German-Czech meeting connects academics and companies
"I consider it extremely valuable that we managed to bring industrial partners from the German side to Ostrava, as strengthening our contacts with them within our Fraunhofer Innovation Platform is a priority. Our goal is to expand the portfolio of companies with which we can collaborate and engage in international projects with them in the future. While we intend to continue similar meetings, individual communication with entrepreneurs is also very important," said Jana Kukutschová, Director of FIP-AI@VSB-TUO and Vice-Rector for Science and Research at VSB-TUO.
The REFRESH project aligns closely with FIP-AI@VSB-TUO's mission to strengthen ties with industry partners. Its individual living laboratories and research directions were presented by Igor Ivan, the Project Director and Vice-Rector for Strategy and Cooperation at VSB-TUO, who opened the meeting. "Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, which has excellent experience in applied research and technology transfer, is an important partner for us. We want to learn from them and cooperate more intensively within the Fraunhofer Innovation Platform at VSB-TUO," said the Vice-Rector.
Representatives from various partners within the Fraunhofer Innovation Platform, alongside industry stakeholders, presented project outcomes and collaboration prospects, both contractual and project-based.
"The idea of a meeting of Czech and German companies and academics is perfect for me. The networking that took place at the event is extremely important. I hope that as a result, joint partnerships will emerge, which we will also utilise in projects," evaluated the event Jiří Koziorek, Head of the Department of Cybernetics and Biomedical Engineering at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Professor Koziorek is already collaborating with experts from Fraunhofer ICT, Fraunhofer IWU, and other partners from the academic and commercial sectors in a project called NewHeatIntegrated, focused on innovations in thermal energy storage.
Vladislav Kolarik from Fraunhofer ICT reflected positively on the exchange of contacts. "We need to meet and make ourselves known. I am satisfied with participating in the meeting; we exchanged contacts. Whether there will be actual cooperation remains to be seen," Kolarik concluded.
The first German-Czech meeting followed the fifth annual workshop focused on forming and punching technologies (5th Workshop for Forming and Punching). Experts from VSB-TUO, Fraunhofer IWU, together with their industrial partners FIBRO GmbH, Bruderer GmbH, Raziol GmbH, and TRsystems GmbH, presented the latest trends and innovations in the field of standard parts, measurement technology, sensors, and tribology.
The workshop was opened by Deputy Mayor of Ostrava, Andrea Hoffmannová, together with Jana Kukutschová, who also attended the afternoon meeting. Subsequently, on her Facebook profile, she appreciated the fact that the Fraunhofer Innovation Platforms are represented in Europe in only four locations. "One of them is rightfully Ostrava under the leadership of Vice-Rector Jana Kukutschová. Science and research are thriving at the University, projects like REFRESH or international collaborations such as FIP only strengthen its prestige, as well as research results and the acquisition of grants like Horizon," she said.
Text: Martina Šaradínová
Photo: Petr Havlíček