The Blue Economies in the Western Balkans: how higher education and innovation could contribute?
Montenegro and Albania, like the famous tourist countries, Greece, or Croatia, stretch alongside the Mediterranean coast. However, Montenegro and Albania have comparatively much smaller economies in the maritime sector. Why is that?
"The Western Balkan countries of Montenegro and Albania still keeps the heritage of the planning economy," says Vilma Puriene, director of the Knowledge and Technology Transfer Centre of Vilnius Gediminas technical university (VILNIUS TECH). "Simply saying, the generations of adults raised during the years of collision between planning and market-orientated economies have not been able to adapt to the rules of a new economic era."
This inexperience in a market economy is now showing – the young generation is lacking examples and practices on innovation or entrepreneurship from the previous generations.
The synergy of the maritime sector and higher education
The loss of knowledge transfer reflects on labour market statistics: in Albania, the number of businesses in the maritime sector is declining. High unemployment and a low rate of new business start‐ups in both Western Balkan countries follow the situation. Thus, the synergy between the maritime industry and maritime education is crucial to solving this situation.
Yet, raising the quality of maritime education and delivering larger numbers of graduates to the blue industry is not enough.
"It is necessarily needed to look beyond the maritime education, to see the wider picture where education in maritime is extended to the Blue economy," highlights V. Puriene, who is also the manager of the "BLUE WBC" project in which VILNIUS TECH participates.
VILNIUS TECH, as a partner of an "Erasmus+" project "Sustainable development of BLUE economies through higher education and innovation in Western Balkan countries ("BLUE WBC")", contributes to the development of the Albanian and Montenegro higher education.
"The maritime education should include competence in maritime tourism and adaptation as well as competencies on innovation and entrepreneurship," adds V. Puriene.
Developing the economy while improving higher education
The "BLUE WBC" project, led by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, strives to improve the innovation and entrepreneurship of the Blue economy in higher education in Montenegro
and Albania, where both countries have little or no experience.
VILNIUS TECH Knowledge and Technology Transfer Centre and Faculty of Business Management, together with other "BLUE WBC" project partners, are creating new educational programmes concentrating on innovation and entrepreneurship.
"The overall ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship in VILNIUS TECH focuses on the start-up culture promotion, practical activities and real collaborations and spinoffs with business," says Dr. Milena Medineckiene, a Vice-dean of the VILNIUS TECH Faculty of Business Management. "Relevant study programmes, our university's centres and hubs with the experts in business development and innovation give students the up-to-date knowledge and promotes a practical approach on innovative business development."
"Good practices on the relevant study programmes we have, the overall knowledge on innovation are being shared with the "BLUE WBC" project consortium," says Dr. M. Medineckiene.
More than just a study programme
Even there are no educational programs in neither Montenegro nor Albania covering innovation and entrepreneurship, creating study programmes for bachelor and master studies is just a first step.
"Blue industry needs qualified graduates, as current students need attractive study programmes, with the latest and most advanced equipment and simulators," says V. Puriene.
However, it is a closed cycle – delivering graduates to the maritime sector leads to sponsored equipment, and in return, makes the academy attractive and up to date.
"Montenegro and Albania need outside assistance to connect to this cycle," states V. Puriene.
Thus, one of the project's objectives is to create centres dedicated to innovation and entrepreneurship.
VILNIUS TECH has established a Creativity and Innovation centre "LinkMenų fabrikas", which is designed, as a measure, to improve the quality and practical approach of study programmes for the students from different faculties.
"Together with the Entrepreneurship centre, it promotes entrepreneurship, innovation, prototyping and interdisciplinary approach. It is a place to involve practical experience in the study process," says V. Puriene.
The three future centres which will be established in universities of Albania and Montenegro will provide adequate education and training of students and professionals in innovation and entrepreneurship in the specific Blue economy topics (off-shore, cruise ship and yachting, marine engineering and maritime and coastal tourism).
The centres will be equipped with new and upgraded equipment – from 3D printers, 3D modelling, virtual reality software to crane and upgraded marine simulators.
Expectantly, these centres will contribute to the improvement of higher education in the Western Balkan countries. In the long term, they will add significant value to the sustainable development of the Blue economy in the region.
Project implementation period: 2020-01-15 – 2023-02-28.
The “BLUE WBC” project is co-funded by the “Erasmus+” programme of the European Union.
Project coordinator – Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norway). Project partners – Vilnius Gediminas technical university (Lithuania), University of Montenegro (Montenegro), University of Vlora “Ismail Qemali” (Albania), University of Tirana (Albania), University of Split (Croatia), NTNU Ocean Training AS (Norway), Chamber of Economy of Montenegro (Montenegro), General Maritime Directorate Durres (Albania), Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center Tehnopolis (Montenegro).
More about the project: https://bit.ly/3Aq4kOB
"The Western Balkan countries of Montenegro and Albania still keeps the heritage of the planning economy," says Vilma Puriene, director of the Knowledge and Technology Transfer Centre of Vilnius Gediminas technical university (VILNIUS TECH). "Simply saying, the generations of adults raised during the years of collision between planning and market-orientated economies have not been able to adapt to the rules of a new economic era."
This inexperience in a market economy is now showing – the young generation is lacking examples and practices on innovation or entrepreneurship from the previous generations.
The synergy of the maritime sector and higher education
The loss of knowledge transfer reflects on labour market statistics: in Albania, the number of businesses in the maritime sector is declining. High unemployment and a low rate of new business start‐ups in both Western Balkan countries follow the situation. Thus, the synergy between the maritime industry and maritime education is crucial to solving this situation.
Yet, raising the quality of maritime education and delivering larger numbers of graduates to the blue industry is not enough.
"It is necessarily needed to look beyond the maritime education, to see the wider picture where education in maritime is extended to the Blue economy," highlights V. Puriene, who is also the manager of the "BLUE WBC" project in which VILNIUS TECH participates.
VILNIUS TECH, as a partner of an "Erasmus+" project "Sustainable development of BLUE economies through higher education and innovation in Western Balkan countries ("BLUE WBC")", contributes to the development of the Albanian and Montenegro higher education.
"The maritime education should include competence in maritime tourism and adaptation as well as competencies on innovation and entrepreneurship," adds V. Puriene.
Developing the economy while improving higher education
The "BLUE WBC" project, led by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, strives to improve the innovation and entrepreneurship of the Blue economy in higher education in Montenegro
and Albania, where both countries have little or no experience.
VILNIUS TECH Knowledge and Technology Transfer Centre and Faculty of Business Management, together with other "BLUE WBC" project partners, are creating new educational programmes concentrating on innovation and entrepreneurship.
"The overall ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship in VILNIUS TECH focuses on the start-up culture promotion, practical activities and real collaborations and spinoffs with business," says Dr. Milena Medineckiene, a Vice-dean of the VILNIUS TECH Faculty of Business Management. "Relevant study programmes, our university's centres and hubs with the experts in business development and innovation give students the up-to-date knowledge and promotes a practical approach on innovative business development."
"Good practices on the relevant study programmes we have, the overall knowledge on innovation are being shared with the "BLUE WBC" project consortium," says Dr. M. Medineckiene.
More than just a study programme
Even there are no educational programs in neither Montenegro nor Albania covering innovation and entrepreneurship, creating study programmes for bachelor and master studies is just a first step.
"Blue industry needs qualified graduates, as current students need attractive study programmes, with the latest and most advanced equipment and simulators," says V. Puriene.
However, it is a closed cycle – delivering graduates to the maritime sector leads to sponsored equipment, and in return, makes the academy attractive and up to date.
"Montenegro and Albania need outside assistance to connect to this cycle," states V. Puriene.
Thus, one of the project's objectives is to create centres dedicated to innovation and entrepreneurship.
VILNIUS TECH has established a Creativity and Innovation centre "LinkMenų fabrikas", which is designed, as a measure, to improve the quality and practical approach of study programmes for the students from different faculties.
"Together with the Entrepreneurship centre, it promotes entrepreneurship, innovation, prototyping and interdisciplinary approach. It is a place to involve practical experience in the study process," says V. Puriene.
The three future centres which will be established in universities of Albania and Montenegro will provide adequate education and training of students and professionals in innovation and entrepreneurship in the specific Blue economy topics (off-shore, cruise ship and yachting, marine engineering and maritime and coastal tourism).
The centres will be equipped with new and upgraded equipment – from 3D printers, 3D modelling, virtual reality software to crane and upgraded marine simulators.
Expectantly, these centres will contribute to the improvement of higher education in the Western Balkan countries. In the long term, they will add significant value to the sustainable development of the Blue economy in the region.
Project implementation period: 2020-01-15 – 2023-02-28.
The “BLUE WBC” project is co-funded by the “Erasmus+” programme of the European Union.
Project coordinator – Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norway). Project partners – Vilnius Gediminas technical university (Lithuania), University of Montenegro (Montenegro), University of Vlora “Ismail Qemali” (Albania), University of Tirana (Albania), University of Split (Croatia), NTNU Ocean Training AS (Norway), Chamber of Economy of Montenegro (Montenegro), General Maritime Directorate Durres (Albania), Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center Tehnopolis (Montenegro).
More about the project: https://bit.ly/3Aq4kOB
“OUTPACE”: how to innovate tourism through pop culture?
The increased popularity of Croatian city Dubrovnik after its appearance in HBO’s “Game of Thrones” or the global attention drawn to Lithuania, as a filming spot of the HBO’s miniseries “Chernobyl” – these are just a few illustrations of popular culture influence on a particular tourist attraction. This interest in tourist venues spurred by popular culture (films, TV series, books, music) serves as an essential part of the global economy, and to some tourism destinations is even vital nowadays.
Yet, this pop culture incentive for a particular tourist destination may be short-lived. Usually, companies in the tourism sector provide excellent traditional services but face difficulties in mastering the benefits and opportunities brought by the pop culture.
Thus, the “Erasmus+” project “Innovating tourism through pop culture” (“OUTPACE”) seeks to provide tourism and creative industry educators, development stakeholders and entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills to capitalise on pop culture trends.
Towards innovative tourism: methodologies and resources
The project’s results – intellectual outputs, consist of regional actions plans, resource pack, open education resources, and innovators’ app.
The Pop Culture Tourism Alliances & Actions Plans seeks to bring together tourism and creative/cultural industries stakeholders to analyse regional skills gaps and create an action plan for ongoing collaboration. Therefore, the resource pack aims to introduce stakeholders to the concept of Pop Culture Tourism and its ability to transform regional tourism economies. Alongside the idea of training a new generation of innovative tourism sector creators, the open educational resources are tailored to enable educational institutions and business support organisations to adopt a systematic approach to training learners. Finally, the Pop Culture Tourism Innovators’ App will give direct access to training and collective learning for educators, students and entrepreneurs interested in moving into tourism and digital content through creative industries.
The project targets higher education institutions, the tourism industry and small and medium creative enterprises, business development and vocational education organisations, and business management and tourism students.
Project implementation period: 2019-09-01-2021-08-31.
The “OUTPACE” project is co-funded by the “Erasmus+” programme of the European Union.
Project coordinator – Vilnius Gediminas technical university (Lithuania). Project partners – Canice Consulting (UK), University of Greenwich (UK), Icelandic tourism research centre (Iceland), Momentum educate + innovate (Ireland), and Swedish tourism innovation center (Sweden).
More about the project: Outpace website
Yet, this pop culture incentive for a particular tourist destination may be short-lived. Usually, companies in the tourism sector provide excellent traditional services but face difficulties in mastering the benefits and opportunities brought by the pop culture.
Thus, the “Erasmus+” project “Innovating tourism through pop culture” (“OUTPACE”) seeks to provide tourism and creative industry educators, development stakeholders and entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills to capitalise on pop culture trends.
Towards innovative tourism: methodologies and resources
The project’s results – intellectual outputs, consist of regional actions plans, resource pack, open education resources, and innovators’ app.
The Pop Culture Tourism Alliances & Actions Plans seeks to bring together tourism and creative/cultural industries stakeholders to analyse regional skills gaps and create an action plan for ongoing collaboration. Therefore, the resource pack aims to introduce stakeholders to the concept of Pop Culture Tourism and its ability to transform regional tourism economies. Alongside the idea of training a new generation of innovative tourism sector creators, the open educational resources are tailored to enable educational institutions and business support organisations to adopt a systematic approach to training learners. Finally, the Pop Culture Tourism Innovators’ App will give direct access to training and collective learning for educators, students and entrepreneurs interested in moving into tourism and digital content through creative industries.
The project targets higher education institutions, the tourism industry and small and medium creative enterprises, business development and vocational education organisations, and business management and tourism students.
Project implementation period: 2019-09-01-2021-08-31.
The “OUTPACE” project is co-funded by the “Erasmus+” programme of the European Union.
Project coordinator – Vilnius Gediminas technical university (Lithuania). Project partners – Canice Consulting (UK), University of Greenwich (UK), Icelandic tourism research centre (Iceland), Momentum educate + innovate (Ireland), and Swedish tourism innovation center (Sweden).
More about the project: Outpace website
NLL Hydrogen Valley met SHREC virtually
Virtual meetings have already become the new normal. SHREC partners met online on May 28th in order to discuss the renewable energy challenges and upcoming project activities. SHREC stakeholders from NLL Hydrogen Valley held a presentation on the hydrogen developments in NNL and Hanze UAS involvement in these initiatives.
SHREC stakeholders NLL Hydrogen Valley presenting their new developments to SHREC partnersThe Northern Netherlands is the first region to receive a subsidy for their so-called Hydrogen Valley. The North Netherlands’ subsidy application for a Hydrogen Valley has been approved by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) of the European Commission. It concerns a subsidy of 20 million euros with a public-private cofinancing of 70 million euros. This brings the total project size to around 90 million euros.
This subsidy is intended for the development of a fully functioning green hydrogen chain in the Northern Netherlands. The six-year project – called HEAVENN – will start in January 2020 at the latest. More on NLL Hydrogen Valley read here.
This subsidy is intended for the development of a fully functioning green hydrogen chain in the Northern Netherlands. The six-year project – called HEAVENN – will start in January 2020 at the latest. More on NLL Hydrogen Valley read here.
VGTU together with international partners will help to establish the centres of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) in the maritime segment in Montenegro and Albania
For two days, ten partners from Europe has been participated at NTNU Campus Aalesund in order to start the EU supported Erasmus+ project - Sustainable development of BLUE economies through higher education and innovation in Western Balkan Countries -BLUEWBC.
The purpose of the project is to establish centres of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) in the maritime segment in Montenegro and Albania. Through the support of partners from Lithuania, Croatia and Norway, the project will establish study programs and strengthen existing study programs with curriculums in I&E.
I&E is important to support growth of employment and the development of the economy in Montenegro and Albania.
Dr Milena Medineckienė and Lina Bakšienė were representing Vilnius Gediminas Technical University and shared the knowledge in I&E and offered strategical steps in order to implement the project.
VGTU has extensive experience in entrepreneurship culture and new innovative business, international cooperation in R&D and innovation and will lead in close cooperation with one of the strongest technical universities in Scandinavia – Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
VGTU will propose guidelines for curricula changes in order to develop I&E competencies in partners’ universities.
The project started on 15th of January 2020 and will run for three years. During the course of the project a number of initiatives in I&E will be developed, including I&E centres, equipment to support the innovation process and new University curricula for study programmes in maritime engineering.
The project BLUEWBC stands for: Sustainable development of BLUE economies through higher education and innovation in Western Balkan Countries.
First picture: project partners visiting "Smart City Lab" at NTNU (Alesund)
Second picture: dr Milena Medineckienė introducing VGTU to international partners at NTNU (Alesund)
The purpose of the project is to establish centres of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) in the maritime segment in Montenegro and Albania. Through the support of partners from Lithuania, Croatia and Norway, the project will establish study programs and strengthen existing study programs with curriculums in I&E.
I&E is important to support growth of employment and the development of the economy in Montenegro and Albania.
Dr Milena Medineckienė and Lina Bakšienė were representing Vilnius Gediminas Technical University and shared the knowledge in I&E and offered strategical steps in order to implement the project.
VGTU has extensive experience in entrepreneurship culture and new innovative business, international cooperation in R&D and innovation and will lead in close cooperation with one of the strongest technical universities in Scandinavia – Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
VGTU will propose guidelines for curricula changes in order to develop I&E competencies in partners’ universities.
The project started on 15th of January 2020 and will run for three years. During the course of the project a number of initiatives in I&E will be developed, including I&E centres, equipment to support the innovation process and new University curricula for study programmes in maritime engineering.
The project BLUEWBC stands for: Sustainable development of BLUE economies through higher education and innovation in Western Balkan Countries.
First picture: project partners visiting "Smart City Lab" at NTNU (Alesund)
Second picture: dr Milena Medineckienė introducing VGTU to international partners at NTNU (Alesund)
SHREC stakeholders met in Vilnius to discuss the transition to alternative energy
The first SHREC stakeholder meeting in Vilnius was organised on the 12th December at Vilnius Gediminas technical university (VGTU). VGTU is one of the partner universities in SHREC project.
The stakeholder group was formed from the following organisations: Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Lithuania, Lithuanian Energy Institute (LEI), Lithuanian Solar Energy Association, Ignitis Group (Lithuanian Energy), Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park, BOD Group Digital Energy hub and the Public Investment Development Agency, university researchers working in the field of energy efficiency and alternative energy, Lithuanian Wind Energy Association, and Lithuanian Confederation Of Renewable Resources.
The SHREC project was presented to the stakeholders: the goals and objectives, partners, upcoming plans and future meetings. The project was very well received by the stakeholders and active discussions took place. It was discussed that many actions have already taken place within the Lithuanian ecosystem towards the energy transition, however there is a lack of systematic and integrated approach. Thus, developing and fostering the more integrated approach between different ministries and organisations towards energy transition has been recognized as one of the main influence points were the stakeholders can contribute to the project development.
During the meeting it was proposed to include the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania, Ministry of the Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania, Ministry of Transport and Communications and The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the stakeholder group of SHREC in Lithuania. The efforts and actions of key ministries and different sectors should be joined working towards the policy formation of energy transition. It is important that the Ministry of Transport and Communications would be included regarding the issues of mobility and CO2 reduction in transport.
Stakeholders expressed strong interest in joining the project activities and international partner meetings, discovering the good and bad practices, of partnering countries and sharing their own experience. In order to move forward with these plans, it was agreed that VGTU will share the information from the SHREC kick off meeting with the stakeholders as well as keep informing the stakeholders through the whole project period. The next partner and stakeholder meeting in March has been disscussed and stakeholders have been invited to join. It was agreed that stakeholder meetings in Vilnius shall be organized 2 times per year.
The SHREC project aims to improve regional and national policies to increase the share of energy from renewable sources in the overall energy, to promote and facilitate the production and use of renewable energy for businesses, communities and households seeking to reduce carbon emissions.
More information: https://www.interregeurope.eu/shrec/
The stakeholder group was formed from the following organisations: Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Lithuania, Lithuanian Energy Institute (LEI), Lithuanian Solar Energy Association, Ignitis Group (Lithuanian Energy), Sunrise Valley Science and Technology Park, BOD Group Digital Energy hub and the Public Investment Development Agency, university researchers working in the field of energy efficiency and alternative energy, Lithuanian Wind Energy Association, and Lithuanian Confederation Of Renewable Resources.
The SHREC project was presented to the stakeholders: the goals and objectives, partners, upcoming plans and future meetings. The project was very well received by the stakeholders and active discussions took place. It was discussed that many actions have already taken place within the Lithuanian ecosystem towards the energy transition, however there is a lack of systematic and integrated approach. Thus, developing and fostering the more integrated approach between different ministries and organisations towards energy transition has been recognized as one of the main influence points were the stakeholders can contribute to the project development.
During the meeting it was proposed to include the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania, Ministry of the Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania, Ministry of Transport and Communications and The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the stakeholder group of SHREC in Lithuania. The efforts and actions of key ministries and different sectors should be joined working towards the policy formation of energy transition. It is important that the Ministry of Transport and Communications would be included regarding the issues of mobility and CO2 reduction in transport.
Stakeholders expressed strong interest in joining the project activities and international partner meetings, discovering the good and bad practices, of partnering countries and sharing their own experience. In order to move forward with these plans, it was agreed that VGTU will share the information from the SHREC kick off meeting with the stakeholders as well as keep informing the stakeholders through the whole project period. The next partner and stakeholder meeting in March has been disscussed and stakeholders have been invited to join. It was agreed that stakeholder meetings in Vilnius shall be organized 2 times per year.
The SHREC project aims to improve regional and national policies to increase the share of energy from renewable sources in the overall energy, to promote and facilitate the production and use of renewable energy for businesses, communities and households seeking to reduce carbon emissions.
More information: https://www.interregeurope.eu/shrec/
VGTU researchers helping to increase the efficiency of EU health care system
H2020 PHC21-proposal
SHIRE: Self-management approach to Healthy ageing
using an ICT-Dashboard for
engagement and Response
using an ICT-Dashboard for
engagement and Response
“A consortium composed of 12 partners from 8 European countries and lead by University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) prepared the SHIRE project”
Europe’s healthcare system is currently still very much focused on ‘curing’ rather than ‘preventing’, especially when it comes to the older citizens. Existing preventative health measures are generally still very much ad-hoc, directed at one specific life-style issue or one specific health risk, and/or national or regional in focus. Integrated preventative health systems are currently not possible because: (i) such approaches have rarely been attempted; (ii) sensor systems that can monitor personal health and life-style status are lacking; (iii) personal feedback and intervention systems are either not existing or rarely used.
A consortium composed of 12 partners from 8 European countries and lead by University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) prepared the SHIRE project proposal which was submitted for Horizon2020 call PHC21 on the 21st of April. The implementation of this project will help to keep health care affordable, and to realize ‘healthy ageing’, disease management needs to be transformed into health management and focus on preventive measures to ensure a good physical, mental, nutritional and social health condition.
The SHIRE project leader prof. Bart Verkerke (UMCG) emphasizes that “in this project we will realise a comprehensive inter-European approach around an ICT-based ‘dashboard’ for use by older citizens from across EU nations”.
VGTU researchers will increase R&D excellence in the field of Informational and Cyber Security
ISECURI: Fostering Excellence and Transnational Research Potential in Informational SECURIty Research and Innovation
The ISECURI project is aiming at strengthening and broadening the scientific potential of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU) in a highly important area of information security, covering modern information security technologies, design and development of secure information systems, cybercrime prevention and cyber forensic methods in area of critical information infrastructure, i.e. the project is focusing on security issues that emerge as a consequence of new technologies and the increased dependence on ICT. As a final result of project implementation would be the establishment of R&I Information and Cyber Security Competence Centre in the Baltic States on the VGTU basis, which is currently leading on information security topics in Lithuania. The established centre is expected to act both as a research centre and the regional influencer of public and private sector in area of information security. The project tasks are to be achieved by attracting and joining competence of consortium partners are two European leading institutions in information security: Stockholm University and Vienna University of Technology and International Innovation Consultancy IIC. Project tasks will be oriented towards investing into research and related competencies of VGTU academic and research staff, its renewal, young scientists, defining the research trends and strategy. The project includes the staff training workshops and visits, summer schools for young scientists, promotes joint research project between consortium partners and dissemination of research results via highly ranked publications. The project would have regional and European scientific and socioeconomic effect, support the Lithuanian Smart Specialization Strategy, would add to implementation of HORIZON 2020 program tasks and overall European information security level.
VGTU researchers will increase R&D excellence in the field of Waste management
WALISOLU: Waste management research capabilities development in Baltic States
In 2013, the average municipal solid waste production in the EU amounted 481 kg per capita. Of this, 42% was recovered through recycling or composting, 30% was landfilled and 26% was incinerated. In Lithuania however, waste management is less developed and some 96% of municipal solid waste is landfilled and only 4% of waste is recycled. Research is needed in LT to develop better waste management systems leading to the reduction waste going to landfill and an increase in recovery of useful materials from waste in accordance with EU Directives. The aim of the WALISOLU project is to develop the proficiency of scientists at Vilniaus Gedimino Technical University (VGTU) in the research area of waste management leading to the formation of a Waste Management Research Centre in the Baltic States. The project will contribute to the implementation of the Lithuanian Smart Specialization Strategy through the recovery of energy and fuel from waste, and sustainable waste treatment, disposal and storage. Leading researchers from the University of Southampton (UK) and Lulea Technical University (SE) will provide training and mentoring for researchers at VGTU. Training activities will provide knowledge and expertise in waste management research, especially regarding modelling, and laboratory and field research techniques. Mentoring of the research activities of VGTU staff will lead to improvements in experimental design, data collection and analysis as well as to the production of high-level scientific publications and participation in international research projects. WALISOLU will improve the quality of research and will raise the profile of VGTU researchers. Working together with highly experienced and skilled partners in waste management research will raise the competence level of VGTU researchers. Greater national and international collaboration will lead to the creation of a waste management research centre and will unlock VGTU and its scientists’ research potential in ERA.
VGTU Knowledge and technology transfer certer aims to empower partnership of universities & industries
NOEMI – New Open Ecosystem for Materials Innovation
The project NOEMI aims to empower the universities/industries partnership as key driver of open innovation dynamic at regional level. Six different ecosystems for innovation in European areas have been chosen as fields for application, with a specific focus on the advanced materials sector, in line with smart specialization strategy of committed regions. Besides universities, the project consortium includes a strong industrial presence (notably with Airbus DS that, through its driving role, will permit to bring the whole sector) likely to impulse significant co-creation of solutions to reinforce links and mutual understanding all along the innovation chain. It also foresees the involvement of civil society organizations at different phases of the work program, through the use of innovative crowdfunding tools. The methodological approach chosen by the consortium for driving analysis relies on the so-called quadruple helix paradigm that has been intensively described in the literature, stressing its relevance to describe innovation dynamics.
The project respects a geographical balance as it focuses on six regional ecosystems in France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Denmark and Lithuania. As a prerequisite, a benchmarking of existing open innovation initiatives in the different regions and a comprehensive review of particular environments will be undertaken. Related findings, identified good practices and successful schemes will be cross-shared, and tailored-made co-created pilot projects will be implemented to further optimize regional open innovation dynamics. Without omitting the role of infrastructure and financing aspects (physical capital) the project will focus on human capital through training activities and networking. The project will seek wide involvement of the different and numerous types of stakeholders in relation with open innovation, and will also promote cross-sectorial impact, advanced materials being a crosscutting and enabling technology area which affects a vast majority of industrial sectors. The integration of actors along the innovation value chain can make a key contribution to decrease the time to market for innovations and specifically those where private and public actors jointly address the societal challenges.
Organizations involved in this consortium will directly benefit from the result of NOEMI that will contribute to the continuous improvement of their innovation processes. In addition, findings and related recommendations will be widely disseminated and address directly different target groups such as the scientific community, socio-economic players and innovation ecosystems as a whole. It will also address indirectly public authorities, by providing its results to other consortia working on OI policy recommendations.
VGTU will stimulate Smart Specialization Ecosystem through engaging SMEs in Open Innovation processes
“Stimulating Smart Specialization Ecosystem through Engaging SMEs in Open Innovation Processes”
BSR Stars S3
The introduction of the concept of smart specialization has challenged European regions to establish innovation-driven development strategies that focus on areas of strength and competitive advantage. Regions are also urged to “specialize in a smart way” – considering how they can leverage and develop their own areas of specialization in relation to those of other regions. Even though regions desire to leverage their own strengths in combination with innovation capacity in other regions transnationally, the existing structures, operational mechanisms and financing frames are not suited to these transnational ambitions. For example the policy approach of open, platform-based development of new ecosystems calls for new tools of innovation management and follow-up systems.
The main objective of the BSR Stars S3 project is to improve competences and capabilities of innovation actors (SMEs, universities, business development organizations, regional authorities and national policymakers) to apply a transnational approach in the implementation of their regional and national smart specialization strategies.
Building on existing activities and policy governance structures (e.g. Innovation Express, the BSR Stars Advisory Board and the PA INNO Steering Committee), the BSR Stars S3 project aims to develop more integrated innovation support infrastructures (e.g. EEN, test/demonstration facilities, innovation platforms) and new innovation management tools to leverage complementary competences across borders in the BSR.
The project focuses on cross-sectorial S3 field bio-/circular economy using digital economy as an enabling field leveraged from the smart specialization strategies of the participating regions of Skåne (Sweden), Copenhagen (Denmark), Tampere (Finland), Vilnius (Lithuania) and Sor-Trondelag (Norway). The project will engage almost 400 SMEs in public-research-business events, 150 SMEs in transnational coaching, and 10 SMEs with transnational access to bioeconomy test facilities in the BSR – leading to new financing and international business cooperation projects. The project will engage the five regional project partners in analyzing, developing and testing new tools and methods for regional and transnational implementation of S3 as well as more than 30 additional regional and national authorities in learning and policy development activities.
The project main outputs are a cross-sectorial S3 support programme for SMEs and policy briefs with recommendations that can be used at the regional, national and EU-levels for efficient S3 implementation. The project expects to foster more efficient approaches to transnational collaboration on common challenges with specific focus on bio-/circular economy and a more integrated innovation ecosystem in the BSR.
VGTU will help to stimulate valorisation processes in academia in open innovation settings utilising the social sciences and humanities in BSR and Danube macro-regions
“New Valorisation Models for Academia in Innovation EcoSystems”
ValorInno
Project Consortium consists of partners from 4 countries. Lead Partner: Lund University (SE).
Partners: Ministry of Employment and the Economy (FI); Ministry of Education, Science and Sports (SI); Innovation and Technology Agency MITA (LT); Helsinki University (FI); Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (LT); University of Ljubljana (SI). Project is supported by ERDF Managing authorities: The Ministry of Education and Science (LT) and Tilvaxtverket (SE).
Project is supported by Innovation Priority Area Coordinators of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea and Danube Macro-Regions.
The ValorInno project addresses the lack of innovation capabilities and capacities for the commercialisation processes in Universities, especially utilizing social sciences and humanities, with the aim to make them part of regional ecosystems for sustainable and knowledge driven growth. These challenges tackled from an interregional and macro-regional level and firmly anchored with the ValorInno partners: universities, agency and ministries from the Baltic Sea and Danube macro-regions, are adressing the gap between knowledge and economy.
The project overall objective is to trigger regional innovation policy and programme improvement and contribute to the implementation of Smart Specialization Strategies, especially through building capabilities in valorising university knowledge in open innovation settings, utilising the social sciences and humanities and promoting interregional exchange of knowledge and experience within and between emerging or expanding innovation ecosystems
The project sub-objectives:
1. Develop a knowledge transfer process from research of social sciences and humanities into innovation value chains and identify and develop commercial valorisation methods of non-patentable inventions.
2. Develop open innovation valorisation process/method, utilizing social sciences and humanities, as a driver for the regional/national Innovation ecosystems’ improvement and contribution to the implementation of the Smart Specialization Strategies
3. Build the role and services of universities in interregional innovation processes by exchanging knowledge and experience within and between emerging and expanding innovation ecosystems and by promoting mechanisms and practices to accelerate interregional/transnational innovations.
Project approach and main activities:
Exchanging the best practices between the BSR and Danube macro-regional and national/regional research & innovation policy makers; as well as between universities on facilitating innovation (commercialization, employment of R&D results);
Peer-learning between universities/national/regional authorities;
Develop new international/national valorisation models for universities in facilitating innovation;
Make use of lessons learned from successful universities (Edinburgh, Eindhoven, Lund, Helsinki, etc.);
Integrate, adopt and expand existing tools into the new valorisations models – prepare Action Plans (recommendation for the improvement of EU SF programmes/measures).
During ValorInno project 16 Interregional Policy learning events will be organized, among them 5 Study visits (followed by videos and expert reports), 7 Thematic Workshops (turned into webinars after) and 2 Innovation PolicyLab/Conferences.
Knowledge is not enough, it must manifest itself in sustainable innovation, new and growing companies and more efficient governance structures.
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- Margarita Prokopovič
- Vilma Purienė
- Karolina Kardokaitė
- Gintarė Byčenkaitė
- Ugnė Daraškevičiūtė