EDNZ Cluster Development Course
Kick off 2025 by learning to create a significant local impact by focusing on your economic strengths. This bottom-up approach reflects that strong and evolving clusters provide economic stability to a region. What's more, though naturally occurring, you can impact their development.
Following our engaging Lunch and Learn with Ifor Ffowcs-Williams, this Zoom course provides an opportunity to delve further. The course is designed for New Zealand, where no national cluster programme is in place and local economic development is severely underfunded. NZ and international examples will be used.
Three 90-minute Zoom sessions
Each with a NZ guest and Q&A
Wednesday, 12 February, 9.30 - 11 am
Setting the Stage: The Logic
- Transforming NZ: the leadership role of EDAs and Councils.
- The rationale for cluster development as a cornerstone strategy for a region.
- Success factors, strong clusters.
Guest: Peter Harris, Economic Futures Manager, Queenstown Lakes District Council, exploring two tourism-tech clusters.
Wednesday. 19 February 9.30 - 11 am
Engagement in Practice: The How
- Practicalities in developing a local cluster development initiative.
- Segmenting a local economy;
- Resourcing cluster development
- Cluster ignition team; Cluster governance; Collaborative projects; Infiltrating nationally funded resources;
- Going global, at speed;
- Success indicators.
Guest: Brendan Gray, General Manager, EngageSouth cluster, Invercargill
Wednesday 26 February 9.30 - 11 am
Transforming your local economy
- Roles of an EDA/Council; Cluster initiative.
- Responding to topics raised by participants.
Guest: Jodie Kuntzsch, Chief Executive, Moananui Blue Economy Cluster, Nelson.
The course is designed for those leading and supporting local economic development: EDAs, Councils, Chambers, Industry associations, MBIE/Kanoa, Tertiary institutions, CRIs, NZTE, MPI, incubators …
To meet the government’s growth aspirations, cities and regions need to take a lead role, infiltrating and aligning central government funded activities around their local needs.
Prior to the first session, participants are encouraged to download and explore Transforming Local Economies, a NZ Toolkit that links to 125 cluster initiative websites worldwide and cluster support programmes. Toolkit provides a roadmap for shifting from outdated national policies to a place-based approach, fostering local strengths. It is about cluster development on a kiwi shoestring.
Practical advice is provided for identifying clusters, resourcing cluster development, infiltrating and aligning NZ partners, business-led leadership, targeted investment & talent attraction and going global at speed.
Ifor has been an advisor to The World Bank, OECD and economic development agencies in over 50 countries. These include many small, advanced countries where cluster development has become an energetic focus for SME development and investment attraction. Across Europe, 1,500 clusters are under development, generating well-paying jobs and frontier firms with an international reach.
A Zoom link will be provided for each session and Ifor’s slides forwarded after each. Ifor invites comments and questions by email after each session. On completion of the event, registered participants will receive an attendance certificate.
