urban & regional innovation

urban & regional innovation U R E N I O P e o p l e

Nicos KOMNINOS is a professor of Urban Development and Innovation Policy in the Faculty of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and he has taught in universities of France, Italy, and the U.K. He holds a masters degree in architecture from the Faculty of Engineering, AUTh, and a PhD from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris. He is director of the research unit URENIO and he has co-ordinated numerous research projects of the European R&D Framework Programmes and the ERDF Innovative Actions. His research focuses on intelligent cities and regions, including innovative clusters, technopoles and science parks; regional innovation systems and strategies; digital innovation spaces and digital cities. He is coordinator of the European network VERITE for the promotion of virtual spaces for regional innovation; expert of the European Commission in the action of support to science parks and in regional innovation strategies; vice-chair of the Hellenic RIS network; coordinator of postgraduate programmes in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (1999-2002). He is the author of more than one hundred scientific papers and 10 books. His most recent book is Intelligent Cities: Innovation, knowledge systems and digital spaces, published by Spon Press, London and New York, 2002. E-mail contact: komninos@urenio.org Yiannis L. BAKOUROS is a chemical engineer graduated from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He received his Ph.D. in management and administration, in 1988, from Bradford University, UK. After graduation he worked as production manager, technical advisor, sales manager in industrial and distributione enterprises and consultant companies. He was visitor assistant professor at AUTh and University of Thessaly. He was responsible for Thessaloniki Technology Park development. He also served as Chairman of Eureka National Project Coordinators during the Greek Eureka Presidency. Currently he is an assistant professor at the University of Thessaly, co-ordinator of the Initiative for Technological Cooperation with Balkans, advisor and head of Regional Innovation Strategy in Thessaly, and member of the board of directors of Thessaly Technology Park. His main scientific and research interests are innovation, technology management, regional development strategies, information management networks, reliability, maintenance, industrial health and safety. E-mail contact: ylb@hol.gr Theodoros CHADJIPANDELIS is a professor of Applied Statistics in the Department of Political Sciences of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He was awarded his Doctorate by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He is a member of the board of the University of Western Macedonia and appointed head of the Department of Balkan Studies. He is head of the laboratory of Applied Political Research. Theodore Chadjipadelis is member of the board of the Greek Statistical Institute since 1993, head of the section of Central Macedonia of the Greek Mathematical Society since 2002. His main areas of interest are applied statistics, modelling electoral behaviour, urban and regional planning, and statistics in education. He has about 60 publications in major statistical and political journals in Greece and abroad. As a private consultant he has been involved in many major projects on social exclusion, electoral behaviour, urban and regional planning and innovation. E-mail contact: chadji@polsci.auth.gr 28

Dimitrios M. DOINAKIS graduated from the Mechanical & Industrial Engineering Department of University of Thessaly (1996) and he is a PhD candidate at the Polytechnic School (University of Thessaly 1998), on the topic Developing Models of Technology Transfer. He teaches at the Technological Educational Institute (TEI) of Larissa and he has participated in the execution of several lectures and seminars as a trainer. He is the coordinator of the Coordination Committee of Technical Consultants for Region of Thessaly (Ministry of Economy & Finance-Operational Programme Information Society ). He has participated in several national and European research projects (INVENT, INNOREGIO of Thessaly, LEONARDO, ADAPT, RIS/RIS+ Thessaly). His scientific and research interests are mainly focusing on Technology Transfer and Innovation & Technology Management. E-mail contact: doinakis@mie.uth.gr Yiannis FALAS is a mining engineer, graduate of National Technical University of Athens (1990). After graduation, he worked in the Region of Western Macedonia, as Assistant Co-ordinator of Transport Infrastructure program (1st and 2nd C.S.F.). He has then been the project manager of the Regional Innovation Strategy, RIS and RIS+ Projects and the "Knowledge clusters" Innovative Actions Program of W.M. He works as an expert for the Regional Innovation Office of W.M. He also worked as an expert in cross-border cooperation with FYROM and Albania. He has long experience with SMEs. His main interests are innovation and regional development, interregional and cross-border development strategies, namely for clusters and SMEs. E-mail contact: thessis@otenet.gr Nikolas GOUDARAS has studied engineering of planning, urban planning and regional development at the University of Thessaly. He is a MSc in Real Estate Economics and Finance graduate from the London School of Economics (LSE). He has worked as part-time planner and designer in the design department of an oil company in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, part-time planner in the laboratory of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Thessaly working on a field survey based on the land use of the buildings in the city of Volos, and surveyor assistant of technical works in summer resort construction site. As a member of the Urenio research unit, since 2003, he is involved in the management and maintenance of three innovative web portals referred to the three major sectors (textile, metallurgy, dairy products) of the region of Thessaly. E-mail contact: ng@urenio.org Despoina KALPENIDOU graduated from the department of Physics of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She is a member of the URENIO Research Unit since February 2004. E-mail contact: dekal@urenio.org Lina KYRGIAFINI is a chemical engineer and PhD candidate at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Her research interests concern the areas of technological innovation and the impact of innovation on employment and human resources, regional development strategies, and regional intelligence. Since 1995 she is at the URENIO research unit and participated in the implementation and the management of research projects dealing with regional development and innovation dissemination, including: Regional Technology Plan (RTP) in Central Macedonia, Agropolis of Thessaloniki, Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS) in W. Macedonia, Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS) in Thessaly, InnoRegio: dissemination of innovation and knowledge management techniques, Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS) in Cyprus, Excellence in Central Macedonia, MetaForesight: Integrating Foresight, R&D, Benchmarking, Technology Watch and technological skills. E-mail contact: linaki@arch.auth.gr 29

Stratos MANOS is an architect engineer and PhD candidate at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Thesis title: The Urban Regeneration and Internationalisation of Cities in Europe). Since 1993 he is working as researcher at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and participated in various projects of the European Union, including the RITTS of East Macedonia and Thrace, the Urban Pilot Project of Thessaloniki, and national projects on urban renewal, innovative spatial development, urban planning and regional development. He participated in European urban planning competitions. Since 1997, he is member of a consulting group responsible for Regional and Local Development projects and Industrial Parks Development projects. He participated in the Evaluation of Central Macedonia's Regional Operational Programme (especially in Technical Infrastructures and Local Development measures), the Cross-border cooperation projects (Euroregion "NESTOS-MESTA"-LACE), and the development of GIS applications. E-mail contact: efmanos@gnomon.com.gr Maria MILOSSI has studied in the Faculty of Education Department of Pre- School Education, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (1996), and received a Postgraduate Diploma on the Sciences of Preschool Education AUTh, focuses on lingual & cultural education (2003). She has worked for 3 years (1997-1999) in the secretarial department, sales and quality assurance system of a commercial company. From 2000 she is dealing with the financial management of URENIO projects. E-mail contact: mariam@urenio.org Dimitris MILOSSIS is an electrical engineer with studies in the School of Technology, University of Patra, Greece. He also has a Diploma in electronics for telecommunications from the University of Southampton, England. Since 1999, he has been working as a researcher at the URENIO research unit and he has participated in various European projects. His scientific interests are in business performance assessment (benchmarking), web development, and networking in innovation management tools and new product development. E-mail contact: dm@urenio.org Nikos PACHTAS is an electrical and computer engineer specialised in multimedia technology. He graduated from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and he is a PhD candidate at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. From 1995 to 1998 he has been working as a Research Associate in the Information Processing Laboratory of Aristotle University, in the area of multimedia technology. In 1999 he was a research sssociate in the Informatics and Telematics Institute of the Greek General Secretariat of Research and Technology. At that time he contributed to a number of national and European research projects. He is currently member of the research unit URENIO working in the field of Information Technology. His interests include distributed multimedia and interactive Internet applications, infokiosks, and distance learning. E-mail contact: npachtas@hotmail.com Nitsa PAPADOPOULOU received a Masters in Business Administration from St John's University U.S.A, specializing in strategic business planning and marketing. Her undergraduate studies are in Linguistics and Education. Prior to her current position, she worked for consultancy companies and was responsible for the development of services and coordination of product delivery to clients, and training and monitoring of personnel. She has participated in research projects concerning regional development in the Health Network (Rhine Esprit Project DGXIII) and Interborder Development (ADAPT). Her scientific research interests are mainly focused on knowledge management and innovation management techniques. Since April 2002, she is an active member of URENIO and participates in the implementation and coordination of research projects related to Regional Development and Innovation Technology for the regions of Thessaly, West Macedonia, and Ionian Islands. E-mail contact: nitsa@urenio.org 30

Maria PARASKEVA studied at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Before her current position, she was a project manager at the Vocational Training Centre (VTC) for seven years. She was also the head of the department that was responsible for combating people's exclusion from occupation, and for the department that aimed at promoting graduates to labor. During her career, she has worked at the "Organization of Cultural Capital of Europe Thessaloniki '97", and at Macedonian Press Agency. She has taught "Greek as a foreign language" and "vocational guidance" at the Vocational Training Centre, where she has also written the handbooks on both subjects. She also taught English (as a foreign language) at various coaching schools. E-mail contact: mparaskeva@urenio.org Isidoros A. PASSAS has a Bachelor of engineering on computer systems from the School of Engineering of University of Sussex in U.K. He is in the process of accomplishing his M.B.A. in University of Sheffield in U.K. His scientific interests are in the application of information technology in SMEs. Since 2001, he has been working as a researcher at the URENIO research unit. He is currently involved in the development of web-based roadmaps concerning New Product Development and the creation of Spin-off companies. E-mail contact: iapassas@urenio.org Elena SEFERTZI received a master of sociology from the University of Paris Rene Descartes-Sorbonne, a post-graduate degree (DEA) and a doctorate from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Science Sociales, Paris. She has taught as specialist scientist at the Department of Economic Sciences of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (1985-89) and as assistant professor at the Technical University of Crete (1990-99). Her research interests focus on regional innovation policy, technology transfer and industrial development. She is the author of numerous articles and editor of books including "Flexibility and alternative corporate strategies" (Industrial Relations 1996), "Neo-industrialisation and peripherality" (with N. Komninos, Geoforum 1998), "Innovation in the every day life of libraries" (with A. Katsirikou, Technovation, 2000), "Changing regional systems of innovation in Greece" (with L. Kyrgiafini, European Planning Studies 2003), Innovation: system-areas, technology transfer, and innovative development in Greece (Ed. Gutenberg1998), Innovation Development Technologies in Regions and Production Complexes (Ed. with N. Komninos and L. Kyrgiafini, Gutenberg 2001). E-mail contact: esef@arch.auth.gr Maria SEFERTZIhas studied economics at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, specializing in the field of planning and development. She has a class A' certificate for economic analysis and for organization and business research. From 1996 till 2001 she worked at Marine & Sailing Enterprises S.A. as marketing and sales director and from 2001 till today she is vice-president and marketing director of the company. She is a member of the URENIO research unit since December 2002 and has participated in research projects dealing mainly with innovation, regional development and technology transfer. E-mail contact: msefertzi@urenio.org Maria S. SCHINA is a graduate of the Department of Civil Engineering of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. After graduation she was involved in several structural design studies as self-employed or in cooperation with a design and construction firm. She was also working as a scientific researcher in a series of projects and studies in the field of regional development, innovation and tourism management. Since 2000 she has been working for URENIO, at the beginning as a member of the management unit of the Innoregio project with main responsibility the interregional cooperation and currently as a researcher in Regional Innovative Actions projects. E-mail contact: mschoina@arch.auth.gr 31

Paraskevi TARANI studied architecture at the School of Engineering in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She is a PhD candidate at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, on the topic "The European Cities in the New Economy of Knowledge". Her research interests include the area of urban and regional innovation, urban theory and planning. As member of the URENIO research unit since 1994, she has been involved in several research projects dealing with city and regional development and innovation diffusion, such us: Regional Technological Project (RTP) of Central Macedonia, Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS+) Central Macedonia, Agropolis Technology Park of Thessaloniki, Innovation in Ionian Islands. Her experience in the field of urban planning includes several projects on urban renovation and planning, technology parks, and new areas development. A number of her projects and articles on the urban condition have been published in international magazines for architecture and urban planning (Techniques & Architecture, D' Architectures, Architecture in Greece, Threshold). E-mail contact: tarani@auth.gr Panagiotis C. TSARCHOPOULOS received his Diploma in electrical engineering from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 1992 and he has been working as a multimedia and web developer since 1993. He has an extensive experience with all parts of a web site's building process: information architecture, web design, content creation, web development, and usability evaluation. During his career, he worked, as a web and multimedia developer, at various institutions and companies including the Institute of Informatics and Telematics, the Laboratory of Information Processing of Aristotle University, the Macedonian Press Agency, the School of Architecture of the Aristotle University, and ALTANET S.A. Throughout this process he has produced several web sites and multimedia CD-ROMs. He took part in many R&D projects of URENIO dealing with digital innovation spaces. Actually, he supports URENIO web presence. He also teaches, with Professor Komninos, "telematics and digital cities" at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. E-mail contact: patsar@auth.gr Sotiris ZIGIARIS has an MSc in Computer Science graduate of Lamar University USA. He also has studied Business Administration Management. His area of specialization is regional development and public innovation support measurres. His research interest is the development of a rapid re-engineering methodology (REMORA) for public organizational reform. He has engaged in major re-engineering projects in the United States as well as in Greece, such as the BPR project in the National Telecommunication Organisation of Greece. He is participating in regional development projects in the region of Thessaly, Western Macedonia, Peloponnesus, Ionian Islands, Southern Aegean. working mainly in the design of regional innovation policymaking and the development of public support mechanisms for innovation management. He is a member of the technical assistance team for the regional development, of Development Ministry of Bulgaria. E-mail contact: sotzig@urenio.org 32