In the beginning of November, a delegation of more than ten Flemish innovation managers, business incubator staff, and entrepreneurs visited various locations in Austria. Led by a team around Roger Heijmans of UC Leuven-Limburg UAS, the group explored the topic of innovation and entrepreneurial support in the country.
Starting with a visit of the inspiring Ars Electronica in Upper Austria, an associated partner of the E³UDRES² alliance, the group had the opportunity to delve into the exhibition's unique mix of art, media and culture. The delegation was later guided around the St. Pölten UAS campus by E³UDRES² lead coordinator and St. Pölten UAS CEO Hannes Raffaseder, as well as other attending representatives of the university management of St. Pölten UAS. The delegation explored facilities such as the campuses radio studio, among various other laboratories. The group was delighted about the possibility to exchange ideas with Alexander Bernhuber, Member of the European Parliament, representing Lower Austrian Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner, as well as St. Pölten's Deputy Mayor Harald Ludwig. Fittingly, one topic of the visit was the role of universities for (regional) innovation.
Connecting innovation ecosystems
On the last day of the visit to Austria, the participants travelled to the capital of Austria, Vienna. There, they had the opportunity to visit weXelerate, a organization aiming to connect the Austrian innovation ecosystem, with 200 renowned businesses already registered. The last stop brought the group to the WU Entrepreneurship Centre, an institution founded by the Vienna University of Economics and Business aiming to support Entrepreneurship and Startups.
"The visit of the Flemish delegates was a unique opportunity to present our university of applied sciences and our excellent university network, to showcase St. Pölten as a research location and science from Lower Austria, to further intensify cooperation with our colleagues from Belgium and to develop ideas for future joint activities," concludes St. Pölten UAS CEO and E³UDRES² Lead Coordinator Hannes Raffaseder after the intense exchange during the two days of the visit.
The two-day event was also joined by a journalist from TV Limburg, a Broadcasting & media production company based in Hasselt. The event was covered through a two-part TV feature:
