Gathering Place for Science and Commerce Initiation in Kalkar: Science and Business Sector Unite
In the Lower Rhine region, a new initiative aims to foster collaboration between businesses and the Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences (HSRW) in shaping a sustainable future for the economy. Known as the Dialogue Point Economy, this platform was launched in the Kalkar Industrial and Start-up Center with the support of the TransRegINT project, funded by the 'Innovative University' program of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space.
The Dialogue Point Economy is intended to strengthen collaboration between regional businesses and the university, addressing the long-standing challenge of some businesses finding it difficult to approach the university for collaboration. Julia Roelofsen, Innovation Manager Economy in the TransRegINT project, leads the Dialogue Point Economy in Kalkar under the motto "Economy meets Science." Her goal is to develop opportunities together with the economy, allowing businesses to benefit from the university, and vice versa.
The Dialogue Point Economy will identify central challenges and opportunities for the regional economy through workshops and innovation sprints. A tailored program with specific formats such as office hours, expert impulses, and practical research will be designed to meet the needs of the local economy.
The TransRegINT project, funded with around ten million euros until the end of 2027, aims to find creative solutions to the pressing challenges of our time from research findings. The project is intended to shape the sustainable transformation of the region in a science-based manner, with solutions developed to align with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
The university has set itself the goal of shaping the sustainable transformation of the region through the TransRegINT project. The Dialogue Point Economy signals that the university is approachable and wants to engage in dialogue with businesses. Dr. Gerhard Heusipp, head of the Center for Research, Innovation, and Transfer (ZFIT) at HSRW, expects the Dialogue Point Economy to go beyond the classic collaboration in the form of student internships or final theses, focusing on the exchange of knowledge and insights in all directions between university, business, and society.
Robert Beinio, Managing Director of bb med. product GmbH and first chairman of the Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences - Campus Cleve e. V. association, welcomed this initiative. The TransRegINT project and the Dialogue Point Economy are expected to create a real link between businesses and the university, and collaboration is not limited by municipal boundaries.
The Dialogue Point Economy in Kalkar is part of a broader movement to establish platforms for actively and jointly shaping a sustainable future for the economy in the Lower Rhine region. The Dialogue Point Economy aims to support easier access to science and collaboration for regional businesses, fostering economic growth by enhancing collaboration between local businesses, educational institutions, and government entities.
- To further stimulate collaboration and facilitate knowledge exchange, the Dialogue Point Economy aims to craft customized programs that address the specific needs of local businesses in the realm of finance, technology, education-and-self-development.
- The university's Dialogue Point Economy initiative, as part of a broader regional movement, seeks to empower businesses by providing simpler access to science and fostering beneficial collaborations in key sectors such as business, technology, and education-and-self-development, ultimately bolstering economic growth.
