“Insightful Encounters - Regional Development and Practice–Based Learning” Conference on Regional Development and Innovation Processes March 5th-7th, 2008, Porvoo - Borgå, Finland 1 [Theme 4.] GOVERNANCE AND LEARNING IN INNOVATION NETWORKS A tool for support and evaluation of innovation networks Hofmaier, Bernd Prof. Halmstad University College School of Business and Engineering P.O. Box 823 SE-301 18 Halmstad Sweden E-Mail: Bernd.Hofmaier@set.hh.se Eriksson, Helena Halmstad University College School of Business and Engineering P.O. Box 823 SE-301 18 Halmstad Sweden E-Mail: Helena.Eriksson@set.hh.se Biography of the author(s) Bernd Hofmaier is a sociologist, working and teaching in the field of work science; since twenty years engaged in industrial and regional development projects. Interested in the creation and development of innovation networks and the actors (firms, organizations) capability to collaborate in such collaboration efforts. Helena Eriksson is a PhD student in sociology; her work is focusing on the transformation of a community from a rural/industrial setting to the knowledge society, including the establishment of a regional university college. Abstract Collaboration formations such as innovation networks and triple helix formations are becoming important instruments of economic policy and can be formulated as guiding visions. These guiding visions can be effective for turning the view towards specific goals and point out a direction, but they do not help us to understanding what it means to collaborate. With the specific characteristics of collaboration formations there is a need for ways to support the organization and management of the network. The “Support and Evaluation Tool for Innovation Network” (SEVIN) is here suggested as a method to support the collaboration processes through self- evaluation and empowerment. Keywords Innovation network, evaluation, learning, governance, collaboration formation