A working meeting with stakeholders on the International Research Project "Expanding High-Tech Opportunities for Higher Education Institutions" (Skills2Scale) was held in UzhNU

On Wednesday, 27 September, a working meeting with stakeholders on the International Research Project "Expanding High-Tech Opportunities for Higher Education Institutions" (Skills2Scale) was held in the meeting room of the Academic Council. 

The Skills2Scale project aims to develop and implement advanced innovative and entrepreneurial educational programmes that enable students to develop and launch their own businesses and startups in the Beyond 5G technology space. At the same time, providing access to first-class training, mentoring and funding opportunities to develop a new generation of entrepreneurs who will contribute to innovation and economic growth in the region in which they live.

Representatives of the government, education and science, and business in the Zakarpattia region were invited to the meeting to discuss the implementation of Beyond 5G technologies in various areas, including entrepreneurship. The event was attended by Vasyl Homonai, Head of the Department of Digital Development, Digital Transformation and Digitalisation of the Zakarpattia Regional State Administration, and Roman Moldavchuk, Director of the Department of Strategic Communications, Nationalities and Religions of the Zakarpattia Regional State Administration, representatives of the Management Park "Industrial Park "Uzhhorod" LLC, Zakraptyaenergozbut LLC, Fresh Plants LLC, the Research Institute of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology of Mucous Membranes of UzhNU, the Science Park of Uzhhorod National University LLC, Kyivstar PJSC, the Department of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering Problems of the National University of Ukraine. A.M. Pidhornyi Institute of Mechanical Engineering of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Marin Design Engineering LLC.

The event was opened by Ivan Myroniuk, Vice-Rector for Research of UzhNU: "I am glad to welcome everyone to our university. Thank you for finding the time and opportunity for this meeting. We are currently implementing a very necessary project, as it is being implemented simultaneously in several European countries. We have invited you not to inform you about the project, but to establish cooperation. After all, this is a project that may undoubtedly be of interest to you. One of the main objectives of the Skills2Scale project is to educate and innovate students, including acquiring competencies in working with the 5G system. One of the features of this project is that we are not "catching up" with our partners, but are developing side by side in the 5G system. Many activities are planned to implement the project. Therefore, we offer cooperation, because it is through the synergy of education, science, government and business that we will be able to train highly qualified specialists."

The event was moderated by Oksana Mulesa, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor of the Department of Systems Software at the Faculty of Information Technology: "The topic of 5G is extremely relevant today. Many countries have already achieved considerable success in this area. The aim of this initiative is to unlock the potential of higher education institutions. Support is provided through coaching, various innovations, and funding. The project team includes the Polytechnic University of Valencia, the Technical University of Liberec, Uzhhorod National University, Lapland University, the Hellenic Entrepreneurship Award, the National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos, Fogus Innovations & Services P.C. and two associate partners: Central Macedonia Regional Development Fund and the Catholic University of Portugal. The aim of the project is to strengthen the innovation and entrepreneurial potential of higher education institutions in the field of Beyond 5G technologies by introducing advanced technological solutions, facilitating partnerships between HEIs and external partners to promote innovation in Beyond 5G technologies, accelerating the development and commercialisation of innovations and businesses by students, and improving the quality of innovation and entrepreneurship education."

 Oksana Mulesa also said that the project will be implemented in two stages. The first stage is to review current offers of innovation and entrepreneurship education in higher education institutions, develop best practices, and provide training and mentoring for university professors. Create a database of potential external partners in the field of Beyond 5G technologies. Developing a start-up programme of an innovation and business development accelerator for students.

The second stage will include promoting partnerships between the university and external partners, organising transnational peer-to-peer learning events, and organising networking events to bring together higher education institutions and external partners to discuss possible partnerships. As well as pitching competitions and other events to provide accelerator programme participants with exposure and funding opportunities.

• Science