DIGITAL INNOVATION HUB AT UNIVERSITY OF MARIBOR (DIH UM)

The strategy of the University of Maribor (UM) pursues an inclusive, innovative, and integrated higher education sphere that will train active, critically thinking and responsible citizens, guarantee the quality of education and research, academic integrity, and cultivate concern for sustainable development of society. With its nineteen member institutions, the university is turning into a central development institution attracting talent from all over the world and providing a development context where excellence is at home at all levels. UM is aware that close ties between the university as a center of education and research activities, and industry as well as other stakeholders from the wider local environment are of the utmost importance. Therefore, various activities integrating knowledge and R&D with industry are being implemented which aim to initiate concrete projects contributing to new jobs and new products with high added value. The University of Maribor is thus bringing together knowledge, research findings and the industry.

University of Maribor, as the largest scientific research institution in CRES, represents the core of the consortium and acts as coordinator of DIGI-SI. As the second biggest higher education institution in Slovenia, it is currently participating in more than 100 EU projects. UM, along with consortium partners JSI and ARCTUR, operates horizontally due to its access to knowledge and expertise relevant to all sectors and S5 priority areas. It enters the EDIH application with all 17 faculties, more than 1200 researchers / higher education teachers who have the appropriate competencies to support digital transformation as well as the implementation of specialized education and other more demanding content. Moreover, it will provide DIGI-SI with access to over € 60 million of research infrastructure acquired within the HPC RIVR and RIUM projects, thus providing a solid base for the implementation of the “Test before invest” activity – access to infrastructure, equipment and knowledge for testing and experimentation. The University of Maribor is also the coordinator of the Technology Transfer Office and the Digital Innovation Hub at University of Maribor (DIH UM).

With the help of the Knowledge and Technology Transfer Office (KTTO) the UM facilitates and encourages the collaboration between academia and industry. To ensure that inventions become successful innovations in the marketplace, the KTTO assesses the market potential of inventions, identifies suitable industry partners, negotiates the sale or licensing of patents, and provides support in obtaining spin-out or spin-off company status. Moreover, the department also organizes diverse educational activities, trainings and awareness raising events centered around topics of IPR protection as well as creates opportunities for networking and outreach between entrepreneurs and researchers. The activities of the KTTO thus make an important contribution to the realization of the mission of the University of Maribor i.e., they contribute to the development of society, address global challenges and economic progress in the region and the wider
environment.