During the project, two cycles of training seminars are expected:

A. The first cycle will aim to acquaint the participating bodies with the concept and operation of clusters, to inform them about good practices and to promote collaborations in respective European and international initiatives such as cooperatives, innovation centers, competitiveness & entrepreneurship, regional development policies and smart specialization strategies. The first cycle will analyze how a cluster works, ways of funding, rights and obligations of members, and other issues related to its operation. Important subjects will be further developed such as the challenges of: i) creating a common partnership, ii) promoting innovation, iii) promoting cooperation, iv) internationalization, v) improving cluster partnerships. There will also be a qualitative depiction of the value chains of Greek phytogenetic resources (qualitative value chain analysis), along with a stakeholder analysis, aimed to capture the relationships, viewpoints, aspirations and interests of those involved, as well as their willingness to participate in cooperative schemes. Finally, actions for the promotion, utilization and promotion of natural products will be assessed.

B. The second round of seminars will concern the sustainable use of Greek biodiversity and phytogenetic resources, the legislation that governs it, the possibility of its exploitation, the certification / authentication of the products produced but also the practices of social and environmental responsibility of companies, the creation of products’ identity as well as innovative methods of producing new natural products.

Domestic and abroad visits for member training. Clusters will be visited abroad to gather information on their operation, and their members will be invited to share the experience obtained in special seminars or informative conferences. Visits to cluster-specific exhibitions will contribute to the analysis of the value chain.