Presentation

Key note speakers include e.g.:

• Mr. Peter Dröll, Director of the Innovation Union and European Research Area Directorate, the European Commission
• Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Harald Unkelbach, CEO of Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG and Chairman of the Managing board of the Würth foundation
• Mrs. Kirsti Virtanen, Manager of Global Education Services, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Finland

The day consists of key note speeches combined with parallel expert working sessions and a panel discussion, where the results of the working sessions are presented. During lunch time the participants will have the possibility to visit the DHBW Heilbronn Laboratory Center “Sensoricum”.

Theme

Continually-evolving societies require more investments in the triangle education-research-innovation, not only for economic development, but also to create new innovations. More research, development and innovation (RDI) activities are needed at all levels to create economic growth in Europe. The general trend in European RDI is also shifting more towards entrepreneurship, regional development and added cooperation with the world of work. These aspects are at the center of the applied research in higher education. Its value is in the strong connection with regional SMEs, students’ working life skills and bringing the research results to the market fast.

In order to promote applied research and to further develop the RDI activities EURASHE and The Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg (DHBW) Heilbronn will organise a seminar on the role of applied research in regional development on Thursday 3 December in Heilbronn (Germany).

The aim of the seminar is to present different aspects of how regional development can be combined with and benefit from applied research. It brings together RDI experts both from local and international level and representatives from the world of work and offers a platform for exchanging ideas on how to further develop the activities in the future.

Topics presented include an address from the European Commission directorate for the Innovation Union and European Research Area, Europe-wide applied RDI, cooperation with the regional Chambers of commerce, the expectations for cooperation from regional SMEs and best practices on involving students in the cooperation with the world of work.

The day consists of key note speeches combined with parallel expert working sessions, where the key note topics are discussed and brainstormed. This is to offer new ideas, which can be implemented at the respective institutions. The day will end in a panel discussion, where the results of the working sessions are presented. During lunch time the participants will also have the possibility to visit the DHBW Heilbronn Laboratory Center “Sensoricum”.

The key objectives of the seminar are to generate dialogue between regional and international RDI experts from higher education institutes, to discuss the possibilities of widening the applied research activities and to share best practices from different institutions.