The key to enhancing the competitiveness of the community is leadership

The first triple helix model program, which aims to strengthen the capabilities of local government heads, was held at Venezia Hotel in Yeosu, South Korea from July 25-26.

The triple helix model program is an educational program promoted by Yeosijae (Future Consensus Institute), the National Association of Mayors, and the Presidential Committee for Balanced National Development. The Program was developed with the awareness that when local governments, businesses, schools, and research institutes work together, they can build sustainable industrial ecosystems by creating jobs and industries optimized for each region.

On the first day of the program, Kwang-Jae Lee, president of Yeosijae, spoke about the triple helix model. Mr. Lee believes that the model can enhance the quality of life and boost competitiveness. Pyong-Son Song, CEO of Korea Enterprise Data, then gave a speech on how to analyze different regions using big data. Finally, Sae-Ho Kim, former vice minister of the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, discussed how to develop regional innovation systems through project management.

On the second day, discussions were held under the theme of urban regeneration projects and living SOC for balanced development.

The heads of local governments who participated in the program agreed on the need for educational programs to draw up different policies. They also expressed an interest in attending similar programs in the future to achieve practical results. 

Soo-Young Kim, the head of Yangcheon-gu in Incheon, stated: “We hope that people will be able to get practical advice from experienced outside experts on numerous topics.”

Young-Bae Kim, the head of triple helix model team, said: “Through the program, we were able to listen and respond to the concerns and needs of local government leaders. We will develop more educational programs that can provide practical policy alternatives to each region and later establish a dedicated organization focusing on such goals.”   

The triple helix model team plans to conduct additional programs in October and November and prepare full-time programs based on feedback from local government leaders. The program will first be aimed at the heads of local governments and later target working-level officials.