Open Innovation Hub

Health & Quality of Life

Health-focused innovations that improve the quality of life

The Regional Open Innovation Hub (OIH) for Health & Quality of Life at Fulda UAS is one of nine OIHs in the E³UDRES² alliance.

The Open Innovation Hub Fulda serves as an interface between academia, society, industry, and regional stakeholders, with the goal of transforming knowledge into practical impact and sustainable innovation.

What the Open Innovation Hub does

Formats for Collaboration & Innovation

The Hub creates spaces for collaboration, experimentation and co-creation. Through formats such as:

• collaborative initiatives

• teaching & learning activities

• networking events

• research &transfer projects

• symposia

• hackathons & Bootcamps

Key regional and societal challenges are jointly explored with relevant stakeholders.

Building Networks & Transferring Knowledge

The overarching objective is to generate knowledge and develop sustainable solutions for regional development. Important target groups include:

• civil society

• industry

• public institutions

• social enterprises

Supporting Structures & Entrepreneurial Education

This process is supported by the entrepreneurial education center, which plays a central role in strengthening innovation and transfer activities within the university ecosystem. Its key units include:

• the  Science Communication Competence Center

• the Startup Incubator

• the Knowledge Transfer Research & Evaluation Unit.

These structures support the development, implementation, and evaluation of transfer-oriented activities and innovation processes.

European Dimension and E³UDRES²

E³UDRES² provides a significant strategic advantage and strong momentum for the further internationalization of our activities.

The connection to E³UDRES² increases the visibility of the Hub and creates opportunities for broader European cooperation. Challenges of regional and European stakeholders are addressed within the Hub at different stages and formats.

The Hub offers a platform for developing and testing innovative formats such as Hackathons and Bootcamps.

The following picture illustrates the operating mode of Fulda's OIH:

Operational pictogram of the Health & Quality of Life OIH: Through this regional and European embedding, the Hub contributes to sustainable innovation ecosystems that connect education, research, entrepreneurship and societal transformation.

The Base

📍 Fulda UAS, Germany

Fulda University of Applied Sciences has long operated according to a practice-oriented and participatory approach. Research questions and project ideas often emerge directly from regional stakeholders, professional practice, and societal needs. These impulses are taken up and translated into applied, needs-oriented research and innovation projects.

Through dialogue and exchange formats, relevant needs and key questions are identified, mapped, and connected with suitable experts. The resulting topics are then integrated into the university’s scientific centers, departments, and faculties according to their respective innovation priorities.

The university’s five interdisciplinary focus areas span all eight academic faculties, ensuring that both technological and societal challenges are addressed in an integrated way.

More about Fulda UAS

Contact the team of the open innovation hub

Sandra Behrend

Fulda UAS

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Natalia Schulz-Im Winkel

Fulda UAS

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