Innovation Policy and Transfer Design Unit

German-Greek Workshop on Knowledge and Technology Transfer in Athens, Greece

News | Leipzig /

Researchers in publicly funded research projects are required to plan and implement the knowledge and technology transfer of their expected project results at an early stage. In Germany and Greece, barriers and challenges have been documented which show that the transfer and application potential of publicly funded research and development projects is not being fully exploited. Both human and institutional factors play an important role here. In particular, there are clear differences in the nature and intensity of the relationships between science and business in the two countries, as well as in the characteristics and effectiveness of transfer mechanisms.

From June 11-13, 2019, the Fraunhofer IMW research team held a workshop in Athens to sensitize and empower the current German-Greek research and innovation networks in knowledge and technology transfer. The workshop offered points of reference and perspectives for the effective transfer of research results into practical implementation to approximately 100 participants from politics, industry, and research. Through idea-sharing lectures (knowledge transfer), exercises (knowledge application), and work on concrete questions related to the 24 teams' respective projects, the participants strengthened their experience and skills in exploiting publicly funded research results. These findings will form the basis for a second workshop in early 2020.

German-Greek cooperation in science, education, and innovation has a long tradition. Since the early 1980s, numerous exchange and research programs have been implemented to promote bilateral cooperation. Through close cooperation between science and industry in "2+2 projects," innovation potential will be tapped in complementary partnerships and foundations will be laid for long-term cooperation. The transfer of research results (knowledge and technologies) into practical applications (products, processes, and services) is especially important.