Tatarstan took up the baton of TCI Global Network Conference - the world conference on cluster development
Today in Antwerp (Belgium) at the 22nd TCI Global Network Conference - the world conference on cluster development, a flag exchange ceremony was held between Flanders hosting the Conference this year and the Republic of Tatarstan, which won the right to host the Conference in 2020. Taliya Minullina, the Head of the Tatarstan Investment Development Agency, took part in the ceremony on behalf of the Republic's leadership.
Clusters and cluster policy become a more and more popular approach in the world directed to the development of the economy, competitiveness growth, and stimulation of the country's innovation development. Russia's largest Machine-building Cluster, Information Technology Cluster (IT cluster), Polymer Processing Cluster, Furniture (woodworking) Cluster, Food Cluster, Construction Cluster, Construction Technologies and Materials Cluster, Kama Machine-building Industrial Cluster, Aquatic and Bio-Technologies Cluster and all the others successfully operate in Tatarstan. Two clusters are at the stage of formation: Light Industry Cluster and the Cooperative Cluster. The formation of industrial clusters stands as one of the effective tools for involving small and medium-sized enterprises, academic and educational institutions in the cooperation chains of large industrial corporations. According to the results of 2018, the number of participants in the machine-building cluster increased up to 119 enterprises, in IT cluster up to 102 companies.
"Tatarstan was one of the first regions of the Russian Federation that supported the idea of regional cluster development and to date, more than a dozen clusters have been created in the Republic, the strongest of which operate in petrochemical industry and IT. Our Strategy for 2030 is based on the cluster model of economic development.
“I am sincerely glad that the 23rd TCI Network Conference will be held in the hospitable land of the Republic of Tatarstan - the point of international communications in Russia. We already work with 155 countries in the world and are open to cooperation with you.
I wish you fruitful work at the Conference and invite you to Tatarstan on October 14-16, 2020 to discuss new challenges standing at the paths of cluster development and competitiveness growth," was written at the welcoming telegram from the President of the Republic Rustam Minnikhanov, which was read out by Taliya Minullina.
The application for the event was prepared by the Convention Bureau of the Republic of Tatarstan, acting under the Investment Development Agency of the Republic, the Innokam Association and HSE. On September 27 of this year representatives of the International Institute for cluster development TCI Network, including practitioners from development agencies, government agencies, cluster organizations, research institutions, companies from 110 countries, paid an inspection visit to the Republic within the framework of preparation for the Conference.
"We are delighted with the hospitality of Tatarstan and our visit's organization. We are confident that the Conference will be held at your best!" highlighted Meret Daniel Nielsen the President of TCI Network during the visit.
The Conference is the largest international event in the field of regional competitiveness and it is held annually since 1998 in various outstanding cities and regions, which are known for their success in building development strategies in spheres of innovation and strong clusters.
The TCI Global Conference has not been held in Russia and the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) thus far. Such events denote the transfer of world technologies and knowledge, image enhancement in the global expert community and the development of business tourism.
As Rustam Minnikhanov says, "The best-organized international events in history are already standing as a brand of the republic." The Convention Bureau of the Republic is responsible for attracting business events of international importance from various fields to Tatarstan.
"Tatarstan is a unique region of Russia, a leader in the investment climate and business hospitality, whose competitiveness is based on the rare ability to combine rich traditions, a thorough, systematic approach to everything aligned with a dynamic pursuit of new victories, new horizons, and new technologies.
Tatarstan is one of the three innovative regions of Russia.
The TCI Conference will be held with the participation of international experts and undoubtedly will accelerate the process of cluster development within the domestic economy.
We launch a mechanism of interaction by holding major world events. We will be glad to become a long-term trustworthy partner for all participants! From the point of view of investment cooperation with foreign countries, Tatarstan is particularly interested in technology transfer, cooperation at the level of engineering centers, the opening of joint high-tech industrial production in the Republic," emphasized Taliya Minullina in her welcoming speech at the Conference.
The main theme of the TCI Global Conference in 2020 will be "Partnership for cluster development: creating the future " as the part of 3C concept (Cities, Collaboration, Creative environment) and it will unite the world's leading researchers in field of cluster, representatives of cluster organizations and regional institutions that support competitiveness, developers of innovation and cluster policies who wish to carry out active work.
Holding an event of this scale in Russia would expand the boundaries of international scientific and business cooperation, introduce the best practices of strengthening regional competitiveness, cluster development and support for innovation. At the same time, the internationalization of clusters implemented within the framework of this event provides big opportunities for the reorganization of innovative processes in the regions, which are based on new forms of labor division and cooperation among the participants of clusters from all over the world.