BTH brought together European and regional stakeholders for the sustainable regions of the future
From 13 to 15 October, BTH hosted BAUHAUS4EU’s interregional conference Co-creating the Regions of Tomorrow: Education, Innovation & Partnership in Practice. Over the three days, representatives from academia, industry, the public sector and regional organisations came together to exchange experiences and develop new opportunities for collaboration.
The conference focused on how education, innovation and partnerships can help build resilient, inclusive and sustainable regions. The programme centred on overarching themes such as resilience, sustainability, urban planning, entrepreneurship, innovation and regional development, as well as future skills, leadership and collaboration.
Through presentations, workshops and study visits, participants learned about BTH’s and its regional partners’ work in applied education, research and innovation in areas including climate-neutral urban development, health technology, drone technology, immersive technologies and the regional energy transition. Participants also encountered examples of collaboration between BTH and Ericsson, as well as between BTH and the Swedish Navy.
A key aim of the conference was to bring together different perspectives and create opportunities for new joint activities, educational offerings and collaborations between BAUHAUS4EU partner universities and regional stakeholders. The programme therefore included several interactive sessions on regional challenges and opportunities, collaboration with external partners, innovative educational formats and the development of micro-credentials.
Outcomes and the way forward
Trust is essential to successful collaboration. Through networking and interactive sessions, participants built relationships, exchanged contact details, and identified shared challenges. One proposal was to engage UNESCO World Heritage representatives in development initiatives using the B4EU alliance as a platform. Participants also explored methods and processes for innovation and regional stakeholder engagement that could inform the alliance’s own work. Finally, examples of projects and collaborations offered inspiration, deepened participants’ understanding of BTH, and sparked interest in new opportunities and future exchanges.
Quotes
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to meet and greet a group of engaged, skilled and brave people, so committed to support each other in cooperation within the BAUHAUS4EU initiative.” Marcus Fredriksson, Business Developer (näringslivsutvecklare), Karlskrona Municipality.
“Rich in ideas, meaningful discussions, connections, beautiful people (and food)!”
Elona Karafili, Deputy/Vice Rector at POLIS University, Albania.
The conference concluded with a joint reflection on the discussions and opportunities that had emerged over the three days. The work then continued in meetings on topics including educational development, regional collaboration and upcoming activities within BAUHAUS4EU.
The conference was organised within the BAUHAUS4EU European University Alliance and funded with support from the European Union.
