9 February 2026
- Miren Estensoro and Miren Larrea presented the multilevel governance model developed in Gipuzkoa in recent years at a workshop organised by the Portuguese Government’s National Innovation Agency
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Lessons from the Basque Country served as a basis for reflecting on the importance of multilevel governance in the Portuguese context, particularly in relation to the development of Smart Specialisation Strategies
Miren Estensoro and Miren Larrea took part in a working session organised by the Portuguese Government’s National Innovation Agency (ANI), held in Lisbon. The event brought together representatives from different Portuguese regions and staff from the innovation agency, with the aim of reflecting on the importance of multilevel governance in the Portuguese context, especially in relation to the development of Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3).
During the session, Orkestra’s researchers presented the multilevel governance model developed in the province of Gipuzkoa in recent years and shared key lessons and practices derived from the experience of the Basque Country. They also facilitated a session in which representatives from different levels of government in Portugal were able to analyse their own structures, roles and working processes, and to identify opportunities to respond more effectively and in a more coordinated way to territorial challenges.
The workshop served as a platform for knowledge transfer and collaborative learning, showcasing Orkestra’s journey and the relevance of the insights gained in the Basque Country on a global scale.
Opportunities for collaboration in the field of action research
Miren Larrea and Miren Estensoro also met with a research group from the University of Lisbon which, like Orkestra, works in the field of action research. This group combines academic activity with practice and has promoted the Malha cooperative to develop action research processes together with territorial stakeholders. The meeting enabled both teams to share experiences and explore future opportunities for collaboration.
This visit to Portugal is a good example of Orkestra’s internationalisation strategy, as it enables the sharing and comparison of lessons developed in the Basque Country at an international level, while at the same time strengthening dialogue and collaboration with other research teams.
