At its meeting on May 11 this year, the Interministerial Committee on Space Planning and Regional Development (CIADT) decided not to renew the 'competitive cluster' label for 6 clusters, including SPORALTEC focused on sports & recreation. Nevertheless, the non-renewal does not challenge the quality of the cluster and its members, but underscores that innovation in sports and recreation does correspond to the criteria of the FUI (government agency funding industrial R&D projects), the main indicator for the 'competitive cluster' label.
However, CIADT did recognize the value of SPORALTEC for the businesses, research and training stakeholders involved in the cluster, and for strengthening the attractiveness of the region. Therefore, to keep the momentum going and continue the ongoing work since 2005, SPORALTEC may submit a request for support under the business cluster arrangement. SPORALTEC positioning will focus less on 'research and development' in the strict sense, but rather on Innovation, Expertise/Training, Promotion of Skills/Globalization.
Today, SPORALTEC is the European standard-setter for recent initiatives of sports-innovation networks that are taking shape in Spain, for instance, and that would like to draw on the French experience.