International Guests

Within the framework of a “Talent and Innovation Mission”, a delegation from the University of Applied Sciences UC Leuven-Limburg (UCLL) paid a visit to the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences last Sunday. Among the group were university members as well as representatives of the business and media sectors.

The delegation was welcomed by UAS CEO Hannes Raffaseder, members of the UAS Higher Education Board, member of the European Parliament Alexander Bernhuber, on behalf of Lower Austrian Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner, and St. Pölten Vice Mayor Harald Ludwig.

The Flemish group was made up of innovation managers, entrepreneurs, and representatives of business incubators. As a consequence, the role of higher education institutions for (regional) innovation was part of the visit’s agenda.

European University Network

The UCLL is one of the nine partner institutions in the European University network E³UDRES² – Engaged and Entrepreneurial European University as Driver for European Smart and Sustainable Regions – which is coordinated by the St. Pölten UAS. It connects higher education institutions from small and medium-sized towns all over Europe with a focus on regional anchoring.

On the occasion of the visit, E³UDRES² and the St. Pölten UAS presented their Creative Labs dedicated to Virtual and Augmented Reality, interactive technologies, Industry 4.0, digital health, digital business, and media production. The guests were impressed by the first-rate infrastructure and diverse possibilities for collaboration with the science and business sectors. The visit also served as an important inspiration for future projects across borders.

“Welcoming our guests from Flanders afforded us the unique opportunity to introduce them to our university of applied sciences and our excellent higher education network, to present the research location of St. Pölten as well as science made in Lower Austria, to further deepen the collaboration with our Belgian colleagues, and to come up with ideas for future joint activities”, says UAS CEO and E³UDRES² coordinator Hannes Raffaseder.

Local Innovation and European Networking

“Cooperation and networking are the key to excellence and innovation in rural areas. Funded by Erasmus+, this initiative is a great example of future-oriented European collaboration in the regions. It makes us proud to see that our Lower Austrian universities are sources of inspiration and role models when it comes to new technologies, even at the European level”, adds MEP Alexander Bernhuber.

Vice Governor Stephan Pernkopf emphasised the meaning of the St. Pölten UAS and of E³UDRES² for Lower Austria as a scientific location: “The St. Pölten UAS plays a pioneering role in the higher education landscape – both in terms of its international positioning and as a partner of the business sector and society. The E³UDRES² project under the UAS’ lead is impressive proof of this and I would like to thank the entire team for their commitment thus far. This level of dedication is not something to be taken for granted and it shows the innovative power of this institution!”

Report on Belgian TV

The Belgian TV station tvl aired a report on the Flemish delegation’s visit in Austria.

• You can view it here.
• E³UDRES²