The UK Department of Trade and Industry (the DTI) is ultimately responsible for overseeing and implementing government policies on economics and innovation and therefore for trade clusters in Britain. The system operates through the Regional Development Agencies (the RDAs) for each of the 9 British regions. The RDAs work in tandem with local partners (businesses, universities and research institutes) to develop and implement a strategic plan to enhance the region’s competitiveness. There is a conscious effort made to promote not only the latest high technology industries, but also traditional skills and sectors. The governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland operate independently of this system and each has their own strategy for trade clusters and promoting innovation.
The regional strategies are all aimed at encouraging contact and collaboration between companies and universities but also inter-company contacts in order to promote innovation. The RDAs actively manage corporate incubators, science parks, financing from seed to venture capital and other assistance to companies. The total annual budget the RDAs is about €3.5Bn, financed by various national funds for innovation, regional funding and ministerial (DTI) funding.
Some of the RDAs have created Councils for Science and Technology, grouping together universities and companies to help define their regional strategy. Another initiative, called “Partnering for Knowledge” concerns bringing together employers with teaching institutes (universities, training centres) to help optimize human resources and employment opportunities. Each region is free to design the initiatives that best suit its requirements.
There are some 20 trade clusters in the UK that are considered of international importance. One of the most famous, and the envy of most other European counties, is the biotechnology trade cluster centered on Cambridge. The UK is by far the European leader in biotech with over 450 companies and 22,400 employees: in 2003 it generated revenues of £3.6 billion and spent £1.23 billion on R&D. The Cambridge Biotech Cluster has a long tradition of collaboration agreements between the private and public sector and boasts entrepreneurial characteristics of its researchers and other university staff. 41% of the companies in this cluster operate in the biopharmaceutical sector, 20% in medical instrumentation, 17% in agro-alimentation and 7% in the chemicals sector. This private sector is supported by a powerful public infrastructure provided by the university and by hospitals. The Cambridge Science Park also plays a crucial role in this project.
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