The Northern Connections project is one of the most ambitious projects for transnational cluster collaboration, that has been seen within the field of energy so far.
By giving the clusters in the different regions a platform for knowledge sharing within best practices as well as the competencies of our members, the project will ensure that our clusters will rise to a new level together.
Since the consortium also involves the decision makers from the political sphere, the clusters will benefit greatly in developing more concise smart specialisation strategies that are not only taking into account the regional competencies but also how they are related to the nearest markets.
Transnational and regional collaboration are notions that are at the core of any cluster’s strategy; the possibility to engage a broader stakeholder network and thereby provide a better service to the cluster members. The best way for clusters to work across regional and national borders is through collaboration with other clusters; this process usually takes a lot of resources since you need to meet and greet and develop the relationship with the different clusters over a long period.
Clusters are working across the Triple Helix, which is across the private sector (companies), knowledge sector (universities and Advanced Research Facilities) and the public sector (municipalities, regions and ministries). The three sectors are present in this project and that will ensure ownership and strong relations.