From interregional knowledge networks to systems

Whereas interregional networks of individual actors have recently received growing attention, networks in terms of collective regional groups of organisations interacting with their counterparts remain largely ignored. This is surprising given the Smart Specialisation agenda's ‘outward looking’ approach. This conceptual paper explores the rationales and dimensions underpinning interregional knowledge exchange, networks and systems including a definitional clarity, a typology of networks and the impacts of different types of proximity. The paper also introduces the concept of the interregional knowledge exchange system and sets a new agenda for studying their structure, formation and evolutionary path.