The partner regions and actors in the Consortium are listed in the following table.

The partners in the consortium participate in the elaboration of different workpackages in their own region (indicator set, evaluation instrument, contextual regional analysis, collection and processing of regional innovation related data, conclusions, regional deployment, inter-regional benchmarking, explanatory search for performance differences, inter-regional deployment and standardization of the instrument).

Therefore regional project organizations have to be set up.

Workpackages are elaborated in temporary workgroups under supervision of a regional projectmanager. Conclusions are communicated to a regional steering group who takes care of integration of the results in regional innovation policies. On inter-regional level each partner is represented by its regional projectmanager in the transregional project management committee where also the general projectmanager and the regional projectmanagers of the other regions are participating. This forum is responsible for communication, coordination and control with respect to methodology, projectplanning and execution, as well as consensus building. The trans-regional project management committee reports to the trans-regional steering group of the prominent members of the different regional steering groups. This enforces the transnational dimension of the project and facilitates the exchange of experience on high level.

As coordinator IWT Flanders takes the initiative to set up the network and to structure the project organization. Acting as the coordinator in the trans-regional project management committee enforces the transnational dimension of the project and facilitates the exchange of experience at high level.

As coordinator of the consortium it is the task of IWT Flanders to set up a transnational ‘project management board’. This is responsible for project planning and follow up, progress control on time, budget and human resource allocation, quality control, risk monitoring, conflict identification, communication, putting at the disposal of the knowledge management system and to provide logistic support. This is the task of the project administrator.

A well-established management process within the project organisation structure is a “must” to ensure communication, coordination and control of the project activities.

The project organisation structure gives a view of responsibility, authority and empowerment at every hierarchical level.

For that purpose all entities in the project organisation structure are well defined:

• at trans-regional level:
  
  • Transregional Steering Committee providing the necessary political backing and representing the legitimacy of the project
  • Transregional Project Management Committee as the main place where the creative and innovative work developed will be discussed and agreed upon; it is the forum for validation
  • Transregional Consultant as a staff function to the Project Management Committee
  • Inter-project Committee for participating to the Inter-project Management Forum
  • Trans-regional Project Management Board as a staff entity for continuous monitoring and control
    
• at regional level:
  
  • Regional Steering Committee supervising the project development process in its own region
  • Regional Management Units to control work progress and give preliminary approval to the deliverables and results according to the directives and standards
  • Regional Working Groups as task forces elaborating work-packages and project activities

It is of equal importance to define the lateral liaison mechanisms for facilitating the coordination and integration. Consequently, a standing committee, an integrating manager, interface functions and temporary task forces are put in place.

The Trans-regional Project Management Committee acts as permanent standing committee in continuous way. General project manager and the regional project managers from all partners in the consortium will ensure monitoring of project activities as well as the coordination and integration by consolidating the regional conclusions and building consensus on regional and inter-regional deployment.

When milestones on control points arrive, they will take decisions on the alternatives and the approach to be followed. The general project manager acts as integrating manager. He is chairman of the Project Management Committee, fulfils liaison functions towards the Inter-Project Management Forum and takes control of the Project Management Board.

The regional project manager functions as liaison between the Regional Steering Committee at regional level and the Trans-regional Project Management Committee at trans-national level.

A Project Management Board is put in place for carrying out following activities:

• project status control regarding milestones and expected deliverables;
• project progress control with respect to human resources allocation, time and cost;
• scope control;
• risk monitoring;
• issue identification and conflict monitoring;
• quality control;
• knowledge management.

Communication lines are clearly defined and reporting mechanisms are put in place.

Directives and standards are clearly communicated and controlled as project organisation structure procedures.

Workpackages are elaborated in task forces.

Task force leaders report to the Regional Management Unit, where preliminary approval is given.
Conclusions are communicated to the Regional Steering Committee for providing feedback and early testing of the integration of the findings into its region main stream policy. The regional manager also participates to the Project Management Committee and brings the regional input at trans-regional level.

Consolidation, consensus building and validation take place in this Trans-regional Project Management Committee.

The project coordinator of the Trans-national Project Management Board reports to the Trans-regional Project Management Committee about the project status and progress control. Decisions for possible adjustments or modifications to the project trajectory are taken by this Project Management Committee.

Policy recommendations are communicated from the Project Management Committee to the Trans-regional Steering Committee where involvement of policy makers and authorities will facilitate the determination of policy recommendations and translate them into concrete actions and successful measures.