Faculty of Technologies begins an international project “Enhancing capacity of universities to initiate and to participate in clusters development on innovation and sustainability principles” (UniClaD), who’s objective – to strengthen the business sector cooperation with higher education institutions. This is the first project of its kind in Kaunas University of Applied Sciences. The value reaches almost one million euros and is joined by more than 20 partners from countries of Europe and Asia.

For higher education establishments, companies and other institutions, the participation of Kaunas University of Applied Sciences and other partners in these clusters will provide many benefits: the development of flexible, project-oriented models, thanks to whom, the business and educational institutions will have an easier time adapting to external changes according to real time needs of the industry, while carrying out applied research, creating added value and involving students into practical-research activity, motivating students to participate in specific project activities and orientate to perspective further occupations and the development of activities.

During this project, centers of expertise will be opened in higher education institutions as future clusters. These centers will ensure and strengthen the connection with other organizations, cooperation will be promoted, based on mutual economic interests. While creating and broadening the expert centers, as well as reorganizing them into groups, these obstacles shall be overcome: legal basis, minimal financial resources in order to maintain the innovative infrastructure in higher education institutions, low staff competence. During this project, agricultural companies will be encouraged to implement and develop innovations created in higher education institutions.

Project coordinator: Kaunas University of Applied Sciences

Partners: Austria (University College of Agrarian and Environmental Pedagogy, Federal Institute for Agricultural Economics, Rural and Mountain Research), Spain (University of Valladolid), Hungary (University of Deprecen), Italy (The Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari), Poland (Poznan University of Life Sciences), Ukraine (Scientific and Methodological Center for Higher and Non-Higher Education, Central Technical University of Ukraine, Steppe Agricultural Institute of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences of Ukraine, Poltava State Agrarian Academy, Lviv National Agrarian University, Yavoriv National Nature Park, Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University, “Ukrainian Food Valley”, “Dobro-Kraft” ŽŪB), Moldovia (Komrat State University, “Fabrica Oloi Pak”, Moldovan State Agrarian University, “Terafix”), Azerbaijan (Azerbaijan State Agricultural University, Suliddinoglu Agricultural Company, Azerbaijan Technical University).

Project name: “Enhancing capacity of universities to initiate and to participate in clusters development on innovation and sustainability principles” (UniClaD) (No. 609944-EPP-1-2019-1-LT-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP). 

General objective: Development of the potential of universities as an integral part of agro-industrial

clusters. Creation of the innovative centers as pre-conditions for the development and successful functioning of agro-industrial clusters.

Timeline of the project: 3 years. Project is financed by the EU Commission, in accordance to Erasmus+ KA2 program.