MATEJ BEL UNIVERSITY
ABOUT US
Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica is a public higher education institution. It is a member of the European University Association. The university provides high-quality education across seven faculties, responding to advances in science and the needs of practice, and develops new knowledge through creative scientific and artistic research. In addition to its teaching, scientific and artistic work, a significant part of UMB's creative activity consists of basic and applied research carried out in cooperation with Slovak and international institutions. The university has centres of research excellence and runs scientific and development projects funded by European structural funds.
OUR ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE CONSORTIUM
UMB is the leader of the STICS project. It provides overall project management and ensures successful implementation. It takes part in seven of the project's eight work packages, with a decisive role in creating sustainable innovation ecosystems. During the project, a Living Lab will be established at UMB, SILab, focused primarily on social innovation using modern information technologies. Its role will be to test innovations for subsequent implementation in municipalities, towns and regions, and to disseminate the knowledge gained in the project to professional, academic and general audiences.
BENEFITS OF OUR OUTPUTS AND TARGET GROUPS
Based on extensive research within the project, Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica will examine the current range of technical and social innovations used by local authorities. Drawing on the research findings, it will identify the needs of local authorities, which the other consortium members will progressively address through their own outputs. UMB will also collaborate on testing and deploying innovations, primarily in the Banská Bystrica Region within SILab, which will secure the long-term sustainability of the project and its results. The innovations implemented will form part of a comprehensive catalogue of urban innovations, one of the project's publication outputs.
prof. Ing. Anna Vaňová, PhD.
Project Coordinator
What do you expect from the STICS project?
Through research and knowledge dissemination, I expect STICS to deliver solutions that make the introduction of relevant innovations in local areas more effective and purposeful, and that increase citizen participation in public affairs. Data will become more accessible, and functional, sustainable innovation ecosystems will emerge in Slovak local governments.
Who will be able to use your outputs, and when?
The research results and the applied STICS solutions will be usable primarily by local authorities, but also by other public administration bodies and the general public. I also anticipate that new business opportunities will emerge. The project should likewise deepen cooperation between the academic, non-profit and private sectors. I believe all of this will have an impact not only within Slovakia but also internationally.