The Regional Research and Innovation Council (RRIC) is the advisory body for the Smart Specialization Strategy to the Regional Governor and the Regional Council. More specifically, it is an essential tool for supporting developmental actions and implementing the National Research, Technological Development, and Innovation Strategy.

RRIC provides support with recommendations, field studies, records and evaluations of existing infrastructure and available human resources and comparative assessments regarding the establishment of regional clusters of research organizations, technological entities, businesses, other entities and regional authorities to promote innovation, encourage the development of public and private sector partnership schemes and shape the conditions for the successful participation of regional organizations in National and European research projects.

RRIC ‘s recommendations and support provision are relative to:
(1) The horizontal networking of the regional bodies involved in the National Research, Technological Development, and Innovation Strategy, such as public research organizations, technological bodies, businesses, etc, as well as in proposals for the integration and interconnection of these bodies with research organizations in the regional economies.
(2) The joint analysis, alongside the general secretariat of research and technology, of the strategies for Research, Technological Development and Innovation in the region and the coordination of activities amongst national and regional planning.
(3) Determining the criteria and conditions for evaluating research proposals submitted to the regional authorities.
(4) Extending the beneficiaries’ access to funding sources, and the integration and interconnection of research organizations in the regional economies.
(5) The full utilization of Regional research potential and the provision of support to new scientists at the national, EU or international level, by taking specific measures including: (i) the support of public research organizations for the acquisition of suitable research equipment and the development of an infrastructural environment which allows them to fully utilize research potential, (ii) the provision of support for research infrastructure to which access is ensured on a transparent, non-discriminatory basis, (iii) the support for the organization of workshops and conferences on facilitating knowledge transfer or dissemination activities, as well as undertaking initiatives to disseminate and transfer research results to the industrial sector at a national level and abroad, and in international markets, and (iv) the identification of the needs and possibilities for supporting the research potential held by the regional public research bodies.