The National Governors Association has selected Iowa as one of seven states that will participate in a yearlong economic development academy. The program, part of the NGA’s Center for Best Practices Policy Academy, is titled “State Strategies for Promoting Innovative Clusters and Regional Economies.”

The policy academy offers state leaders a chance to work with nationally recognized experts and peers from other states to apply the cluster concept to economic development strategies in their states. An industry cluster is defined as a concentration of industries or businesses that gain economic advantage from being located near one other. Iowa has pursued a strategy of working to attract clusters of bioscience, advanced manufacturing and information technology companies, based on the results of a consultant studies by the Battelle Memorial Institute.

“The Policy Academy offers a chance to bring together our state’s decision makers and influencers to develop a cohesive industry cluster strategy,” Gov. Chet Culver said in a release.

Representatives chosen by Culver from several state agencies, including the departments of economic development, workforce development and education and the community colleges and the state universities, will participate in the academy, which begins this month and continues through June 2008.

Other states chosen by the NGA to participate are Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Oregon and West Virginia.