2016 Twinnings

DG CNECT initiated the 2016 Transfer of Innovation Twinning Support Scheme through a call in 2016 to contribute to the European scaling-up strategy of the EIP on AHA. The twinning scheme as applied in the Active and Healthy Ageing domain is a new concept that aims to de-risk investment in digital innovative ICT solutions by financing the exchange of knowledge and good practice in digital health solutions with high potential for replicability and scaling up.

Twenty pairs of originators and adopters of innovations were selected to exchange knowledge and expertise with financial support to cover the travel and accommodation costs of the twinning activities. The twenty pairs represent a variety of solutions being adopted by Reference Site organisations from 13 different European countries. In total, 43 organisations were involved in the 2016 twinning scheme. Twinning subjects include EHRs, ePrescription solutions, integrated health and social care ICT service platforms, homecare and telemonitoring, etc.

The level of twinning varies from pure knowledge exchange and training, over to adaptation, partial or full adoption depending on the twinning topic. First results of the twinnings show successful implementations. The scheme is in line with the objectives of the Digital Single Market’s mid-term review report, in particular, the priority related to large-scale deployment of innovations in Europe.

Newest Twinning Results (2017)

The overview of the newest results is available for each of the 20 ScaleAHA Twinnings:

Twinning Archetypes

Most twinning organisations have conducted physical meetings and are in the process of exploring the best approach to scaling up the solutions of the originators. The first results are promising and the process should be further refined taking into consideration lessons learnt and recommendations by the pilot twinning organisations.

In terms of scaling-up scope, the twinnings can be grouped into the following types:

Knowledge exchange & training, & digital skills: a central aspect of the innovation are the knowledge (know-how) transfer, required staff skills, and related training
Adaptation: a mature innovation is being adopted by adjusting it to local conditions (e.g. translation into local language)
Partial adoption: elements of the innovation (product, service, methodology) are being implemented using locally available infrastructure
Full Adoption: The innovation (product, service, methodology, strategy) is being implemented in its full scope by using local infrastructure, i.e. the innovation is transferred and managed fully by the adopter
Acquisition: The innovation is being implemented in its full scope by using the originator’s infrastructure (this may be free of charge or paid), i.e. the originator still has primary ownership, but a license for use is granted for and acquired by the adopter
The twinnings that participated in the 2016 Twinning Scheme have achieved different levels of scaling up as summarized below:

Results announced - 2016 Pilot twinning support scheme of the EIP on AHA

As a result of the 2016 Pilot Twinning Support Scheme of the EIP on AHA, 20 twinnings have been accepted to transfer innovation towards deployment of large-scale digitally-enabled innovative solutions in Europe.

This focus of the support scheme is on digitally-enabled innovative ICT solutions for health and care delivery for the ageing population.

The application period was open between 20 July 2016 and 15 September 2016. Applications to the scheme were made through a "joint request" (submitted through a brief online form by the adopting and transferring organisations together, requesting the twinning support, and providing details on the content of the twinning action). An independent panel made up of the Scale-AHA European project, PROEIPAHA and the European Commission accepted 20 twinning actions for funding. Twinning actions will take place between 25 October 2016 and end of January 2017. The 20 twinnings are listed below.

Originator 2016 reference site name	Adopter(s) 2016 reference site name	Contact person
MACVIA-France Network (FR)	Campania (IT) Catalonia (ES) Centro Portugal (Ageing@Coimbra) (PT) Lodz4Generations (PL) Medical Delta (NL) Northern Ireland (UK) Regione Piemonte (IT) Region of Southern Denmark (DK) Global Alliance Chronic Respiratory Diseases Regional Network (TR) Olomouc (CZ)	Jean Bousquet, MACVIA
Northern Ireland (UK)	Catalonia (ES)	Michael Scott, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland (UK)	Olomouc (CZ)	Michael Scott, Northern Ireland
Pays de la Loire (FR)	Porto Metropolitan Area - Porto4Ageing (PT)	Elísio Costa, Porto Metropolitan Area
Northern Ireland (UK)	North West Coast of England (UK)	Michael Scott, Northern Ireland
Campania (IT)	Asturias (ES)	Ángel Retamar Arias, Asturias
Lazio (IT)	Porto Metropolitan Area - Porto4Ageing (PT)	Elísio Costa, Porto Metropolitan Area
Twente (NL)	Campania (IT)	Lex van Velsen
Andalusia (ES)	City of Zagreb (HR)	Ana Carriazo
Basque Country (ES)	Nouvelle-Aquitaine (FR)	Carole Doucet
Medical Delta Rotterdam (NL)	Campania (IT)	Edwig Goossens
Republic of Ireland Regional Network (COLLAGE)	Campania (IT) Catalonia (ES) Metropolitan Area of Porto (Porto4Ageing)	Rónán O'Caoimh
Basque Country (ES)	Liguria (IT)	Dolores Verdoy
Galicia (ES)	City of Zagreb (HR)	Susana Fernández Nocelo
Scotland (UK)	Basque Country (ES)	Dolores Verdoy
Campania (IT)	Olomouc	Zdeněk Gütter
Basque Country (ES)	Scotland (UK)	Donna Henderson
North West Coast of England (UK)	Oberbergischer Kreis (DE)	Wolfgang Goetzke
Scotland (UK)	Andalusia (ES)	Ana Carriazo
Andalusia (ES)	City of Kraljevo	Milan Vukovic

For all organisations participating in the twinnings there is a document containing answers to some frequently asked questions. You can download the document here.

Twinning Support Scheme

I) How the support scheme works

Regional organisations that are engaged in the works of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA) by means of “Individual Commitments” or "Collaborative Commitments" and holding Reference Site status as a result of the 2016 call can apply to benefit from a scheme that supports expenses incurred to facilitate the transfer of innovative practices for implementation in another region.

The focus is on digitally-enabled innovative ICT solutions for health and care delivery for the ageing population.

There are two types of organisations involved:

The "Organisation adopting the innovative practice” (receiving/adopter organisation) (is the organisation that will receive the innovative practice and deploy / implement it in its territory). This is the organisation that is awarded Reference Site status in the 2016 call and will benefit from the experience and know-how developed by the "organisation transferring an innovative practice" in a particular field of intervention;
The "Organisation transferring the innovative practice" (originator organisation), which is the organisation with the experience and know-how developed in a particular field of intervention, that is awarded Reference Site status in the 2016 call and that is included in the innovative practices repository of the EIP on AHA.

An essential requirement for the adopting organisations is clear financial commitment to implement/procure the innovative practice within the timeframe 2016-2018.

The objective of this support scheme is to support the transfer of innovation (from the "organisation transferring the innovative practice" to the "organisation adopting the innovative practice") in a way that facilitates the latter's deployment of large-scale digitally-enabled innovative solutions for health and care delivery to the ageing population. This initiative therefore contributes to the European Scaling Up Strategy of the EIP on AHA.

This is a pilot support scheme that provides financial support to cover the travel and accommodation of experts from the "adopting organisation" to the "originator organisation" or vice-versa.

It will also cover expenses related to the "hosting" (such as transport within the region) incurred by hosting meetings etc. It will not cover fees for professional services (consulting, advisory services, moderation services etc.) and will not include the acquisition of products and services from third parties that do not fall within the meaning of travel, accommodation and meeting expenses.

The total maximum amount to be claimed in expenses is capped at € 5,000 per twinning action. There can only be 1 hosting organisation for the twinning (which could be either the transferring organisation or the adopting organisation). Irrespective of the number of "adopting" organisations involved in the twinning action the maximum amount is capped at € 5,000 per twinning action.

II) How to apply for the support scheme

Applications to the scheme can be made through a "joint request" (submitted through a brief online form) – to be completed between 20 July 2016 and 1 September 2016.
The "joint request" is filled in by the adopting and transferring organisations together, requesting the twinning support, and providing details on the content of the twinning action, (notably which is the innovation practice to be transferred) and outlining the commitment to start implementing that innovative practice within the 2016-2018 timeframe (see Criteria for Application).
An independent panel made up of the Scale AHA European project, PROEIPAHA and the European Commission will select up to 20 twinning actions awarded funding by 1st October 2016.

Twinning actions must take place between 19 October 2016 and end of January 2017.

III) Criteria for application

The applications submitted will be assessed by an independent panel on the following:

Whether or not they meet the essential profile criteria (see below). If they don't meet the essential profile criteria they will be deemed ineligible.
For those applicants that meet the essential profile criteria; they will be evaluated on the "Other Criteria" which examines the merits and relevance of the twinning plan and the expected impact of implementation.

1) Essential Profile Criteria (all these requirements must be met in order for the application to qualify as eligible):

Overall: The proposed twinning action relates to digitally enabled ICT innovation practice in active and healthy ageing. The ICT aspect of the practice is clearly described.

a) Organisation transferring the innovative practice (originator organisation)

Awarded Reference-Site status at the 2016 Call for Reference Sites of the EIP on AHA (and therefore party to “Individual" or "Collaborative" Commitments entered in the 2016 Call for Commitments of the EIP on AHA)
Innovation practices to be transferred in the twinning are already included in the EIP on AHA Innovative Practices Repository)
Involvement in research and innovation projects or policy initiatives which have a strong connection with EIP on AHA objectives and with high EU and regional added-value.
Involvement in networking activities between regional and national level to support best practice or knowledge exchange opportunities

b) Organisation adopting the innovative practice (receiving/adopter organisation)

Awarded Reference-Site status (including Candidate Reference Sites) in the 2016 Call for Reference Sites of the EIP on AHA.
Clearly established financial commitment to procure / implement large scale digitally-enabled ICT innovative solutions for health and care delivery to the ageing population within the 2016-2018 timeframe.

2) Other Criteria ("joint requests" that meet the essential profile criteria will then be evaluated according to the following criteria):

Adopting / receiving organisation should be a beneficiary or be an applicant to benefit of EU Structural Funds*** in the field of active and healthy ageing**
Quality of the twinning plan description submitted (detail provided on financial commitment to procure / implement innovative practice)
Expected impact of the twinning in terms of knowledge and know-how transferred/acquired, scale of impact of the implemented innovative practice and expected outcome.
Need to ensure a balanced distribution of support throughout the different intervention areas of the EIP on AHA Action Groups*.

* For donor organisations only

** For adopting / receiving organisations only

*** List of European Structural and Investment Funds can be found here: ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/funding/