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On 22 April, the evaluation of the Smart Industry Programme carried out by Dialogic was presented to the Dutch House of Representatives along with a Ministerial Letter.
In 2015, the Smart Industry Programme was launched in the Netherlands by a coalition consisting of FME, TNO, KvK, VNO-NCW, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy. This network programme aims to stimulate the digitisation of the manufacturing industry and better utilise the opportunities offered by digital technology. Within the Smart Industry Programme, a structure was created with a national level (including a programme office), hubs, and field labs. From the outset, a regional approach was adopted, focusing on initiatives and efforts from the regions. The field lab structure was established at the beginning of the programme with the designation of 10 field labs, which has since expanded to 47 Smart Industry field labs. Additionally, five regional Smart Industry hubs have been set up more recently (from 2018). Estimates suggest that between 2015 and 2019, the funding for the field labs alone, provided by companies, the government, regions, knowledge institutions, and the EU, totalled approximately €314 million.
The programme has indeed contributed to further digitisation of the manufacturing industry, but its effectiveness is not uniformly consistent across all activities. It is also not uniformly efficient, particularly from a regional perspective. There is still room for improvement in both aspects. Dialogic has recommended continuing the Smart Industry Programme, but with more clarity on its objectives, responsibilities, and opportunities for expansion. The main recommendations are:
- Transform the Smart Industry Programme back into a nationally coordinated programme with a clear common thread and a number of distinct modules that are developed and funded in collaboration with the regions.
- Redefine the ambition regarding skills development in relation to Smart Industry and determine which aspects of skills development should realistically fall within the programme and which should not.
- Establish clarity on the target audience(s) to be reached and focus on further broadening/scaling up.
- Ensure a clear division of roles and responsibilities between the national programme (office), hubs, and field labs, and incorporate sufficient demand-oriented approaches.
- Develop an intervention logic where measurable output goals are based on the obstacles entrepreneurs face concerning digitisation.
Would you like to learn more about this evaluation? Please contact Pim den Hertog.