Across and cross-border opportunities for universities and business
Opportunities of the cross-border collaborations between academia and the business sector. This was the theme of the round table “Sciencepreneurship, from science to industry for Across-borders innovations” held at the University of Udine as a part of the Across Project (Task 3.4), with the participation of the University of Nova Gorica and Start Cup Udine, the competition for innovative entrepreneurial ideas promoted by the University.
It was an opportunity to reflect on the relationship between the science and business in a cross-border perspective, starting from experiences shared between Friuli Venezia Giulia and Slovenia, regions that benefit from a strategic position for the networking and the cooperation. The discussion also addressed the project to create a network of the cross-border centers (ABEC), aimed at connecting both fiscally and digitally, researchers, businesses, local institutions, initiatives and citizens from neighboring regions to collaborate on shared priority actions.
«Knowledge enhancement activities are becoming increasingly important alongside research and teaching, and the University of Udine strongly promotes them to strengthen ties with the local, national and international community, explained Giovanni Cortella, delegate for technology transfer at the University of Udine and member of task TT 3.2, Across border R&I projects. Enhancing research activities also means focusing them on the most current and relevant topics. The Across project, and the creation of its cross-border centers, confirm the University’s commitment to its international dimension, fostering networks and promoting new forms of innovation».
Alongside Cortella, the round table featured contributions from Giorgio Alberti, the University’s delegate for internationalization and a member of TT 1.1 (Across Border Alliance Governance); Marco Sortino, also from the University of Udine, and a member of TT 3.4 (Across border engagement centers: challenge teams, Across Incubator Hub, Across Buisness gateway), who presented the opportunities offered by Abec and the work of the startup Dynext; and Matjaž Valant, from the University of Nova Gorica and head of the Material Research Laboratory (an Alliance partner), who introduced the activities of the Green Technology Center in Nova Gorica, which he directs.
