The implementation of the REFRESH project is expected to involve more than a hundred renowned researchers, including at least five "Highly Cited Researches" or ERC laureates, which will lead to significant growth in annual income from research and development-related activities due to higher publication and project engagement, including funding from international grant sources. In this regard, an increase of more than 200% in the number of foreign researchers in the Moravian-Silesian Region is also forecasted.
The implementation of the REFRESH project will contribute to the forecasted growth in the number of university students in the Moravian-Silesian Region to 30,000 in 2030, which represents an approximately 20% increase. The share of students choosing their field of study in the region as their first choice will also rise by more than half. Additionally, an increase of more than 50% in the number of international applicants seeking higher education in the Moravian-Silesian Region is expected.
Enhanced cooperation between companies and universities in the research and development (R&D) sector will double the amount of funding directed to R&D from companies and other entities in the application sphere. The aim is also to boost income by more than 100 % by licensing the intellectual rights of universities as well as to expand the range of study programmes focusing, inter alia, on environmental education with participation from employees of local technology companies in the teaching process.
In the short term, a state-of-the-art research facility will be constructed, unique in the whole European context. Furthermore, the partner’s involvement (University of Ostrava) will lead to establishing a unique link between technical and social sciences.
In the medium term, new technologies will be introduced in the corporate environment in the region and new companies will be established. The concept of living laboratories will be utilised as a key tool in providing shared research space with corporate partners emphasising end-user needs and rapid technology transfer into practice. The concept will lead to increased internationalisation and R&D excellence strengthening, the inflow of students to the region and their involvement in the transformation process, or the creation of new study programmes related to the priority areas of the project.
In the long term, as a result of implementing individual research projects, it is anticipated that the post-mining landscape will be revitalized (by removing old environmental burdens) and the energy self-sufficiency of the region through clean energy and renewable sources will be secured. New technologies will optimize industrial production (emission-free technologies, automation and robotisation, and waste recycling). This will not only expand production capacities but also create job opportunities for skilled labour and blue-collar professions.
The financial sustainability will be supported by the increased income from activities linked to research and development. The income will be generated by growth in publishing and project activities, including income from international grant sources, an increase in cooperation between companies and universities in the field of R&D, higher income generated by licensing the intellectual rights of universities, as well as expanding range of new study programmes focusing, inter alia, on environmental education with participation from employees of local technology companies in the teaching process and a corresponding increase in the number of university students.
