In a crucial step toward fostering growth and innovation in the region, the Innovation & Technology Transfer Working Group, part of the Priority Area 8 (Competitiveness of SMEs), held a meeting as part of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region.
Prof. Dr. Borut Rončević and our colleague Assoc. Prof. Tamara B. Valič attended the meeting.
This meeting was focused on key discussions, aimed at improving competitiveness among Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) within the region. Among the many important topics deliberated, a standout issue that piqued the interest of researchers in regional innovation was the challenge of bridging the seemingly everlasting gap between research and innovation.
This topic reflects the ongoing struggle in linking academic research with practical, market-based innovation - a critical connection that is essential for regional development and progress. Bridging this gap could have far-reaching implications for how efficiently new ideas and technologies are transformed into viable products or services, and for how effectively SMEs can leverage them to enhance their competitiveness.
This meeting came as a prelude to the larger conference titled "Danube Region at the Turn of Times - Actively Shaping the Transformation". This event attracted a healthy turnout from a range of significant stakeholders and researchers, indicative of the critical importance of this subject matter in the current era of rapid technological change.
Through such collaborative efforts, the working group is not just facilitating important dialogues but also actively shaping the transformation of the Danube Region. Stay tuned for further updates and outcomes from this initiative.
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