SMARAGD

The REFRESH project was originally a joint effort of VSB-TUO, the University of Ostrava, and the City of Ostrava which we conceived as a flagship project within the Integrated Territorial Area Strategy of the Ostrava Metropolitan Area. It is clear that it has changed over time and became part of the overall SMARAGD concept. I still see the connection between social science and technical research as beneficial. The city helps to attract and retain researchers in Ostrava and provide services to accommodate them. It is important to bring together the two quite different worlds of social and technical sciences. This is a trend that is rather new on a global scale and has the potential to promote development in a truly comprehensive way. I have high hopes for the REFRESH project, I believe that it will provide tangible outputs from the fields of materials research, energy, and industry 4.0 and their effective implementation in specific production companies during both pilot and full operation.

We see the REFRESH project as an engine in the transformation of the region. We believe that students with high-quality technical education meeting the societal needs, along with the promotion of entrepreneurship, are vital for both the university and the region’s transformation. We are working on achieving these goals through the SMARAGD strategy in collaboration with the Moravian-Silesian Innovation Centre. As part of the project, we also aim to enhance the representation of companies on the university campus.

We see the greatest benefits of SMARAGD in having a long-term shared vision with the major player in the innovation ecosystem. Founders of tech companies and their core employees are most often graduates of a technical university. This rule applies to the innovation ecosystem in all regions. At the same time, working together on this vision has allowed us to understand each other much better. We have opened up several new joint opportunities, with some already in progress.

Our ambition is to bring new energy to the region with new opportunities, professionals, students, businesses, and technologies that address the current global challenges and shall ensure sustainable economic growth. SMARAGD and its flagship project, REFRESH, are grounded in creating the so-called ‘living labs‘. These connect all the segments mentioned above, foster many synergies, and facilitate collaboration across the application and academic spheres.