By Esther Gardei-Schilling, Change Center.

How can Düsseldorf as a knowledge location be made more attractive compared to other regions?
At the kick-off conference of Wissensregion Düsseldorf, this question is at the forefront of the minds of the participants in the eight working groups.
Why?
Because all stakeholders can benefit from an attractive region.
This is shown by the example of business and science. New ideas and a fresh spirit of cooperation between business and science in the Düsseldorf region: at the kick-off conference on February 13, 2017, different interests for better cooperation in our region will certainly be articulated.
For example, many company representatives have a specific perspective on how they can best work together with science.
Business and science can drive innovation together.
And students can benefit from more intensive contact with industry and companies in the region.
At the kick-off conference for Wissensregion Düsseldorf, there will be enough time and space to discuss all facets of cooperation.
It will also be about the framework conditions that companies expect from politics and administration in order to work together with institutes or scientists in an unbureaucratic manner.
Or how knowledge and technology transfer can be organized profitably for all sides: On the one hand, an exchange about the research potential of scientific institutions is expedient for this, but on the other hand, an exchange about the needs of companies for scientific support.
This is certainly a way to identify funding projects from both sides more quickly.
“Our universities are of crucial importance for Düsseldorf as a business location,” says Lord Mayor Thomas Geisel.
“There are a large number of first-class universities and research institutions here with different focuses and an appeal that extends far beyond the city limits. They train the young talent of tomorrow, cooperate with the local economy in a variety of ways – and, last but not least, produce flourishing companies themselves as start-ups. We want to make this potential visible with Wissensregion Düsseldorf.”
At the kick-off conference, entrepreneurs can make it clear to representatives from science what expectations they have of their Wissensregion Düsseldorf.
At the same time, scientists can find out how they can make their research interesting for companies and how their students can benefit from it: More knowledge for more “us”. Do you represent a company in the Düsseldorf region and are you interested in long-term cooperation with universities or other knowledge providers? Register now for the kick-off conference and become part of the Wissensregion Düsseldorf.