Economic Development Under the Spotlight

Wednesday 17 December 2003
PRESS RELEASE

Economic Development Under the Spotlight

The changing dynamics of economic development in New Zealand will be the focus of discussion at a forum in Auckland early next year.

The Economic Development Forum 2004 is open to individuals and agencies involved in economic development, and provides an opportunity to exchange ideas and expertise with leading economic development specialists from the OECD.

The forum is being held on February 9 & 10 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Auckland and will be hosted by the Institute of Public Policy at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT), in partnership with the Economic Development Association of New Zealand (EDANZ), and the Auckland area chapter of EDANZ the Auckland Regional Economic Development Association (AREDA).

It will be one of the key events of the economic development calendar for 2004 according to Professor Ian Shirley, Director of the Institute of Public Policy.

“The forum will focus on economic development at the coalface with particular emphasis on new initiatives, new strategies and new directions. It’s an opportunity to benchmark economic development in New Zealand against the best the world has to offer,” he says. “The forum will examine what is being done as well as what improvements could be made – the emphasis will be on opportunities and constraints.”

David Wilson, Economic Development Programme Leader at the Institute of Public Policy, says that the programme will cover major issues confronting economic development practitioners working at local level.

“Issues to be progressed include how to coordinate and align local and national development strategies and the distinctive elements and best practices characteristic of local and regional economic development.”

The forum will feature leading figures in economic development including Sergio Arzenii (Head of the LEED programme within the OECD, Paris) and Greg Clark (Director of Strategy Development, London Development Agency and Chair of the Forum on Cities and Regions, OECD).

To register visit www.economicdevelopment.org.nz For registration enquiries email edforum@tcc.co.nz phone 09-360-1240.

ENDS

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