Keep on changing. But don’t lose focus.

Per Ericsson, General Director of VINNOVA and Xavier Ferràs (behind), Business Development Manager of CIDEM, eagerly listening to a question from the audience.

There were a number of breakout session in addition to the plenary. For example Public Institutions and Policy Renewals – Experiences from public agencies for competitiveness in Catalonia (Spain), Sweden and Emilia-Romagna (Italy).

In the session was Per Ericsson, General Director of VINNOVA – Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems, Xavier Ferràs, Business Development Manager of CIDEM – Center for Innovation and Business Development, Ministry of Industry, General Government of Catalonia, and Silvano Bertini, Head of the Economic Development Policy Unit of the Directorate of the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy.

The session analyzed the difference approaches to cluster development in the three European regions. All three have long term experiences in the field. Particularly on how horizontal policies can support cluster development, especially innovation transfer and strategic change support according to the needs of an increasingly turbulent an changing cluster environment.

One important point all three stressed was the need to continuously adapt the policies to an increasingly competitive and global world.

“Competitiveness is a moving target. You have to keep on changing but not lose the long-term policy goals,” Per Ericsson said. The means are competition and building knowledge.

“If you want competitive regions – why not let the regions compete. Beeing competitive is very much learning by fighting,” he said.