The FLAME project in Atomki

Complete text of publication follows. Eleven regions of eight Central European countries have launched the FLAME Project in 2010 (Future Laboratory for the diffusion and Application of innovation in Material Sciences and Engineering) to start and manage a new initiative of a network for innovation activities in the MS and E sector. The project aimed at supporting actors in the field of materials science and exploiting their research and commercial potentials. FLAME partners encourage trans-regional cooperation between R and D centres, universities, start-ups and SMEs by helping companies to distribute their innovations and supporting research in transferring results to the market. The project will implement a new cooperation model: the 'Future Lab', where duly trained 'regional facilitation coaches' will assist SMEs in accessing the whole Central European MS and E market and research potential. Each Future Lab will be specialized on thematic fields and help to make efficient use of local and regional potentials. The three Future Labs will be hosted by the Austrian, Italian and Slovenian partner organizations. Figure 1. Competence and innovation landscape on the FLAME website. Source: http://www.flameurope.eu/mse-actors-145.html As the first step of project implementation in 2011 the competence and innovation maps within the participating regions were elaborated in order to list the relevant actors in the MS and E sector (Figure 1). In 2011, each project partner delegated two regional professionals as facilitation coaches to attend four training weeks across Europe. The facilitation coaches play an active role in the exchange of information and in motivating collaboration between research institutions and enterprises on technology based projects. The training sessions were located at four of the project partners: Kapfenberg/Austria (lead partner - Area m Styria); Warsaw/Poland (PP2 - Warsaw University of Technology); Debrecen/Hungary (PP5 - Atomki); Milan/Italy (PP10 - Innovhub). Each training session was devoted to a specific theme, which was treated and supported by the contribution of international experts increasing the competences of the facilitation coaches in different fields. Acknowledgements. The project is implemented through the CENTRAL EUROPE programme co-financed by the ERDF.