Connecting Research with Industry in Italy and the UK
18 - 19 April 2007

Conference content

Coming soon: Speaker notes from the conference.

Full conference programme available here

The hosting institution, Cranfield University, is one of Western Europe’s largest academic centres for strategic and applied research, development and design. It specialises in the fields of engineering, management, natural science, defence and health. It is unique in its entirely postgraduate focus and its strong links with industry through academically rigorous and practically relevant research.

The event will take place over two days. In the afternoon of the first day leading policy makers, academics and practitioners will deliver plenary keynote speeches on actual and relevant topics such as:

• Overview of main opportunities, challenges and trends regarding the links between research and industry.
• Current UK and Italian policies concerning science, innovation and technology.
• Recent trends in the internalisation of scientific and technological research.
• Major successful examples of technology transfer and collaboration between research institutes and business.

In the morning of the second day, specific sessions will be carried out in two separate streams to stimulate a fruitful debate in the following areas: University-Industry Relationships, and Industrial Districts and Companies.

Every stream will consist of presentations – and subsequent discussions – delivered by representatives of organisations with different characteristics, in terms of scope, sector, geographical basis, and links with companies, research institutes and government bodies, etc. This variety will enable participants to thoroughly explore a number of issues. In the afternoon, there will be optional visits of the University’s facilities and Technology Park.

Organisers: