Directors' Forum 2023

14:00 - 17:00    Site Visit to BlueApp and BlueChem

For the early arrivals, the University of Antwerp is organising a visit to BlueApp and BlueChem, both located next to each other at the Blue Gate Antwerp, a climate neutral business park, the first eco-effective, water-bound business park in Belgium. 

BlueApp is an open innovation platform of the University of Antwerp. The hub brings industry and academia together to enrich the integrated ecosystem of sustainable chemistry. Opened in end 2022, BlueApp is part of the new University of Antwerp Valorisation strategy. 

BlueChem is the first incubator for sustainable chemistry in Belgium. Through a unique public-private partnership, BlueChem brings together government, industry and academia with the joint ambition to help promising start-ups and young companies grow and develop sustainable innovations for the chemistry of the future.

19:00 - 22:30    Welcome Reception and Networking Dinner

Arriving the night before? Don’t miss the opportunity to meet your peers for dinner and networking at the historic 16th-century Hof Van Liere University of Antwerp Club. 

The results of the Directors' Forum survey will be presented during dinner.

09:30 - 10:00    Welcome Coffee

Kick off the meeting in Antwerp's Hilton Hotel, based in the city's old town.

10:00 - 11:15    User experience presentations 1

Data is the new gold, even in a TTO | by  Jurgen Joossens

In this presentation Jurgen will give an overview why and when the UAntwerp TTO is in need of data. You get an insight in the different data streams and how they are managed. He will explain which software tools are used by the different experts at his university (MyIP, Oracle, Antigoon (in house software), Contractsoft, ELN,…). For each software tool feedback will be given. To conclude he will present a SWOT analysis of the current approach combined with lessons learned.

Using CRM system in TT office | by Petr Kubečka

In this presentation, Petr will explain why using the CRM system in TTO. If you have employers coming in and out to your office all the time, if you need management of your IP portfolio or if the role of your office is also in the business (sold the results of your alma mater), then CRM can be very useful for you as a director and TTO office itself.

Connecting Data and Making it Accessible | by Peter Conlon

Like many things in a university, administration and the tools that support administration can exist in silos. Systems are developed or purchased to suit the needs of a particular office, the TTO for instance, without much regard for anything else. Except that this can’t be the case. To do our jobs we have to capture, monitor, and report on activities and to do that we have to exchange and use data from sources through the university (and outside). Silo’ed software systems don’t make this job easy and our activities go beyond what could be regarded as traditionally TTO. In Maynooth University TTO we are undertaking the process of consolidating our activity management under a single software application and it has forced us to think very carefully how relevant data is sourced and shared. Off the shelf applications fulfil many of our requirements but they can have a particular view on how an office is organised and generally lack the means to integrate with other university systems. Based on the work we have undertaken, this presentation will discuss what, in an ideal world, Maynooth University’s TT/KT management system would look like and how it could operate.

11:15 - 11:30    Coffee break

11:30 - 12:30    User experience presentations II (continued)

Data Management Software – Lessons learned | by Paul Dillon

The presenter will consider data management within the context of the Irish Knowledge Transfer System and comment on national Data Drivers. The presentation will then explore UL systems and experiences and the benefits of data standardisation. Finally the presenter will look at future plans for systems and related management.

12:30 - 13:30    Lunch

13:30 - 15:30    Brainstorming session

Working together in small groups, working on the draft of the position paper.

15:30 - 15:45    Coffee break

15:45 - 16:15    Wrap-up and conclusions

Planning follow-up online meetings to draft/finalise the position paper to be published by the end of 2023.

16:15 - 16:45    Closing drinks