EARLALL’s Participation in the Harnessing Talent Platform (HTP) Working Groups Meeting: Shaping the Future of Regional Research and Innovation
31/01/2025
On January 31, 2025, EARLALL actively participated in the online meeting of the Harnessing Talent Platform (HTP) Working Groups (WGs), an initiative under the Talent Booster Mechanism (TBM) established by the European Commission. This meeting brought together key stakeholders involved in the four Working Groups—Digital, Health, Research & Innovation (R&I), and Territorial aspects—to refine and finalize their strategic roadmaps.
Setting the Stage: The Role of Strategic Roadmaps
The HTP WGs were established to address critical challenges related to talent attraction and retention across European regions. Following the in-person meeting held in October 2024, the January 2025 session aimed to transition from the initial issue paper phase to the delivery of concrete outputs. The strategic roadmaps serve as a guiding framework for the WGs’ activities over the next two years, ensuring that the work remains relevant and impactful in the context of EU priorities and the new Commission’s agenda.
EARLALL’s involvement in the R&I WG roadmap discussions was particularly significant, as these roadmaps:
- Reiterate the core challenges identified in the 2024 issue papers.
- Align these challenges with the latest EU policies.
- Define specific intermediary and final outputs to be delivered by 2026.
- Establish clear collaboration methods and governance structures.
Key Highlights of the Meeting
The meeting was structured into plenary and parallel sessions, each focusing on distinct aspects of the WGs’ future work:
>Plenary Session: Presentation of Strategic Roadmaps and the Good Practices Catalogue
The session began with a presentation on the strategic roadmaps, outlining their objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes.
A Q&A segment allowed members to provide feedback and propose refinements to ensure the roadmaps’ effectiveness.
>Parallel R&I WG Session: Refining the Research & Innovation Roadmap
In the dedicated R&I WG session, EARLALL and fellow members reviewed the scope of action and proposed outputs.
Discussions focused on knowledge transfer mechanisms, regional partnerships, and innovation-driven skills development.
The roadmap validation process was outlined, setting key deadlines for refinement and approval.
>Selection of Good Practices for the HTP Catalogue
A critical intermediary output of the WGs is the Good Practices Catalogue, which compiles successful regional initiatives that can serve as models for replication.
EARLALL proposed the LCAMP EU-funded project as a best practice, which was accepted and included in the catalogue, further highlighting its commitment to promoting innovative regional initiatives.
Next Steps and EARLALL’s Ongoing Commitment
Following the discussions, the meeting concluded with a roadmap validation timeline and its publication on 17.02.2025. Additionally, the Good Practices Catalogue (Volume 1) is set for publication on March 14, 2025, ahead of the HTP High-Level Event on March 18, 2025.
During the Parallel WGR&I meeting, the members discuss about the outcoming outputs that are planned to be delivered in the first quarter of 2026:
- Catalogue of good practices – Volume 1
- Recommendation paper on assessing skill needs and addressing skills development in place-based innovation strategies
- Self-assessment tool to evaluate regional readiness to attract, retain, and develop talent
- A toolkit on knowledge valorisation
- Recommendation paper on access to essential services and quality of life
- Good Practices Catalogue (Volume 2) with final reflections on their contribution to harnessing talent in regions.
EARLALL will continue to engage in the discussions, contributing to the design and refinement of outputs and the promotion of best practices in regional research and innovation.
By actively participating in the HTP Working Groups, EARLALL reaffirms its dedication to fostering regional innovation, supporting EU-wide talent initiatives, and ensuring that European territories remain at the forefront of research and skills development.
