A global network of researchers and industry practitioners across Europe and Australia for promoting the translation of research between university-industry through cooperation and Open Innovation in the sectors of

About the project

OpenInnoTrain is a research project focused on open innovation and research translation between academia and industry with a 22-member research consortium across several countries. The project aims at enabling the untapped potential of European university researchers in getting their research outcomes to the market within the University‐Industry Cooperation (UIC) framework in the sectors of FinTech, Industry 4.0, CleanTech and FoodTech. This Open Innovation approach for research translation is the prerequisite for societal impact through value creation by embedding research‐generated knowledge into practices, transforming knowledge made available in academic publications to new or improved products and services and behavioural changes. 

OpenInnoTrain is funded by the European Commission’s prestigious Horizon 2020 research and innovation scheme. Coordinated by the European hub of RMIT University in Barcelona, this is the first project that connects European and Australian research at this scale within such a global network of industrial partners and academic institutions.

Individuals involved in research and innovation in Europe and Australia will have the opportunity to spend from one month up to a year in Australia and in several European countries including Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, UK and Spain. The project will fund up to 540 person-months of scientific exchanges, designed to facilitate the creation of an international and inter-sectoral network of both research centres as well as industry partners for knowledge development and sharing.

At the core of the project is to foster better ways for academia and industry to work together to translate research into products and services that benefit society and the opportunity will bring together global experts from research centres, industry groups and universities to make a real and positive difference to our communities. To this end, in addition to the funded research exchanges, the project organises different events including workshops, summer schools, masterclasses, seminars and hackathons.