15th TCI Annual Global Conference
"Constructing place-based competitiveness in times of global change"
www.tci2012.com

16 - 19 October 2012, Basque Country, Spain

Venues: Euskalduna Conference Center and Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao
Kursaal Conference Center, San Sebastian

Take a look to the conference brochure

How do firm- and cluster- level strategies combine in the construction of city, regional or national strategies for ensuring sustainable competitiveness? The construction of this ‘place-based' competitiveness presents important challenges: both for competitiveness and cluster policies; and for firm and cluster management. Moreover, these challenges are heightened given the rapid changes in relationships, institutions and contexts that characterize today's global competitiveness environment.

The 2012 TCI Annual Global Conference will provide a unique opportunity for policy-makers, cluster practitioners and academics to advance our understanding of these challenges, and to discuss practical approaches to key issues such as competitiveness policies today, cluster renewal, smart specialization, inter-cluster collaboration, policy governance, evaluation and benchmarking, the role of universities, cluster entrepreneurship, innovation infrastructures, management of IPRs, creativity and collaboration, leadership, etc.

Hosted in a part of the world renowned for building competitiveness strategy from the strengths of its firms and people, the conference will also offer an opportunity to share and reflect on the competitiveness trajectory of the Basque Country, a region with strong tradition, experience and results in cluster and competitiveness policy. Delegates will have the chance to explore first-hand some of the region's innovative clusters - renewable energy, machine tools, wine and tourism, ... - and unique experiences such as the city regeneration of Bilbao or the cooperative organisation of Mondragon.