Developing national cluster policy and sustainability in Turkey

Setting up a comprehensive clusters’ policy to contribute to achieving a sustainable economic, social and environmental development in Turkey.

This  project was designed to set up a comprehensive Clusters’ policy to contribute to achieving a sustainable economic, social and environmental development in Turkey.

Development of the Clustering Policy Project was launched to form a base for the national clusters’ policy by supporting the competitive sectors in the  country and to contribute to the development of a competitive structure in order to ensure a sustainable increase in export rates.

Services provided:

  • competitiveness assessment of selected clusters, mapping of clusters, value chains, and relationships between stakeholders
  • sector and sub-sector studies (growth potential, opportunities for FDI)
  • analysis of the business environment, existing programs, initiatives
  • policy design, strategy development and elaboration of initiatives aiming at improving competitiveness institutional strengthening (training courses and on-the-job training)
  • organization and implementation of study visits  and promotion missions
  • analysis of existing support mechanisms, policy tools and instruments and the design of new tools
  • analysis of institutions and recommend structural changes
  • designing and conducting stakeholder analysis, training needs assessment, developing the curriculum and delivering training
  • evaluation of pilot clusters
  • direct assistance to SMEs and institutions on developing cluster road maps

The project was financed by the EU funds with a budget of 6 Million Euros within the scope of the EU Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance.

Client: European Commission

Date: 2007 – 2009

CEE Cluster network, Central and Eastern European cluster and network area

A project for increasing cooperation between clusters and networks in Central and Eastern Europe.

This project aimed to increase the cooperation between clusters and networks in Central and Eastern Europe. The CEE Cluster Network focuses on linking the eleven partner regions/countries, whose innovation policies focus on cluster and network policy using an INNO-Net. The main objective was to find coherence in the different regional cluster policy implementation methodologies and to shape a common policy by defining common strategic issues, strategies and programmes.

Joint Quality Guidelines were prepared, cross border networks of key innovation and CEE actors were created, common issues and needs of SMEs and governments (within all participating regions) were investigated and presented in a “Cluster Memorandum”  expressing the intention of  coherent innovation policy development. Linkages with existing and planned European innovation programs and initiatives of CEE initiatives were identified and innovation cluster operational programs were designed  for joint trans-regional projects. Regional and national level innovation, cluster initiatives and support programs were analyzed. 

In Slovenia, a capacity building on policy development on the regional level was provided.

Services provided:

  • Analyzing existing innovation and cluster initiatives and programs.
  • Mapping of relationships and linkages among regional stakeholders.
  • Needs identification and identification and assessment of potential for international cooperation.
  • Identification of fields / industrial sectors / clusters with strong potential for collaboration and elaboration of pilot actions.
  • Support in drafting of agreement of CEE Cluster Network partners.

Partners: Upper Austrian Technology and Marketing TMG – Clusterland Upper Austria.

Client: European Commission

Date: 2006 – 2008

Project’s website