News
SERBUL Project was presented at RIS Focus Group ‘Clusters and Innovation Financing’ First Workshop – Innovative clusters
Regional clusters – geographical concentrations of interdependent companies and knowledge/technology suppliers – are often considered as useful instruments to foster innovation and economic development. Many RIS projects include clusters dimensions in their analyses, and the establishment and promotion of regional clusters in their innovation strategies.
The meeting of the Focus Group focused on the set-up phase of regional clusters and cluster policies. 
The aim was to give participants input for reflection on the potential benefits as well as limitations to working with regional clusters. Using RIS projects as a starting point, the event provided practical illustrations of how IRE regions have launched activities to establish regional clusters, motivate innovation support actors to work with a cluster approach, and elaborate a coherent regional cluster policy.
You can see the presentation at www.innovating-regions.org
Program
Monday, 29 May 2006
09.00 Registration
09.30 Workshop objectives and agenda. Cluster policies in IRE regions
Lena Mårtensson, IRE Secretariat
10:00 Cluster policy – a remedy for all regions?
Mateja Dermastia, ANTEJA ECG d.o.o.
10:45 Clusters in RIS regions
South East Bulgaria – Sonya Enilova, Agency for Regional Development and Innovation
Trnava – Stefan Vratny, BIC Bratislava
11:15 Coffee break
11:45 Establishing clusters in Tartu and South Estonia – a RIS based initiative
Rene Tönnisson, Tartu Science Park
12:30 Questions & Answers
12:45 Lunch
14:00 Regional networks for cluster support – the case of Western Sweden
Helena Nilsson, Västra Götalandsregionen (tbc)
14:40 Step-by-step development of a cluster policy – the case of Flanders
Bernard de Potter, IWT
15:30 Coffee break
16:00 Regional conditions for clusters development – Group discussion
• Are there any existing/potential innovative clusters in your region? What are the main regional strengths that can be used for cluster development?
• What is the most important task at the moment in your region to support clusters (e.g. promote a culture of collaboration between companies, establishing cluster management structures, encourage regional authorities to adopt a cluster perspective, etc)?
• Are there any existing cluster support programmes/initiatives? What kinds of new ones are needed?
• Who in your region is most suited to drive the cluster process? What is the best way of engaging companies in the process?
The discussion should result in questions to the speakers.
16:45 Round table discussion
Tuesday, 30 May 2006
Panel I:
Regional cluster policies
08.30 Registration
09.15 Opening
Mr Bernard De Potter, IWT Flanders
09.30 European Commission’s Fostering of Innovative Clusters
The IRC and IRE Cluster Initiatives
Ms Renate Weissenhorn, Support for Innovation Unit, Enterprise and Industry
Directorate-General, European Commission
New EC Cluster Initiatives
Mr Nikos Pantalos, Innovation Policy Development Unit, Enterprise and Industry
Directorate-General, European Commission
10.15 Why regional clusters – rationales and trends in cluster policies
Mr Kimmo Halme, Advansis Oy
10:45 The IRE Subgroup on ‘Regional clusters as innovation drivers’ – key
findings
Mr Nils Gabrielsson, Innovating Regions in Europe Secretariat
11:15 Coffee break
11:45 Cluster policies in Flanders
Mr Bernard De Potter, IWT Flanders
12:15 Cluster policies in Yorkshire and Humber
Mr Reza Zadeh, Yorkshire Forward
12:45 Questions & Answers
All speakers
13:15 Lunch
Panel II:
Cluster management: examples from the IRE Cluster Subgroup
14:30 Cluster mapping and feasibility studies in South East of England
Mr Peter Taylor, South East of England Development Agency
15:10 Cluster facilitators: Organisation and services in East Lombardy
Mr Giancarlo Leoni, Province of Mantova
15:50 Coffee break
16.15 Monitoring and evaluating cluster initiatives in Flanders
Mr Bart De Caesemaeker, IWT Flanders
16:55 Questions & Answers
All speakers
17:15 End of Day 1
Wednesday, 31 May 2006
Panel III:
How innovative clusters can be stimulated and promoted at the
regional level?
09.30 Toolmakers Cluster of Slovenia
Dr Brane Semolic, Toolmakers Cluster of Slovenia (TCS)
10:00 Tourism_Cluster in the County of Jämtland, Northern Sweden
Ms Sara Nordin, ETOUR, Mid-Sweden University
10:30 Coffee break
11:00 Wood Cluster in South Tirol
Mr Hannes Kollar, Mag. Kollar GmbH
11:30 Open Source Cluster in the Stuttgart region
Mr Hans-Ulrich Schmid, Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation
12:00 Questions & Answers
All speakers
12:30 End of workshop
