The candidate, an advanced student or a visiting fellow, is proposed and financed by the collaborating organisation and TCI Network is responsible for the training process. The result is a win-win collaboration where all the parties emerge strengthened from it.

Deadline for applications is November 30th, 2011.

BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL THE PARTIES

Benefits for the collaborating organisation

• Enjoy a prominent role in a preeminent international network, which will increase the international visibility of your organisation
• Kowledge transfer in many areas, as TCI Network offers key information on best practices and latest trends on clusters, competitiveness and innovation systems on a global level
• Contact with leading competitiveness actors and relevant organisations active in cluster and regional development in a close, flexible and practical environment
• Access to hundreds of potential cooperation partners with deep expertise in clusters and competitiveness

Benefits for the visiting fellow

• Immersion in an international environment, with over 3.000 professionals from more than 100 countries
• Better knowledge of the functioning of a global network
• Advanced cluster knowledge arising from the exposure to the latest trends on clusters, competitiveness, innovation, regional development and economic growth
• Knowledge management expertise: Enriching of views and management skills by acting as a bridge between the two organisations
• Leadership when carrying out specific activities and projects

Benefits for TCI

• Tighter collaboration with its members, which creates proximity and a better understanding of their reality and needs
• Important support from trained, fresh- and open-minded individuals on day-to-day work
• Help in our everyday management model to move progressively towards transparency, openness and flexibility

WHICH IS YOUR ROLE, AS A VISITING FELLOW, IN TCI?

Mainly, your role will be to offer general support to TCI Secretariat, being responsible for the following:

• Content management of our portal: identify and edit the latest news and information that could be relevant to TCI members
• Content management and delivery of TCI's monthly Newsletter, sent to more than 8.000 subscribers
• Research and information projects: identify, select and summarise cluster-related information for TCI members
• Arrangement of conferences and seminars, especially the TCI Annual Global Conference
• Networking support: help TCI members to identify and contact the person or organisation within the network that can provide support at any given moment
• Marketing actions, relationships with partners
• Knowledge management between organisations

SOME TESTIMONIES

2010. Toni Pienonen, Regional Council of Central Finland, Finland. "Being immersed in TCI Network for half a year was a unique position for gaining a deep understanding of different methods of cluster development and building international connections. A community as varied and extensive as TCI Network is an immense asset for those ready to participate in it. I was able to immediately translate all this knowledge into benefits for my home organization. Everyday work at the TCI Secretariat was varied and always rewarding. All in all, a great experience, both professionally and personally."

2009 - 2010. Lina Arbeláez, Medellin Chamber of Commerce, Colombia. "TCI Network opened me to transfer of knowledge, helped me to understand how to manage an international network and appreciate the extent of its benefits and value. I was able to get in close contact with TCI members and foster an open exchange of good practices that gave me a richer and a broader vision of cluster-based regional development. I also had the opportunity to support the organization of a special event on clusters in Latin America - the 5CLAC, which was held in Colombia with very good results. I can say without any doubt that time spent with professionals and cluster practitioners from TCI Network was a unique and enriching experience for me and the Medellin Chamber of Commerce; thanks to it, a lot of improvements and strategic projects are on the way."

2008 - 2009. Leire Oiarbide, Orkestra - Basque Institute of Competitiveness, Spain. "Working at TCI is a great opportunity to get to know and listen first hand to many high level professionals on regional competitiveness, clusters and innovation. I have had the opportunity to help organising and also to attend the 11th and 12th TCI Annual Global Conferences, Cape Town 2008 and Jyväskylä 2009 where in a week I received valuable input from different people from all over the world. For me, the time I have spent at TCI has really been enriching due to the fact that the diversity of agents (development agencies, regional governments, researchers, etc.), nationalities and realities that this international global network provides is difficult to find in other organisations."

2007 - 2008. Lina Bunis, Sweden. "My time with TCI was undoubtedly a unique and enlightening experience where I had the opportunity to learn about the many approaches on competitiveness issues and to take part in the organisation of a large variety of events. Not only is an internship at TCI an excellent opportunity to learn from cluster practitioners worldwide with many years of experience, it is also a chance to add practical knowledge to your academic studies and gain insight into every phase of the different projects. TCI Network and its activities provide a perfect base for your future undertakings and challenges, and the international atmosphere of the organisation is a stimulating first experience of the branch."

HOW TO COLLABORATE WITH US?

If you want to collaborate with TCI within this or a different framework, do not hesitate and contact us. We will be glad to share with you the experience of global networking!

CONTACT

TCI Secretariat
info@tci-network.org

World Trade Center
Moll Barcelona s/n, East Building, 2nd Floor
08039 Barcelona - SPAIN
www.tci-network.org
tel. +34 93 309 48 34
fax. +34 93 550 44 69

20 August 2011