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25 million euros in non-repayable funds secured for technology transfer

This week, a professional conference titled ‘Technology Transfer at the University of Zagreb’ was held in the auditorium of the University of Zagreb.

The aim of the conference was, as stated in the press release, to discuss potential further concrete steps to ensure that technology transfer yields better results, both scientific and commercial, and to open various questions related, among other things, to technology transfer and research at universities in general, the operation of startup and spin-off companies, and others.

The discussion was led by Tomislav Josip Mlinarić, Vice-Rector for Innovation, Technology Transfer, and Cooperation with the Economy at the University of Zagreb. Emphasizing that the University is launching a series of initiatives in the field of technology transfer and innovation, the Vice-Rector expressed the University’s readiness to provide even stronger support to its components in these complex processes and highlighted the importance of developing and initiating technology transfer projects at the component level. He also announced the establishment of the Economic Council of the University of Zagreb and the intensification of concrete cooperation with the economy.

Romana Matanovac Vučković from the Faculty of Law at the University of Zagreb, who is also the head of the postgraduate specialist study in Intellectual Property, highlighted in her presentation that the University has developed a legal framework for managing intellectual property. This legal framework consists of employees and students at its components to encourage technology transfer, creativity, and knowledge towards the economy, and to create new products, services, processes, and procedures.

– It is necessary to commercialize the intellectual property created using public finances and other resources for the benefit of society in the process of responsible commercialization – emphasized Matanovac Vučković.

Vlatka Petrović, acting temporary head of the Center for Research, Development, and Technology Transfer at the University of Zagreb, spoke about the support for technology transfer at the University of Zagreb, while the Director of the Directorate for Science and Technology at the Ministry of Science and Education Hrvoje Meštrić presented the national guidelines for technology and knowledge transfer and corresponding programs and public calls. During his presentation, Meštrić emphasized that 25 million euros in non-repayable funds have already been secured for technology transfer and that an additional 30 million euros for this area is expected very soon.

In the concluding part of the conference, a discussion followed on the possibilities of achieving the most effective support system for technology transfer and the commercialization of intellectual property in practice.

The conference was attended by vice-rectors and deans, vice-deans for science, heads of scientific centers of excellence, representatives of incubators, entrepreneurial and investment programs, and other participants.

Additionally, the conference announced the opening of a competition for enrollment of a new generation of participants in the postgraduate specialist interdisciplinary study ‘Intellectual Property’ at the beginning of May 2023. This study program is intended for individuals from all professions as it focuses on acquiring specialized knowledge about the methods and content of legal protection and management of intellectual property in the process of technology transfer.

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