TCI is the leading global network for practitioners, policy makers, researchers and business leaders working towards improving competitiveness in regions and clusters. TCI is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, with a global scope, open to members from all countries throughout the private, public and voluntary sector. Our member base currently consists of 1.700 leading practitioners from more than 98 countries. TCI is financed through annual membership fees. Become a member and join TCI network!

"World Class Sustainable Competitive Tourism Clusters"
7-10 April 2010, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
REGISTRATION OPEN at www.drtourismclusters.com. Share four intense days with cluster practitioners and tourism professionals from all over the world and experience on-site tourism clustering in one of the top destinations in the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic. Save the date, spread the word, and do not miss this opportunity!

“Competitiveness, Clusters and Development”
28-29 April 2010, New Delhi, India
TCI and Institute for Competitiveness, India, are organizing the 1st TCI Asia Competitiveness Forum to be held the 28th and 29th of April 2010, in New Delhi, India. The Forum will focus on the theme of “Competitiveness, Clusters and Development”. The conference will talk of issues related to competitiveness, clusters, social impact of clusters, SMEs and clusters, economic development, regional competitiveness, cross national issues, equitable growth, sustainability, policy imperatives, corporate role in economic development and eventually alleviating poverty at Asia level with specific focus on firm strategy, impact of clusters and policy imperatives.

15-17 February 2010, Elmina, Ghana
Under the theme "Cluster Initiatives for African Economic Development and Sustainability", the Second Continental Conference of the PACF will be held in Elmina, Ghana, from 15th to 17th February 2010. This Conference will be hosted by the Ghana Chapter of the Pan African Competitiveness Forum with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).

Article by Barnabas Nawangwe, TCI Director
All research data confirm that Africa, particularly the Great Lakes Region, is the worst affected by climate change. All the symptoms are there for everybody to see: drying rivers, shrinking lakes, disappearing forests and wetlands and loss of fertility of agricultural lands. This situation is aggravated by the fast growing population. In Uganda, for example, the annual population growth is 3.6%, almost marching the rate of economic growth. The efforts of many governments are being eaten up by these two factors. With this grim scenario, what hope is there for Africa to break out of the chains of poverty in the foreseeable future?

14-15 December 2009, Berlin, Germany
Within the TACTICS initiative, a workshop on "Promoting cluster excellence - measuring and benchmarking cluster“ was held in Berlin, Germany, the 14-15 December 2009. Numerours cluster experts gather together to discuss on cluster related key issues such as cluster excellence, benchmarking and quality criteria for cluster organisations, measuring the performance of clusters and channelling research and innovation funding through clusters.

21 January 2010, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
A workshop on “Cluster policy, recent experiences and challenges for the future” organized by Fundación Caixa Galicia will take place on 21 January 2010 in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, in which TCI President Alberto Pezzi has been invited to present TCI Network.

23-24th February 2010, Dortmund, Germany
Over 50 delegates are expected to attend the conference on the potential for cooperation between business incubation environments and clusters, organized under Europe Innova initiative and to be held in Dortmund the 23-24 February 2010.

Deadline for registration: 15 February 2010, San Sebastian, Spain

Orkestra-Basque Institute for Competitiveness will offer a course Microeconomics of Competitiveness (MOC), designed by Harvard to improve the global competitiveness of firms and territories. The course focuses into the company’s and its enviroment’s micro-economic factors to help participating representatives of companies and institutions understanding and transforming the competitiveness of their organizations and territory.

The TCI member Brandenburg Economic Development Board GmbH (ZAB) is the main contact point for all issues relating to business settlements, innovative medium-sized companies and technology-oriented start-up firms. ZAB is Brandenburg's central contact for inquiries concerning innovation and (external) business promotion as well as energy, technology transfer and cluster management.

TCI - The Competitiveness Institute offers visiting fellows the opportunity to work for a year in TCI Secretariat, Barcelona and learn how to manage a global network of practitioners. The candidate, an advanced student or a visiting fellow, is proposed and financed by the collaborating organisation and TCI is responsible for the training process. The result is a win-win collaboration where all the parties emerge strengthened from it.