31 May 2016
As part of Orkestra’s 10th anniversary celebrations, experts in regional competitiveness from 10 countries are meeting in San Sebastián and Bilbao to discuss competitiveness policies and initiatives in the Basque Country and get to know first-hand the existing competitiveness model. The first meeting has been held today in the Bilbao campus of the University of Deusto
This is the first meeting that the RIAC’s Group of Experts in Subnational Competitiveness helds outside the American continent. Orkestra has become an international reference in the study of regional competitiveness and, for this reason, has been responsible for organising the meeting programme. Over four days, between May 31 and June 3, participants will have the opportunity to learn about the different methodologies and public policies on competitiveness promoted in the European Union as well as the competitiveness model developed in the Basque Country.
The Inter-American Competitiveness Network (RIAC) is an initiative of the Organisation of American States (OEA) which promotes the Exchange of experiences and the strengthening of links between those responsible for advancing economic development, competitiveness and innovation in the countries of the American continent.
In this context, this work group is particularly interested in learning about and sharing methodologies for the preparation of diagnoses, measurements and strategies of economic development in order to boost competitiveness and innovation at a territorial level. The knowledge generated will be applied in states, regions or cities which promote the execution of public policies on economic development and competitiveness of scale in the public and private sector.
The meeting seeks, furthermore, to explore in detail the initiatives of territorial competitiveness developed in the Basque Country in aspects such as smart specialisation strategies, assessment of public policies of territorial competitiveness, regional indicators and measurements, multigovernance and decentralisation, cluster policies, entrepreneurship or the challenge of sustainability for development. Researchers at Orkestra and heads of different institutions and organisations that work on competiveness projects in the Basque Country will describe their different experiences during the work sessions.
On the last day, the experts participating in the meeting will draft a document reflecting the main recommendations with regard to the issues covered during the previous days. This reflection will contribute towards progress in the construction of a solid foundation for the joint actions of members and will be presented via the Organisation of American States (OEA) to the Pro tempore Presidency of the RIAC Network, currently occupied by Mexico.
Among those attending the meeting are countries and institutions belonging to OEA, as well as public, private and academic entities specialised and interested in competitiveness and national, state, regional or municipal economic development. Also attending the meeting will be representatives of the Latin American Development Bank (CAF), the Inter-American Development Bank (BID), the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE), the Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils (GFCC), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL), the Monterrey Technological Institute and the Organisation of American States (OEA).
