The study applies multidimensional clustering of EU-28 regions to identify similar specialisation strategies and socioeconomic characteristics. It builds on an original dataset where the EU-28 regions are classified according to their socioeconomic and demographic features and to the strategic priorities outlined in their research and innovation smart specialisations strategy (RIS3).
The socioeconomic and demographic classification associates each region to one categorical variable (with 19 modalities), while the classification of the RIS3 priorities clustering was performed separately on “descriptions” (21 Boolean categories) and “codes” (11 Boolean Categories) of regions’ RIS3.