The TCI Global Conference every year gathers hundreds of cluster practitioners and policy makers from all over the world to discuss recent trends and challenges related to clusters. At this year’s occasion, 8-10 November 2016 in Eindhoven, the two INTERREG Europe projects CLUSTERS3 and CLUSTERIX 2.0 shared a working session named “Adapt cluster policies for S3”.
Both consortia combine regions with varying economic backgrounds, different cluster policy approaches, very experienced as well as young cluster regions. A structured analysis (e.g. SWOT analysis, benchmarking, peer review) enabling mutual understanding was therefore the first important step in both projects.
The analyses’ results discussed with the participants at the TCI working session showed the contribution of clusters to regional innovation and smart specialization strategies – both in the design as well as the implementation. As a clear strength in most regions clusters ensure stakeholder involvement; area for improvement in many cases is the interlinkage with other instruments for the right policy mix.
CLUSTERS3 and CLUSTERIX 2.0 will continue the mutual exchange of experience but are also looking forward to the collaboration with a wider community through the INTERREG Europe Policy Learning Platform Research and Innovation (http://www.interregeurope.eu/policy-learning-platform/research-and-innovation/).
