New governances structures to support the transition to the 4th Industrial Revolution : The case of the European Network of Research and Innovation Centres and Hubs (ENRICH) in Brazil, China and USA

Research and Development (R&D) as well as science and technology are key elements for innovation. It reduces the influence of individual countries or blocs but also generates important benefits through specialization, trade and competition. Against this background, the purpose of this paper is to present and analyse new governance structures based on an examination of the demand of European Science and Technology Parks (STP) – ultimately aiming in answering the question how STPs can be supported by the ENRICH initiative and its foreseen structures while tackling international markets. The paper provides an examination of STPs, their needs and demands while internationalise as well as an examination of the Innovation Systems of Brazil, China and USA – the pilot markets of the ENRICH (European Network of Research and Innovation Centres and Hubs) initiative. In a second step, the ENRICH initiative will be presented, showcasing their specific supporting measures for internationalisation strategies of STPs.