On 19 May, Zgorzelec hosted the third networking meeting organised as part of the Cross-Border Experience Gardens project, an initiative designed to strengthen cooperation among institutions engaged in education, science, and innovation. The project is jointly implemented by the Łukasiewicz Research Network – PORT Polish Center for Technology Development (PORT), the University of Zielona Góra, TU Dresden (Dresden University of Technology), and TGZ Bautzen GmbH.
The meeting focused primarily on fostering collaboration between academia, business, and local government on both sides of the Polish–German border. The programme featured three thematic panel discussions devoted to funding opportunities, educational best practices, and cooperation between business, education, and science.
One of the panel discussions included a presentation by Dr Kamil Leksycki from the Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer Centre at the University of Zielona Góra. His presentation highlighted examples of the University’s cooperation with sports clubs based in Zielona Góra. Particular attention was given to collaborative projects involving Stelmet Falubaz Zielona Góra and Orlen Zastal Zielona Góra, conducted in partnership with the University’s Institute of Health Sciences and Institute of Mathematics. “Collaboration between universities and regional sports organisations can generate significant benefits, creating advantages in areas such as technology development and safety. It may also inspire our German partners to adapt similar solutions within other sports disciplines in their own regions,” said Dr Kamil Leksycki.
The networking meeting also addressed practical aspects of securing funding for cross-sector initiatives, implementing effective educational practices, and developing partnerships that connect academia, business, and public administration. Participants learned about available national and European funding opportunities supporting cross-border cooperation projects, as well as the principles governing grant applications and project financing.
“As a participant in the Partner Exchange event organised under the Interreg Poland–Saxony programme in Görlitz last year, I have seen first-hand the positive impact of such meetings. Participants leave with valuable contacts and know exactly whom to approach when seeking partners for future projects,” explained Anna Lüscher from the Neisse-Nisa-Nysa Euroregion.
The project has been running for eighteen months and has already included a series of lectures and workshops attended by hundreds of children from Lower Silesia and Saxony. “Another important challenge still lies ahead for the project partners,” noted Marek Staniewicz, Director of the Department for Social Responsibility of Science at PORT. “We are currently preparing a mobile exhibition that will be presented in Poland for several months before being transferred to Germany.”
The project is co-financed by the European Union under the Interreg Poland–Saxony 2021–2027 Programme.
