Universities of science & technology explore regional visions for global challenges in digital transformation

Our high-level conference during the CESAER Annual Meetings in Dresden explored regional visions for global challenges in digital transformation from the three standpoints of technological, societal and political change.

The conference sought to:

• Explore trends at political, societal and technological levels driving the digital transformation;
• Explore connections and synergies between the regional, European and global levels;
• Communicate areas of ongoing activities and new areas for action for universities of science & technologies to boost the digital transformation through connecting regional visions to global challenges;
• Engage with partners and stakeholders.

Keynote speakers with experience in regional, European and global perspectives addressed the conference:

• Nicola De Michelis (Director for Smart and Sustainable Growth at the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission) - Political changes: Presentation ‘Supporting regions through digital and green transitions to tackle global challenges’
• Laith Altimime (President, SEMI Europe) - Societal changes: Presentation ‘Digital transformation and microelectronics: societal drivers from regional to global’
• Yvonne Keil (Director, GlobalFoundries) - Technological changes: Presentation ‘The semiconductor decade and the role of connecting regional and global technological capabilities to boost resilience’

Max Lu (Vice-Chancellor of University of Surrey), Stefan Bengtsson (President of Chalmers University of Technology) and Mihnea Costoiu (Rector of University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest) moderated three break-out sessions.

Rik Van de Walle (President of CESAER) said:

“This conference has been about the future and the role we need to play - as universities, university leaders, and researchers. I would like to recall that the topics of digital transformation tackling global and regional challenges are very high on the agenda of our association, and I conclude after this session that this is rightfully the case.

“It was clear that this conference today was a great success, I want to thank Ursula Staudinger (Rector of TU Dresden), Ronald Tetzlaff (Chief Technology Officer & Internationalisation at TU Dresden) and their colleagues for organising such a great conference. Many thanks also to all the speakers and moderators from today, and thank you to all of our attendees for their active participation.”

Video recording

A video of the conference will be made available here in due course.

For more information please contact our Deputy Secretary General, Mattias Bjornmalm