Highlands and Islands leading debate in the Czech Republic

The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) is travelling to the Czech Republic next week to lead six other European regions in a conference looking at how best to nurture an innovative business culture in isolated regions. The conference is the fourth in a series that has taken place in regions across Europe as part of the UNICREDS (University Collaboration in Regional Development Spaces) project.

Taking place at České Budějovice in the Czech Republic on Tuesday 17 January, the conference, hosted by the University of South Bohemia but run by UHI, will bring together delegates from across Europe. The conference will focus on how collaboration between universities, industry and the public sector can help nurture an innovative business culture, particularly in the context of peripheral and isolated regions.

A focal point of the event will be the Keynote Speech from Frank Rennie, Professor of Sustainable Development and Head of Research and Post-Graduate Development at Lews Castle College UHI, part of the University of the Highlands and Islands.

Frank comments: “The aim of this conference is to try to identify and understand those activities and initiatives that are helping to nurture an innovative business culture. Regional universities must become more engaged with local businesses and this event will allow us to learn from the experiences of the different regional partners. All parties need more interactive communications to get the best from the available leadership and technology.”

Nicolas Wallet, Project Manager for UNICREDS, comments: “This is our fourth conference. Each of the events has looked at a different element under the overarching theme of developing high value, knowledge-based economies in peripheral regions through partnerships between universities, business and the public sector. The findings and case studies presented at the event will feed into 'best practice' recommendations that will be submitted to the European Commission later in 2012, with the aim of helping other regions facing similar issues.”

The event is part of the €2million UNICREDS project which aims to develop a transferable model for future education and regional development programmes that can be adopted by the European Commission. The UNICREDS project is majority funded by the EU in addition to co-financing from each of the 15 European partners and made possible by the INTERREG IVC programme. All the regions involved with UNICREDS share similar characteristics relative to the rest of their countries, such as distance from major cities, population demographics and reliance on declining traditional industries.

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