 | ‘Clusnet’ project launched to improve city-region cluster support policies 25-06-2009 Clusters are geographic concentrations of interconnected businesses,
suppliers and associated institutions focused around a particular theme or
sector. They represent an efficient way to concentrate resources and funding,
achieve critical mass and exchange knowledge and expertise. Subsequently they
promote increased economic economic activity, faster innovation, and cooperation
between the triple helix of public, private and academic sectors. As such they
have been an increasingly important focus for policy making at all levels in
recent years.
Cities play an important role in developing and supporting these clusters,
through for example the provision of funding, infrastructure and expertise.
Based on an appreciation of this, a new INTERREG-funded project, ‘Clusnet’, has
been launched to improve the effectiveness of cluster support policies in larger
European city-regions. EUROCITIES participated in the project’s first meeting
on 22-24 April.
Clusnet stems from work of the EUROCITIES Clusters Working Group (WG), where
a core of member cities developed the project proposal. By analysing cluster
policies in large European city-regions, the project will produce highly
operational policy recommendations targeting each partner city on how to
strengthen its cluster support policies. The project will also facilitate the
creation of links between clusters from partner cities, and there is potential
for partners to engage into staff exchanges of a longer duration, to strengthen
the understandings of cluster policy tools of the involved policy officers.
The project partnership involves Grand Lyon as lead partner, EUROCITIES,
Barcelona Activa, Budapest, Business Region Gothenburg, Dortmund, Eindhoven,
Helsinki, Leipzig, Manchester Enterprises, Munich, and Stockholm School of
Economics.
EUROCITIES is a key partner in the project, and will ensure that not only is
the project informed by EU policy and developments, but also that project
outputs are used to influence decision-makers and stakeholders in Brussels.
EUROCITIES’ Clusters WG Chaired by Lyon, will develop close linkages to the
project, enabling the wider membership of the network to both learn from project
outputs, contribute to activities, and undertake stand alone activities such as
city cluster mapping and EU policy analysis, that draw on lessons learned from
the project.
Source: EUROCITIES back |
