Governance and funding of competitive clusters
The governance
Several structures are active in the public governance of competitive clusters.
Competitive clusters must be defined and developed on a Walloon scale. It is indeed a question of networking all economic, scientific, technological and human skills over the whole of Walloon territory without favoring a particular sub-region.
The government left the organization and management of the competitive clusters to industrialists. The government is present in the competitive clusters only through observers responsible for verifying that the philosophy of the competitive clustersis as defined by the government. The government has established a framework and means for developing the competitive clusters policy. Responsibility and project management are left to industry and scientists. The Region provides expertise and assistance in setting up projects through its administration (Technology and Research, Economy and Employment) and its para-regional organizations (FOREM, AWEX).
Each competitive clusters therefore has its own Governance Council.
- The presidency is obligatorily ensured by an industrialist.
- The vice-presidency must be ensured by a scientist.
- Balance in SME / GE representation is systematically sought.
- The Walloon Region is represented by two members appointed by the Government.
- Administrations can be represented at the request of the competitive clusters.
For all operational issues, the divisions have an operational unit in charge of the day-to-day management of the competitive clusters.
The quality assessment of the competitive clusters and of the projects they implement was entrusted to an international jury made up of national and international experts who are formally committed to this process. The government, on the basis of the opinion of the jury, labels the projects and grants the financial means for their realization.
The international jury is made up of the following experts (click here for a brief presentation):
- Mr. André Petitjean (BE)
- Ms. Charlotte Hubert (FR)
- Mr. Hervé Bourlard (CH)
- Mr. Christian Dutilleux (BE)
- Ms. Nathalie Boy (FR)
- Mr. Frank Aranzana (FR)
- Mr. Jacques Pelerin (BE)
- Mr. Hans-Erik Rhodius (NL)
- Mr. Micchele Cincera (IT)
- Ms. Hélène Musikas (FR-GR)
An expedited administrative process and a simplified form have been developed to ensure rapid review of files and expedited implementation of projects. The Region supervises the competitive clusters to ensure respect for the cooperative spirit, good governance, the adequacy of the orientations and the quality of the selected projects.
An inter-cluster committee has been set up to allow exchanges of information and good practices between the competitive clusters and public activities. Finally, to guarantee everyone's commitment to the success of this policy, a High competitive clusters Committee brings together the competitive clusters and the social partners.
The administrative unit
As part of the implementation of the competitive clusters policy, an administrative unit has been created. It is a one-stop-shop for any initiative within the framework of competitive clusters.
This administrative unit is in charge of:
- operational monitoring of the competitive clusters' policy
- monitoring and controlling the operational units of the competitive clusters
- administrative follow-up of competitive clusters projects
The administrative unit is the privileged interlocutor of the competitive clusters for all questions addressed to the administrations of the Region.
Funding
The Region supervises the competitive clusters to help them financially and to ensure the solidity of the projects. The government has undertaken to cover part of the operational costs of the competitive clusters.
Financing of operational costs
- the subsidy for structural and organizational costs, covering the operating costs of the competitive clusters's operational unit;
- the financing of experts for the reception of foreign investments;
- export support for the financing of missions and export actions