Kickoff Meeting with Local Stakeholders in the Trnava Region

The project REWARD addresses a critical issue: strengthening university-industry collaboration as a key tool to retain graduates in the workforce. In the Trnava region, home to three universities and one college, this connection could yield significant benefits. The goal is to draw inspiration from best practices across Europe and implement them locally.

After an initial meeting in Portugal earlier this year, regional gatherings have commenced to inform local stakeholders about project activities, expected participation, and potential benefits. The first local meeting in TTSK took place on September 25, 2024, at the regional office.

The next step was a two-day training workshop organized by the Sardinia Region on November 13–14, 2024. This event focused on identifying strategies to prevent brain drain and encourage the return of skilled workers. Insights from the workshop fed into the second local stakeholder meeting, which was planned for later that year.

On January 16, 2025, a bilateral know-how exchange on building innovation hubs took place online with the Irish project partner. The discussion focused on best practices and challenges in developing regional innovation ecosystems.

Throughout the semester, several online training sessions have been held. These include a Policy Learning Platform session on transformative innovation principles and another on fostering innovation in healthcare technologies. The trainings showcase best practices from regions that effectively support SMEs in developing new products and services.

This phase of the REWARD project aims to ensure a closer alignment between academic institutions and the labor market, benefiting the region’s economic and social ecosystem.