27 November 2011 | 01 December 2011 | New Zeland

When the world looks to the future, they see New Zealand on the horizon. New Zealand is the first to see the sun rise each day - it also leads the way with innovations across many industry sectors. Boxing well above its weight, New Zealand has succeeded by drawing power from clustering and collaboration and has much to share.

That's why the 2011 conference has been hold in Auckland - now officially Australasia's largest city under one administration, home to amazing arts and culture, and revered location for water and team sports lovers, including being host to Rugby World Cup 2011 in just the few weeks leading up to the conference.

TCI 2011 conference will be long in the memory of all of us who were in Auckland during the week of 28th November, as the perfect place to forge business, research and academic ties for the future, taking home to your place the seeds for long-term success. New Zealand, Aotearoa "the land of the long white cloud", and Auckland, Tamaki Makau Rau "the land of a thousand lovers", welcomed the 220 participants from over 40 countries from the TCI community.

Organised by TCI and Auckland's economic growth agency, ATEED-Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development, conference partners included New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Ministry of Science and Innovation, Ministry of Economic Development, Auckland Council, University of Auckland Business School, Economic Development Agencies of New Zealand (EDANZ), KPMG and Committee for Auckland. TCI 2011 held events at seven different venues with a perfect organisation by the local team led by ATEED.

All 65 speakers across plenaries and workshops have given us valuable ideas and insights to take back home. Conversations between old friends and new friends will move competitiveness forward.

The conference programme, made up of cluster tours, plenary and workshop sessions, has a specific focus on competitiveness and economic and cluster development: it has been designed for professionals responsible for framing, designing and implementing economic development including officials, policy makers, business people, consultants, investors, analysts, academics, and development agencies.

The positive feedback received from participants is probably the best way to measure the success of a conference like this, and all comments, tweets, emails and posts confirm that this has been a top conference:

"TCI 2011 kept excellent standard. World-leading speakers and true international networking and collaboration", Sarah Beaman, New Zealand.

"This is the only conference that I attend although I am not presenting. Every year I learn new things and bring back to my organisation new perspectives and new ways of doing things that help us in our daily work". Christoph Beer, Switzerland.