01/2018 - 12/2022

Innovation Hub 13

Sub-Project Regional Foresight

Innovation Hub 13

The project „Innovation Hub 13 – fast track to transfer“ being run by the University of Applied Sciences Wildau and the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg is among the 29 winners selected in the “Innovative Hochschule” competition held by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Together with their partners, the two universities will run the Innovation Hub 13 as a central platform for providing a new impetus for development within the region over the next few years.

Background and objectives_{Open area}_{Close area}

The sub-project “Regional Foresight” takes a systematic and participative approach to exploring and describing possible futures for the region. It is based on the differentiated quantitative and qualitative analysis and evaluation of development conditions within the region as well as on the different types of societal problems outlined. These represent starting points for selected foresight processes and orientation for innovation processes and innovation politics. The results of the foresight processes are to be used for strategically aligning transfer processes between scientific institutions and other regional players.

Approach and tasks_{Open area}_{Close area}

Three groups are collaborating closely within the sub-project Regional Foresight: the research group Innovation and Regional Research at TH Wildau under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Dana Mietzner, Prof. Dr. Stefan Jörg Zundel’s team at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg and Prof. Dr. Suntje Schmidt’s team at the Leibniz Institute for Research on Society and Space.

Once the region to be studied has been mutually agreed and the relevant sub-regions of the Innovation Hub 13 identified, three complex and longer-term foresight processes are planned for the Innovation and Regional Research research group. They will follow a uniformly structured overall process. This process may be modified depending on the specific problem that serves as the starting point for the process. At the centre are a range of complex societal problems, which are perceived and evaluated to varying extents by regional players, depending on what exactly the problem relates to. The longer-term foresight processes integrate different methodical approaches and formats, some of which have a somewhat more experimental character. The foresight processes yet again contain explicit phases for deriving actions to be taken in relation to the solutions for the regional problems. Appropriate formats must also be developed here in order to successfully communicate the results and integrate them into the strategic decision-making processes of regional players. The foresight processes are accompanied by technology scouting activities. The research group Innovation and Regional Research is working closely with the Transfer Scouts of the Innovation Hub 13 at both universities in this area.