Mediterranean Conference
"Clusters as Drivers for Economic and Social Development in the Mediterranean Area"
14-15 June 2012, İzmir, Turkey
www.izmirconference.com

With around 300 participants from Mediterranean countries, the conference is expected to become a creative and synergetic platform, to meet and share policies and practices, exchange knowledge and produce valuable outputs. Clustering policies have been implemented and experienced widely in the Mediterranean Area for more than ten years. Within this rich diversity, it is aimed to create a discussion environment among policy makers and practitioners, working in different countries in the area.

Background

Clusters as Drivers for Economic and Social Development in the Mediterranean Area Conference, organized in cooperation with İzmir Development Agency, will bring academicians, researchers, practitioners and other related actors who work and study in the fields of clustering, competitiveness and innovation, together in an interactive discussion platform. The conference will mainly focus on clustering and innovation policy practices and the clusters' experiences in the Mediterranean Area.

Participants and Speakers

The expected attendance is around 300 participants, among who are economic development practitioners, policy makers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, cluster managers and facilitators, researchers, consultants, working in the field of clustering, competitiveness, innovation and economic development. Participants of the conference are primarily expected to be from Turkey, Southern and Eastern Europe, Balkans and other neighbor countries of Turkey (Black Sea and Caucasus Region, Middle East). The main outcome of the Conference will be building social bridges between all sides of the Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and European Countries.

Structure

The conference will be designed as a combination of academic presentations and practical knowledge on others' experiences. Interactive sessions (workshops, open space sessions etc.) will also be put into the structure in order to provide policy discussions based on experiences and implementations. Throughout two days there will be discussions around many important themes and questions, some of which are:
• What are the differences between cluster policies among Mediterranean Countries and between Mediterranean and other regions?
• How can regional/national innovation and clustering policies be successful? How can we find creative solutions to implementation problems?
• How can we measure the quality or success of our clustering policies and clusters?

The conference is composed of two main parts. In the first part, which is expected to cover 1 or 1.5 days, focus will be on the theoretical framework and experiences, discussing the policies, effects of evaluation and monitoring etc. In the second part will be dedicated to Turkish case. There will be panel discussions and Q&A sessions in both parts.

Location and Venue

The Conference will take place in İzmir, a natural bridge between east and west. İzmir is a welcoming city in all aspects, considering its physical, social and economic advantages. The historical, cultural, geographical and social attributes of İzmir constitute a perfect environment for international conferences. Also perspective and practices of İzmir in clustering and competitiveness fields present an interesting case to discover and study.

The Conference is going to take place in the Swissôtel Grand Efes Convention Centre, located in the city centre.