The Pre-New Year Researchers Meet-Up workshop took place at the Edvard Rusjan Airport in Maribor, Slovenia, on December 14, 2018. Organized by the University of Maribor along with JEUNE, the European Commission, Enterprise Europe Network and the Municipality of Hoče – Slivnica, the workshop was attended by researchers of the University of Maribor, representatives of companies and policy makers on European, national and local level.
The workshop focused on the importance of creating a network among Universities, businesses and Research centres, as well as on the need of fostering innovation in order to build a healthy common economic ecosystem capable of competing with fast-paced economies such as China, Brazil and India, and with all the emerging economies of the world.
The meeting was introduced by dr. Zdravko Kačič, Rector of the University of Maribor, and boasted high-profile speakers from the University of Maribor, such as dr. Stanislav Božičnik, Head of the Transport Economics Center, FGPA, Peter Alešnik, Head of Technology Transfer Office, prof. dr. Urban Bren, Prorector for knowledge transfer at the UM, FKKT and dr. Aleksandra Lobnik, Head of the Sensory Technology Center, FS. Representatives of interesting, innovative start-ups also participated in the event to present their businesses and share their best practices.
Parallel to the main event, R2B meetings took place in order to foster relations between business and research and the competencies and capacities of the University of Maribor were presented.