Within the i2connect project, the first Regional AKIS Stakeholders Workshop has been organized online with a focus on Northern European countries. During the project, we have prepared 27 individual AKIS country reports and our partners from the University of Hohenheim, the main coordinators for the AKIS inventory, gave a short presentation and brief introduction to the AKIS concept and the key features of a well functioning AKIS. This was then followed by the presentation of the first results from the cross-cutting analysis.

The main highlights from the presentation were as follows:

  • AKIS as a concept with very different perspectives – system perspectives, network perspectives, etc.;
  • Good resonance of the AKIS concept among the interviewees in the partner countries;
  • Evidence for great institutional diversity of AKIS actors;
  • The growing presence of coordination mechanisms aimed at facilitating collaboration of AKIS actors;
  • Characteristic differences among the various categories of advisory service providers in terms of their foci and activities.

Summary of main insights and lessons

As a conclusion to the various presentations and discussions, two main insights were underlined:

  • AKIS, a powerful common vocabulary: AKIS serves as an important entry point to identify strengths and weaknesses in a comparative way. That is, it provides us with a common vocabulary to compare events, processes, structures in various countries.
  • Take perspectives and discuss them: The AKIS assessments given by the various report are to large extents subjective perspectives. The assessments provided are thus not to be taken as the reality but rather an entry point to stimulate discussions and various perspectives.

For your reference, below you will find the compilation of presentations made during the meeting:

Presentation: Introduction to i2connect

Presentation: How to better integrate advisors in the AKIS thanks to the new CAP?

Presentation: The role of AKIS and preliminary results from the AKIS cross-country analysis

Presentation of AKIS country report: Estonia

Presentation of AKIS country report: Ireland

Presentation of AKIS country report: Latvia

Presentation of AKIS country report: The Netherlands

If you missed the chance to participate in the workshop, do not worry and take a look below where you will find the recording of all of the sessions. And here will be the summary of the main outcomes in a report format. The discussions will be continued as this was the first of the planned four Regional Workshops and we hope to welcome you also in the upcoming second Regional Workshop in June. More information will follow!