Polish universities and companies join forces to
develop key technologies for the Polish economy. On Tuesday, a consortium
agreement establishing the “Motorway of Technology and Innovation” Institute
has been signed at the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw.
“Everyone cannot
be strong in every field.” – said Iwona
Wendel, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development – “It’s
important that the scientists understood this. It’s important that the
consolidation of scientific forces comes true.”
The “Motorway of
Technology and Innovation” Institute (IATI) is an answer of the Polish
scientific and economic societies to the need of intensive cooperation on
projects of strategic importance for the development of our country. The
leaders of this venture are two Polish technical universities: Wrocław
University of Technology and AGH University of Science and Technology.
“We want to
consolidate the scientific society in disciplines that are of key significance
for the development of the economy. We will establish competence centres that
will be working in the whole country. The Institute is an open-ended initiative
– we hope that the group of partners will be growing.” – said Prof. Tadeusz Więckowski,
Rector of Wrocław University of Technology – “We especially count on companies
and special economic zones. We will be functioning in a network and will
jointly apply for funds for projects, e.g. as part of the “Horyzont 2020”
programme. The agreement signed today catalogues our scientific potential,
which I am planning to put to practice.”
Prof. Tadeusz
Słomka, Rector of AGH University of Science and Technology emphasized: “We have
to bear in mind that universities have a state-building role.”
Ilona Antoniszyn-Klik, Deputy Minister of Economy: "I am here to mobilize the economic
partners of the consortium. There are no obligatory associations for companies,
so our influence is limited. But we have special economic zones with almost
1500 companies. We are in a moment when we can start encouraging them to
reorientate their activity by developing their research operations. Polish
companies, in turn, should enter the economic zones to save money and spend
them on research and development. We don't want to be an ecological cart with
hay. We aim at modern products developed and manufactured by Polish
companies."
"Science is the propeller of our times and I am
glad because of that. Technology transfer centres are already being established
at universities and I'm very happy that another step has been taken, that is, a
consortium." - emphasized Prof. Wodzisław Duch, Deputy Minister of
Science and Higher Education.
The members of the consortium include 15
universities and 3 companies: Wrocław University of Technology, AGH University
of Science and Technology in Kraków, Gdynia Maritime University, University of
Bielsko-Biała, Białystok University of Technology, Częstochowa University of
Technology, Cracow University of Technology, Lublin University of Technology,
Opole University of Technology, Rzeszów University of Technology, Silesian
University of Technology, Kielce University of Technology, University of
Zielona Góra, General Tadeusz Kościuszko Military Academy of Land Forces, West
Pomeranian University of Technology Szczecin, KGHM Polska Miedź, TAURON Polska
Energia, and MPWiK Wrocław (water and sewerage company).
Partners of the consortium plan to concentrate on
areas defined in the project "Technological foresight of the industry -
InSight 2030" or national and regional intelligent specializations. Also,
they plan to work together on solving particular technological problems in
specialized teams, creating competence centres.
"Special economic zones are the military arm of
the Ministry of Economy. From the imitative model to the innovative model -
this is the way we are following and the idea of consortium in this formula is
excellent. We will all benefit from this, since thanks to the consortium we are
enriching the offer for companies." - said Rafał Jurkowlaniec,
President of the Legnica Special Economic Zone.
Joanna Pająk
Translation: Dariusz Więcławski