Project “E-Cooperation – Innovative Clusters“ | DERREG

Name / Title

Project “E-Cooperation – Innovative Clusters“
Implemented bypublic institution ‘Alytus Business Advisory Centre’

Case Study Region

Alytus county

Geographical coverage

Baltstogė – Suvalkai subregion and Elk subregion in Poland,  Alytus and Marijampolė regions in Lithuania     

Type

Project; advice service; partnership

Main activity / focus

The main objective of the project – to stimulate cooperation between Lithuanian and Polish enterprises in border regions in innovative economic sectors, by strengthening connections of Polish and Lithuanian companies working in the field of metal processing, by animating connections between firms working in Palenkė metal processing cluster and Lithuanian metal processing enterprises; to create internet website (platform): www.e-cooperation.eu, with Polish and Lithuanian firm database.

Target beneficiaries / market

Metal processing enterprises from Alytus and Marijampolė regions, Lithuania and Baltstogė, Suvalkai and Elk subregions, Poland 

Year established

2010

Current Funding source(s)

European Territorial Cooperation Objective Lithuanian and Polish Cross-border Cooperation Programme Lithuania-Poland 2007-2013 Small Project Fund

Participants

– Project partner in Lithuania – public institution “Alytus Business Advisory Centre”

– Project partner in Poland – Palenkė Region Programming Centre

– 40 participants in the seminars, 20 from Lithuania and 20 from Poland

Website

www.e-cooperation.eu

Description

Project tasks:

1. To identify active cluster initiatives and to extend them. It is anticipated to identify and involve metal processing cluster members from Baltstogė – Suvalkai subregion and Elk subregion in Poland and Alytus and Marijampolė regions in Lithuania.     
2. To carry out reseach with the aim to diagnose the needs and cluster development directions and to present cluster initiatives in this territory. On the basis of this analysis to prepare Metal processing cluster strategy and map. The prepared Metal processing cluster strategy and map:Metalo apdirbimo klasterio strategija ir žemėlapis. The experiences of ABAC and PRPC in administering wood (Lithuania) and metal (Poland) processing cluster initiatives was used in this research.
3. To organize seminars on modern wood and metal processing technologies, 1 seminar in Alytus and 1 in Baltstogė. The seminars will also provide possibility to discuss cooperation possibilities of Lithuanian and Polish businessmen in these sectors, cluster extension in the future. 
4. To create internet platform: www.e-cooperation.eu as a union of interest groups to develop cluster initiatives in border regions of Lithuania and Poland, competitiveness development in metal, wood industry, service and technology sectors. The patform is created by joining existing cluster initiative websites – metal processing, www.cpp.bialystok.pl/klaster  (Poland) and wood processing www.medienospartneriai.lt   (Lithuania) and adapting them to Lithuanian and Polish markets (Lt, PL, EN). The platform includes links to Polish Metal Processing cluster, Lithuanian Wood Processing Cluster and other cluster initiatives.  
   During implementation of this project the website for the cooperation network of Wood Partners (Mutual Help and Cooperation Network)was created:http://www.medienospartneriai.lt

In subsequent phases other initiatives and activities in the area of clustering on the borderland of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine will be included in the platform.

To join to the initiative Alytus Business Advisory center is inviting research institutions, universities and companies from all over Lithuania, Poland.

For the implementation and development of this platform a long-term cooperation contract „PLATFORMA „E-COOPERATION“ 2010-2013“ is signed between Alytus Business Advisory Center and Palenkė Region Programming Centre.

Contact details

Algimanta ŠčiglinskienėDirector of Alytus Business Advisory CenterS. Dariaus and S. Girėno street 2LT-62137, AlytusPhone.: +370 315 74357Mob. phone.: +370 652 81500Fax.: +370 315 74068

E-mail: alytusbas@perkunas.omnitel.net