Over 60 alliance members and interested network partners took part in the 3rd alliance meeting of Lausitz - Life & Technology on November 30th ."The meeting was organized with a great deal of creativity using the online platform gather.town, thus creating its own digital L&T world," explains L&T project coordinator at the HSZG Leonie Liemich. "With the interactive approach of this platform, we have not only created an easy and participatory exchange for networking among the alliance partners, but also set up digital project exhibition stands on current research projects and strengthened the exchange of content at workshops ."

A modern way to exchange ideas for a diverse program

"We don't just want to promote pure R&E projects, but also support sustainable innovation-based structural change in the region with a broad understanding of innovation. Creating perspectives for the region - being aware of its strengths and weaknesses," emphasized Dr. Ramon Kucharzak from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in the opening of the alliance meeting with reference to the WIR - Wandel durch Innovation in der Region (Change through Innovation in the Region) programme line, through which the alliance has been funded since 2019. As L&T Alliance spokesperson, Prof. Tobias Zschunke emphasized the successful development of the network's content and structure over the past two years and proudly highlighted the participation of over 73 Alliance partners who are actively helping to shape the Alliance.

Dr. Matthias Kinne, Board Member, and Cordula Lasner-Tietze, Innovation Management, presented the neo.NET e.V. association and its tasks under the motto: "Turning regional ideas into local growth!  "The development of sustainable structures requires continuous cooperation between science and industry, the will to turn project ideas into research projects and thus drive forward the development of new products in the region. All of this is made possible by the innovative strength of regional players," says Cordula Lasner-Tietze. In addition to supporting the alliance partners, the association stands for the continuation of the structures of the Lusatia - Life and Technology Alliance beyond the funding period.

Interlocking social and technological innovations

Prof. Raj Kollmorgen, consortium leader of the alliance and head of the strategy development project, presented the special interdisciplinary approach in the alliance with the extended L&T strategy concept:

The alliance has thus just applied for a second funding phase. How the dovetailing of technological and social innovations can be put into practice as part of F&E projects at L&T was discussed in the second part of the alliance meeting. Two workshops were designed for this purpose.

Workshop 1: Participatory and sustainable innovation dynamics using the example of efficient energy storage and energy systems and their social acceptance in the structural change process

The workshop began with an introductory discussion of various examples and problems focusing on the integration of technologies for the provision of renewable energies and implemented participation formats. The questions of which participation methods promote an increase in social acceptance and the extent to which research projects that have already begun or are planned for the future address the aspect of acceptance were then discussed together. This was followed by the question of which institutions and partners need to be involved in technological research projects in order to ensure the sustainable establishment of technological innovations and the associated value creation. The results of the workshop are to be defined in a further working group and further incorporate the potential of the interdisciplinary alliance.

Workshop 2: Extracurricular STEM education of the future: What new technologies and skills does Upper Lusatia need?

Upper Lusatia is undergoing an economic transformation that is accompanied by further challenges such as the shortage of skilled workers, demographic change and digitalization. For the region's success, it is therefore necessary to further develop the regional educational landscape in order to prepare young people for the region's transformation processes at an early stage and promote key skills. In the workshop, the alliance partners worked together to determine which levers are crucial for the further development of extracurricular STEM education in the region. Together, they discussed which new technologies (including additive manufacturing, modern energy storage technologies and artificial intelligence) will shape Upper Lusatia as a business location in the future. Particular attention was paid to the question of how you assess STEM education in the region and how it should develop further. They then discussed what skills young people need to actively shape structural change in their region in order to become the skilled workers of tomorrow.

After an intensive exchange and a joint final round, the event came to an end in a relaxed atmosphere in our L&T-Bar with networking and a real DJ.

We very much hope that we will be able to hold our next alliance meeting in person again. Until then, we have created an interesting place for communication with the digital venue and look forward to an exciting time!