The objective of NICE – a FP6 Coordination Action – is to strengthen the European ICT sector by networking clusters, having in mind that information and communication technologies (ICT) are playing a key role in achieving the main objectives of the Lisbon strategy. NICE seeks to bridge the gap between regions with a high innovative business environment due to ICT innovations and cluster building and those regions emerging. And, it intends to establish sustainable communication structures among the advanced regions. Therefore, the projects tends to support networking, co-operation, transfer of knowledge and initiation of joint projects between advanced ICT clusters of the European Economic Area and associated countries through
analysing clusters and entrepreneurial networking in the participating regions;
carrying out workshops to exchange experience and expertise, to initiate sustainable learning processes, and thus, improve the cluster management;
organising workshops to initiate and implement joint projects, business strategies and task forces among the ICT companies;
developing policy recommendations based on the gained key findings;
disseminating results and exploiting synergies among other (ICT) clusters and related EU projects like PAXIS or the accompanying measure in INNOV6.
Following these basic instruments, there are four sub-objectives that arise in this project addressing the dimensions »Cluster«, »ICT Sector« and »Policy«:
In first instance the project aims to support the clusters in strengthening their profile within the value chain. To know the own strengths and weaknesses, regional and market specificities and regional as well as global opportunities to invest into expedient competencies and thereby to increase competitiveness are gaining in importance for enterprises and cluster, too.
Furthermore the project aims to support the networking between participating clusters and regions to enhance capacity building and the ability to learn from each other. The aim is to build up a sustainable international ICT network not only between the partners of this project but also with partners from other projects within or outside this action. Transferring and not copying good practice, developing new ideas with international partners, building up mutual trust as a basis for joint work and exchanging success stories are key lines of this objective
The project intends to achieve practical outcomes in terms of business strategies, joint projects, task forces or twinning-meetings between enterprises. The objective is to create synergies by identifying complementarities. Bringing together not only cluster managers but also leading companies from the participant clusters, a starting point is set to ensure the connection to other companies within the cluster.
Concerning policies the objective is twofold and aims at transferring the obtained experiences and results: On the one hand, the results will be transferred to the participant associated regions. On the other hand, a wide dissemination of the defined policy recommendations based on the gained knowledge about ICT clustering, success stories and critical factors and international networking in the ICT sector is intended. Target groups for dissemination are other clusters and ICT interested regions, project partners within this programme and partners in related EU programmes.
