The Competitiveness Institute (TCI)

The Competitiveness Institute is a non-profit organization, created by a group of economic development professionals and cluster practitioners with the principal aim of collecting and exchanging information and best practices on cluster development initiatives worldwide. TCI's mission is to improve living standards and the local competitiveness of regions throughout the world, by fostering cluster-based development initiatives.

TCI’s Board of Advisors is composed by relevant personalities from the world of politics, business, and international institutions that have played an important role in the application of cluster initiatives. Its membership base includes more than 300 leading practitioners from over 40 countries, from government, educational institutions and the private sector. By sharing knowledge and experience members gain access to leading cluster expertise and the most recent global developments in cluster competitiveness.

Clusters Asia Pacific (CAP)

Clusters Asia Pacific (CAP) Inc is a network of organisations with a common interest in developing and sharing knowledge about industry clusters, and in collaborating with like-minded groups in the Asia Pacific region and beyond. CAP has links with organisations in twenty five countries, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Mauritius, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, USA and Wales.

CAP is an affiliate of The Competitiveness Institute (headquartered in Barcelona) and is also an active member of the OECD's Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) program.

Central Highlands Area Consultative Committee Inc (CHACC)

The Central Highlands Area Consultative Committee Inc (CHACC) is a non-profit community based organisation funded by the Australian Government under the Regional Partnership Program. CHACC is part of a national network of Area Consultative Committees. The CHACC Inc brings together provincial stakeholders to identify opportunities, priorities and growth strategies for the Central Highlands region in Victoria. Assisting stakeholders stimulate investment in the Small to Medium Enterprise sector forms part of the CHACC mission.

Working in partnership with government, business and community representatives, CHACC has assisted in facilitating Australian Government funding for diverse projects and initiatives in the SME sector. These have ranged from retail analysis and skills development in Ballarat and Moorabool municipal areas, to funding a Community Resource Centre in Avoca where businesses can access E-commerce training. And the successful Indigenous Employment Program has been operating through CHACC for three years. This initiative links unemployed indigenous community members to job opportunities and employment service providers.

Far North Queensland Area Consultative Committee (FNQACC)

Far North Queensland Area Consultative Committee (FNQACC) is part of the national network of Area Consultative Committees (ACCs) which provide an important link between the Federal Government and rural and metropolitan Australia. As volunteer community based organisations, ACCs are uniquely placed to respond to issues in their regions and provide a vital conduit to government on local, social and economic conditions.

The committee members are drawn from the community, local business and government, and provide strategic leadership and direction to ACCs in fulfilling their charter and functions.

FNQACC and other ACCs act as the link, enabling the Government to respond to each region’s needs and encourage the local community to take up the Government programmes designed to achieve these goals. In this way, regional communities will achieve optimal growth and development, by managing change at the local level.

The Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development (IIRD)

The Victorian Government is supporting a number of cluster based initiatives aimed at exploiting domestic and international market opportunities, reducing costs, filling supply chain gaps and identifying opportunities and actions to enhance global competitiveness. Recent cluster initiatives supported by the Victorian Government that are beginning to achieve, or are already realising outcomes include:

• The Australian Aerospace & Defence Innovations LTD (AADI ) cluster;
• Small Scale Technology Cluster;
• Tooling cluster;
• Regional Clusters Innovation Program;
• Multimedia and ICT cluster initiatives such as, Computer Games, eLearning, Intelligent Transport Systems Network Victoria, Radio Frequency Identification, Microelectronics Designers’ Network (VMDN), etc.

The Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development is the Victorian Government’s leading economic development agency and has a number of roles including:

• Promoting innovation;
• Investment attraction and facilitation;
• Export development;
• Addressing small business issues; Promoting leading edge manufacturing.

City of Ballarat

The City of Ballarat prides itself on working with the community to create a vibrant, safe and progressive City.

Council provides a number of valuable services to Ballarat residents, all of which play a vital role in enriching, protecting and supporting the community through different life stages in a variety of ways. These services include family and children’s services, aged and disability services, community development, recreation, statutory planning, the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, regulatory services, waste, parks, road and footpath development and maintenance, economic development, tourism, major events, community events and festivals and Her Majesty’s Theatre.

The City of Ballarat is committed to encouraging economic growth within Ballarat. Council recognises the financial benefits that business clustering can have on a community and this is recognised through Blueprint Ballarat and through its work with industry to develop an ICT cluster and a food cluster, as outlined in its Economic Development Strategy. This is consistent with the State Government’s Cluster and Innovation Program.

The City of Ballarat is proud to be associated with the 2005 CRIC Cluster Conference and Workshop.

University of Ballarat

While pre-eminently a regional institution serving the communities of the Central Highlands and Wimmera, the University of Ballarat also has a national and international focus and is building extensive partnerships and strategic alliances within and beyond its region.

The Centre for Regional Innovation and Competitiveness (CRIC)

The Centre for Regional Innovation and Competitiveness (CRIC) is a research centre within the Institute for Regional and Rural Research. CRIC is based within the School of Business and is also involved in collaborative programs extended across the University.

The Centre for Electronic Commerce and Communications (CECC)

The Centre for Electronic Commerce and Communications (CECC) operates as a business unit of University of Ballarat. Through education, training research and consultancies CECC promotes the advancement of eCommerce, particularly in its practical application in regional and rural Australia.

CECC has extensive experience in project management and in the development and implementation of eCommerce solutions and services. Our approach is characterised by partnerships with geographical communities, regional groups, businesses and with local, state and federal governments.