I ran these conversations as individual interviews based on a shared questionnaire. I wanted them to be more than an ordinary survey: a chance to build a relationship and understand our researchers’ needs, an opportunity to listen to their ideas and also to the obstacles they meet when they try to turn research results into practice. The material we gathered helped paint a picture of our University’s strengths and point to concrete areas where cooperation with business and the public sector makes the most sense. This work matters to me, because I believe good research should not end with a publication. It can genuinely change the way companies, local governments and institutions work.

We have also completed the first stage of the grant competition, in which we supported researchers within the University consortium in carrying out pioneering R&D work aimed at raising the technology readiness level of their solutions and, ultimately, commercializing them. Our consortium received 23 applications. Six applications submitted by UEW researchers were reviewed by the Investment Committee, which recommended five UEW projects with high implementation and commercialization potential for funding. We are delighted that the competition met with such strong interest from the research community!