Visit of Irish partners for knowledge exchange and innovation

On 4 and 5 February, Hanze University of Applied Sciences welcomed its Irish partners from Dungarvan Enterprise Centre (DEC) and South East Technological University (SETU). The visit was part of an international study trip during which the Irish partners gained insight into Hanze’s Engaged concepts and innovation hubs, and the role Hanze plays in strengthening regional innovation ecosystems.

Sustainable development of rural areas

The purpose of the study trip was to explore how Hanze contributes to societal transitions needed for the sustainable development of rural areas. The knowledge gained, together with earlier experiences from Portugal (Instituto Politécnico de Bragança), will be used to support the development of a Collaborative Living Lab for the agrifood sector in South East Ireland.

During the two-day programme, partly held online due to icy weather conditions in the Northern Netherlands, knowledge exchange was central. The delegation was introduced to ongoing projects and initiatives focused on digital and entrepreneurial transformations, the energy transition, biobased value chains in the construction sector, and sustainable ecosystems in peatland and agricultural areas. Technology development in collaboration with farmers and the changing role of local governments were also discussed.
 

Innovation hubs and regional collaboration

The visit also provided insight into the functioning of Hanze’s innovation hubs, including stakeholder engagement with the municipalities of Westerkwartier and Midden-Groningen, testbeds, living labs, and joint technology development by the Centre of Expertise Entrepreneurship, EnTranCe, ICCS, BuildinG, and the Region-to-Region for Regional Resilience (R2R) line of research.This demonstrated how research, education and regional innovation are effectively connected.

This visit is part of a joint research collaboration of DEC/SETU, Ireland and Region-to-Region for Regional Resilience (R2R) line of research of Hanze. This initiative is connected to the Interreg North-West Europe BUFFER+ project and through the visit, connects to other Hanze initiatives and stakeholders.