EMPOWER team presents funding project at networking event of the federal-state initiative "Innovative University" in Mannheim on March 21
Ludwigshafen/Mannheim, 22.03.2023: "Living transfer together!" - This was the motto of the kick-off event for the second funding round of the federal-state initiative "Innovative University" on March 21, 2023 at the Baroque Palace in Mannheim. Representatives from the 55 innovative universities whose 29 individual and collaborative projects were selected for the current funding round in an expert-led competition process last year were invited to the nationwide event.
Among them was the EMPOWER joint project, which brings together Mainz University of Applied Sciences, Mainz Catholic University of Applied Sciences, Bingen University of Applied Sciences, Worms University of Applied Sciences, Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society and Johannes Gutenberg University. The team of the EMPOWER transfer alliance, which is based in the Rhine-Main-Neckar region, was represented at the launch event by eight people, including the EMPOWER project management and
coordination team as well as transfer managers from the participating universities.
The event at the Mannheim Baroque Palace offered the project participants of the second funding round of the "Innovative University" initiative, which started in January, the opportunity to present their individual and joint projects and to network with each other and with the project managers of the first funding round.
"We are very proud to be represented with EMPOWER at this important, nationwide research and transfer event and to be able to present our network-wide vision 'Living cooperation and shaping innovation' to the specialist audience," said Dr. Susanne Weiß-Wittstadt, who was on site in Mannheim as project manager and coordinator of the transfer alliance. "EMPOWER aims to strengthen the innovative capacity in the Rheinhessen/Vorderpfalz region. The various planned pilot projects, some of which have already been initiated, address both economically and socially relevant issues and develop corresponding sustainable solutions," explains Prof. Dr. Anett Mehler-Bicher, who led the application process for the joint project.
Strengthening innovation and transfer
The aim of the federal-state initiative "Innovative University" is to strengthen the innovative power that arises from the networking, interaction and participation of different stakeholders through funded projects. It supports new, innovative approaches to the transfer of ideas, knowledge and technology as well as well-founded concepts that strengthen transfer and its strategic role for the region. Universities have the function of making knowledge regionally accessible through target group-oriented transfer formats and obtaining information about needs in exchange with the regional economy. This results in more effective and creative solutions for current and future challenges in the economy and society. The current funding line, for which around 300 million euros are available, runs from 2023 to 2027.
One of the projects funded by "Innovative University" is EMPOWER- a joint project involving five universities of applied sciences in Rhineland-Palatinate. The aim of EMPOWER is to promote the research-based transfer of ideas, knowledge and technology with business and society in the Rhine-Main-Neckar region. To this end, each of the five universities involved in the transfer alliance contributes its expertise on a megatrend topic:
- Mainz University of Applied Sciences | Connectivity
- Catholic University of Applied Sciences Mainz | Health
- Bingen University of Applied Sciences | Sustainability
- Worms University of Applied Sciences | Cyber Security
- Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society | New Work
- Johannes Gutenberg University | Evaluation of the project
The five megatrends offer the participating universities and stakeholders numerous starting points for interdisciplinary networking. In addition to the establishment and expansion of cross-university structures and offerings, there is a second strategic direction: through cooperation with science, business, culture and society, partners outside the universities are to be addressed in a targeted manner, thus achieving an effective transfer with stakeholders from the Rheinhessen and Vorderpfalz region.
Press contact:
EMPOWER joint project
Britta Käufer
Communications Manager
Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society
Tel. +49 621/5203-249
britta.kaeufer@ 8< SPAM protection, please remove >8 hwg-lu.de
empower-rlp.de
