal with terms like weak signals, trends or white spots, and at the same time energizing to position themselves. We like discussing new developments and trends, with their respective effects on the organization, in order to design frameworks for actions and strenghten the matching future-attitude and accompanying measures.Schaltzeit has successfully provided consulting and operational services within the areas of foresight, ideation, experiences, software and design, to organizations in sectors such as telecommunication, automotive, biotechnology, software development, medicine, cosmetics and others.
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The first organization in the South- East region to implement foresight methods to shape public policy.

The aim of the project was to identify global megatrends whose impacts have the potential to significantly influence current socio-economic processes in the city's strategic activities in the near future, and which will enable innovation in current ways of providing public services in Jihlava. The aim was also to initiate an expert discussion in Jihlava and to begin a real process of anticipating the impacts of potential development changes and their consequences for socio-economic development in the city. The assessment of the impact of megatrends was carried out in cooperation with regional experts within a series of consecutive foresight workshops. The project results serve as a basis for improving the coordination of activities and expanding cooperation between key regional actors, which will lead to the development of the business environment, the creation of innovations, the improvement of public administration and other activities falling within the competence of the city.

Doiran ecosystem as a part of Natura 2000 (GR 123 0003) protected areas is located in the border between Greece and the Republic of North Macedonia, and constitutes a rich and invaluable area for the wetland in terms of natural beauty and developmental perspective.

Local and peripheral organizations have been closely working together for years as the lake requires close and structured collaboration in order to effectively face and address common problems and challenges such as:

Taking measures for the vital protection of the ecosystem
The lack of a strategic plan and stable mechanism for managing the ecosystem has caused serious problems as:
a) physical and chemical water elements are only periodically checked by third parties

b) Risk management is not organized and proactive process

c) The collaboration between the two countries becomes difficult and ineffective.

Taking measures for the compliance of Greece and the Republic of North Macedonia to the European law in order to conform to the conditions and entry processes to the EU.
The co-management of the lake so far is based in incomplete and nonrecurring actions
The protection and management plan of the lake should be based on mutual values and principles adopted by local associations
There is no technical infrastructure for the protection, management, and development of the ecosystem
The exploitation of natural resources can contribute to a great extent to the local development attracting more visitors and enhancing agricultural (traditional products) and cultural inheritance.

The main objectives are related to:
a) The organizations-associations- comprising the most important statutory parties in the implementation of environmental protection strategies and biodiversity as well as sustainable development;

b)A new, mutual and organized framework, structures and infrastructures defining stable collaboration principles to enhance environmental and socioeconomic competitiveness in the specific area.

c)Short-term and long-term benefits of the projects for the residents.

d) Development of an entrepreneurial mentality towards sustainable activities supporting an eco-friendly culture, exploiting the natural resources and the opportunities that the area offers.

e) Raising awareness in environmental issues and encourangement of a more responsible future generation.

The main mission of the project was to create the basis for creating a vision for the development of Prague in the field of innovation and to connect education, research, public space and business in Prague. The purpose of the project was to identify opportunities for research and innovation in relation to the possible future impacts of global megatrends on Prague and the Prague innovation ecosystem. At the same time, it was an effort to strengthen the cooperation of individual actors in the Prague innovation system to formulate a common vision of the innovation strategy of Prague and the directions of future development of research and innovation activities in this region.

Arctik is a Brussels-based communications agency recognised for its strategic and creative communication capacity in the field of sustainability. Arctik develops tailored public relations and communication strategies that take both objectives and resulting impact into account. We facilitate the creation of communities and networks that contribute towards circulating content, whilst cultivating meaningful dialogues and synergies between influencers and decision-makers.

Arctik has substantial experience in designing and implementing communication campaigns and projects which mix creative communication and sustainability. We believe in communication campaigns which provide a setting where opportunities are created, and knowledge is shared between actors. It is an occasion to convey a message and collect insights and intelligence.
Our team has a strong commitment to sustainability. We incorporate sustainable values into operations Arctik has substantial experience in designing and implementing communication campaigns and projects which mix creative communication and sustainability. We believe in communication campaigns which provide a setting where opportunities are created, and knowledge is shared between actors. It is an occasion to convey a message and collect insights and intelligence. and consider environmental and social factors in every business decision, while encouraging our partners and clients to think circular! Arctik is also registered to obtain the Brussels ‘Enterprise ecodynamique’ label. 

Arctik, as part of Technopolis Group is present in more than 10 countries with 300 consultants originating from +45 countries and speaking +30 languages. This diversity offers a unique perspective on what local-level stakeholders are receptive to. 

Our offices are located in : • Austria • Belgium • Colombia • France • Germany • Ivory Coast • Netherlands • Greece • Portugal • Sweden • Ivory Cost • Colombia • United Kingdom.

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