Technology for society – are we getting it right?

Join the discussion this Wednesday, 10 November, from 15:00 to 17:00 hrs CET

8 November 2021 | Brussels – Societal needs should be at the centre of research and innovation. But how is society included in the innovation process? How do Universities of science and technology come into play? What can be solved with the help of technology, what cannot and where does technology maybe even come with challenges itself? And how is this reflected in policymaking? On Wednesday, 10 November, the six Universities forming the EuroTech Universities Alliance* are inviting citizens, researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and all those interested to discuss these questions. The discussion will be streamed on www.eurotech-universities.eu/tech4society and offers the possibility to join in with comments and questions via an online interaction tool.

The event will approach the role of technology for society from different angles. The kick-off speech will shed light on the responsibility of researchers towards society. The second session will bring together both sides of the table: society – represented by the AGE Platform Europe, a European network of non-profit organisations of and for people aged 50+ – and academia. The speakers will discuss the collaboration between their respective fields and how to ensure that science and technological endeavour are matched to societal needs. The policy framework at European, regional and institutional level enabling and encouraging co-creation between all parties involved is the main topic of the panel discussion which follows, bringing together speakers from the European institutions as well as research and innovation stakeholders.

European Venture Programme and European University “EuroTeQ”

As concrete examples of how the six EuroTech Universities foster work with and for society, two flagship projects of the Alliance will be highlighted:

The European Venture Programme is a booster programme for start-ups. By supporting promising young entrepreneurs, it helps transfer scientific ideas into marketable products and services, bridging the “valley of death” between research and successful innovation. Each year, up to 25 EuroTech start-ups gain exclusive access to the entrepreneurship expertise and networking resources of the six universities of the Alliance.

EuroTeQ Engineering University is a “European University” funded by the European Commission. Its aims include opening campuses to students from partner universities and also to non-academic learners, for instance vocational trainees and professionals. Innovative, challenge-based education concepts that include acquiring skills beyond pure technical knowledge are used to make learners fit for conducting responsible research with and for society.

Part of EuroTech’s 10-year anniversary

In 2021, EuroTech Universities Alliance is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The anniversary slogan “Empowering Society” is both a reflection of the six Universities’ aim to work with and for society and a promise to continue and reinforce this dialogue. The event “Technology for Society” is the grand finale of the anniversary activities that took place throughout the year.

While the roots of EuroTech reach back to 2006, when Technical University of Munich and Technical University of Denmark established a bilateral partnership, the official founding of the Alliance took place in 2011, with École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne and Eindhoven University of Technology as further founding members. École Polytechnique (France) joined the Alliance in 2018 and Technion – Israel Institute of Technology one year later, in 2019, bringing the number of universities to six.

How to join

The event can be followed online via www.eurotech-universities.eu/tech4society. It starts at 15:00 and ends at 17:00 hrs (Central European Time). The discussion with the speakers takes place on Slido (www.slido.com, code: #tech4society). To receive all information pertaining to the event, it is recommended to register via www.eventbrite.com/e/176275102577.

Further information

To know more about the event, EuroTech Universities Alliance and its flagship projects, please see:
www.eurotech-universities-hle.eu
www.eurotech-universities.eu
www.europeanventureprogramme.com
www.euroteq.eu

Contact

Anita Schneider
EuroTech Communications Manager
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: +32 471 221 117

About EuroTech Universities Alliance

The EuroTech Universities Alliance is a strategic partnership of leading European universities of science and technology joining forces to build a strong, sustainable, sovereign, and resilient Europe. The partners bring their excellence in research and education, their active engagement in vibrant eco-systems and service to society. Together, they join forces to accelerate their research in high-tech focus areas and advocate for change, through dedicated partners and a strong presence in Brussels. Based on the EuroTech values, the partners aspire to a new level of cooperation by bringing together their inclusive, diverse, and sustainable campuses. The EuroTech Universities create a unique environment for international talents to lead a new generation of change agents in research, entrepreneurship, industry, and society.

* Partner universities are:
Technical University of Denmark – DTU
École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne – EPFL, Switzerland
École Polytechnique – L’X, France
Technion – Israel Institute of Technology
Eindhoven University of Technology – TU/e, the Netherlands
Technical University of Munich – TUM, Germany |