European project Alps4EU – Overcoming the fragmentation of clusters in the Alpine Space
Cluster policies were launched to respond to regional and national challenges and needs. They were developed on a national rather than a European level, resulting in today’s diversity of cluster policies and programmes.
However, cluster initiatives do nowadays face international challenges and need to respond to global competition.
An appropriate response towards these new developments can be achieved based on international links and trans-regional strategies. Especially cluster initiatives in the Alps need to address their lacking in this respect.
The objective of Alps4EU is to connect clusters in the Alpine region more closely and to overcome their fragmentation by specifically strengthening cluster initiatives, favouring the emergence of trans-regional meta-clusters. Moreover, the Alpine clusters’ competitiveness needs to be enhanced and clearly positioned as a European cluster, enjoying worldwide recognition, for the benefit of the region’s economy.
The project concentrates on clusters in four key sectors: Energy and Green Tech; Mechatronics and Engineering; Chemistry and New Materials; ICT.
The aim of the project will be reached by developing a trans-regional cluster strategy addressing policy makers, cluster managers and industry partners.
Concrete measures foreseen within the project are:
- Support clusters in their internationalisation (e.g. by joint transnational projects and the exchange of knowledge, resources, people and best practices)
- Initiate inter-cluster cooperation (e.g. by company missions)
- Ensure visibility through professional coordination and positioning of the Alpine cluster initiatives on a European level (e.g. in European cluster initiatives and networks)
Within the project, the main activities of the SEZ are focused on public relations and communication, on the finding of a common definition of the meta-cluster and on identifying the potential for cooperation in the Alpine Space.
Project Duration: 09/2011 - 02/2014
Countries: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland
Contact:
Lena Ohlig, Tel. 0711 123 4033
Email: ohlig@steinbeis-europa.de
Hartmut Welck, Tel. 0711 123 4031
Email: welck@steinbeis-europa.de