Karanganda hosts the 4th training week of the Kazakh'Cluster Excellence programme

The 4th training module on Cluster Excellence Management was delivered in Karaganda, Kazakhstan between the 19 and 23 February 2018. This module focused on change management and creating the environment for competitive collaboration among the businesses.

The training forms a part of the Kazakhstan SME Competitiveness Project, with a special focus on cluster development and has been impulsed by the Kazakh Ministry of National Economy in coordination with KIDI, the Kazakstan Industrial Development Institute.

For this 4th training week  the programme gathered a faculty of experienced international instructors:

• Saskia Bonefoi, Competitiveness Inc.
• Jordi Conejos, former Director General, Government of Catalonia.
• Kadri UUs, Baltic Innovation Agency.
• Reza Zadeh, EFCE.

For the record, venue for the training week was the Chaika hotel, a landmark in space exploration history since it is the hotel where, after landing, the first cosmonauts stayed, recovering from the feat they accomplished.

Botswana's National Strategy Office partners with the Foundation

The delivery of the Competitiveness Reinforcement Initiative in Botswana started on 6th February with the 1st training module on Cluster Economics and Cluster Initiative Selection. A few fast facts about the partnership:

• The project is the responsibility of the National Strategy Office (NSO) of Republic of Botswana.
• Lead partner is the Cluster Competitiveness Group Inc, with the Foundation providing the training element of the project.
• Mr. Uttom Corea, Director General of the NSO addressed the opening session of the training which took place at the Gaborone Fairgrounds conference facilities.
• 5 further modules are to be delivered over the next 12 months.

The project kickoff was featured in the national news as shown by the pictures above, courtesy of Botswana's 1st national TV channel.

Kazakhstan building capacities in SME Competitiveness

In January the city of Shymkent hosted a new chapter of the Foundation’s training in SME development and innovation. Organized in coordination with consulting firm Competitiveness, this week was the third of a total of 6 training weeks dedicated to Cluster Excellence Management.

It was delivered to the team from Kazakhstan Industrial Development Institute (KIDI) and other cluster actors in the country.