The International Workshop on “European Growth: Building Knowledge Society and Economy through Effective Business - Academia Partnership” - was held on 11 April at the leading Slovenian Research Institute in Ljubljana, the Jozef Stefan Institute. The gathering was organised in collaboration with the Knowledge Economy Network (KEN) and the CEI Secretariat.
The meeting aimed at raising awareness on how to mobilise resources for an enhanced and improved business - academia collaboration in order to make economies more competitive.The Workshop was chaired by Prof. Boris Cizelj (KEN Chairman) and attended by high-level personalities from the academic and business world as well as NGOs. Particular attention was paid to the benefits of business-academia partnership, policy and regulatory frameworks, the role of associations and networks linking business and research, synergies between industry-driven research and university curricula and issues of innovation funding, including venture capital.
CEI Secretary General, Ambassador Gerhard Pfanzelter, in outlining the CEI’s role with regard to Networking Knowledge Centres in the Region of Central Europe, focused on achievements reached through the CEI Science and Technology and University Networks, two instruments fostering the mobility of know-how. The CEI is highly committed to promoting a knowledge-based economy aimed at achieving smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, in accordance with the EU 2020 strategy. Ambassador Pfanzelter pointed out that successful innovation required integrated policies in the field of education, entrepreneurship and employment and that fragmentation ought to be reduced through a closer collaboration among academia and business.
The gathering was concluded with the adoption of the “Stefan Resolution”, summarising main positions and ideas discussed during the gathering. The Resolution will be disseminated to RTDI and business stakeholders worldwide.
For more information: pibernik@cei-es.org