An agreement whose purpose is the creation of the Wrocław Research Centre WRoclaw Concept (WRC) was signed on Monday by the rectors of Wrocław’s five universities, including Wrocław University of Science and Technology. The centre’s tasks will include international research and development programmes as well as the transfer of technology into the economy.

The parties to the agreement, which is an initiative of tertiary institutes from Wrocław and Saxony, are Wrocław University of Science and Technology (the leader of the consortium), the University of Wrocław, the University of Environmental and Life Sciences, the University of Economics, and the University of Medicine. 

The centre’s operation is expected to help consolidate the academic circles and institutions dealing with the issues of the broadly understood technological development and innovation. Its task will be to initiate, prepare, and create conditions for the execution of specific research, development, implementation, and educational projects. 

– This initiative was developed by the rectors of Wrocław’s universities, among other originators, striving primarily to facilitate the growth of international research and projects. Currently, science must go beyond the walls of its own universities as there are problems emerging now, such as electromobility or cybersecurity, which cannot be solved in a single laboratory - said Professor Edward Chlebus from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of Wrocław University of Science and Technology. 

The ceremonial event of the signing of the agreement was combined with the visit from the Saxony science and arts minister Eva-Maria Stange, PhD to Wrocław.  Referring to the establishment of the centre, she stressed that it is an excellent example of how easily science can cross all borders and communicate in its own language.

– So far, about 170 individual agreements and relations have been concluded between scientists from Lower Silesia and Saxony. It shows us that cooperation in the field of science between our regions is definitely a realistic undertaking. I’m happy that now it’ll become more extensive through the inclusion of universities and research institutes in the cooperation. I’d very much like this cooperation to give birth to something new, something that could be used for citizens’ benefit - stressed Eva-Maria Stange, PhD.

The Wrocław Research Centre was established as a counterpart of Dresden-concept, a scientific and research network founded in 2010 by the University of Technology in Dresden and the main four German scientific organisations - Fraunhofer Institute, Max Planck Institute, Leibniz Institute, and Helmholtz Institute. – The cooperation within this cluster is a good example of an attempt to solve the challenges we’re facing in areas such as microelectronics, Industry 4.0, or biotechnology - admitted Eva-Marie Stange, PhD. 

Wrocław University of Science and Technology has become the leader of Wrocław Research Centre WRoclaw Concept.