The Knowledge Transfer Antennae Project, initially set up in Sagunto and Vinaroz, towns where the Universitat Jaume I (UJI) is based, by means of a collaboration agreement with Town Councils, has allowed UJI research groups to contact professionals from 66 companies located in these two towns.
Knowledge Transfer Antennae form part of Espaitec’s innovative projects after an agreement was signed between the General UJI Foundation and the Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE) to promote knowledge and technology transfer between University-Companies and to support innovative entrepreneurship. The main objective was for professionals of companies from Sagunto and Vinaroz and UJI research groups to get to know one another, to explore joint collaboration possibilities, and to improve the transfer of knowledge and innovative programmes created at the UJI to companies.
In the first project phase, the work methodology was defined after explaining the services that the UJI could offer businesspeople in innovation and development terms, and studying and analysing the research groups and items they worked with.
The second phase involved setting up the project’s technicians in Sagunto and Vinaroz, with one female technician per town. In this phase, the business environment in both towns was analysed, plus any requirements and concerns. After an in-depth analysis, the third phase started by visiting companies. During these visits, the corresponding technician interviewed those in charge of quality, innovation, human resources, heads of factories, etc. (depending on each company’s characteristics) to better know what activity they performed, they way they worked and their products. All this was done to discover any interesting points shared with the UJI which they could jointly work on.
After visits, it is noteworthy that during the weekly meetings held with project technicians, any requirements and concerns raised by companies and UJI research groups were specified with which to create synergies. Research groups met professionals because research lines were detected on which they worked during the events held in December in both towns, and could decide if they were interested in holding a bilateral meeting.
The Transfer Antennae Project outcomes in 2019
In Sagunto, contacts were made with 34 companies, including Pilkington, Climalife, Gonvarri, ArcelorMittal or LafargeHolcim, which held work meetings with 10 UJI research groups from several knowledge areas: Integrated Agricultural Pest Management, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Ceramics, Glass and Nanotechnology, Manufacturing Engineering, Design Engineering, Waste Engineering, Electricity, Electronics and Automation, Refrigeration and Climatisation, Heat, Cold and Electricity Transfers, Multiphase Fluids, Solid-State Chemistry, Environmental and Occupational Hazards, Processes Reengineering and Business Digitalisation.
In Vinaroz, contacts were made with 32 companies, like Grupo Gil Comes, Lamidecor, Alespri, Lagrama, Control-on, Climaestrat, FKR Química, Alfe Vinaròs, Benihort or Ineos Composites Hispania. Work meetings were held with 14 UJI research groups from several areas: Integrated Management of Polymers and Advanced Materials, Ceramics, Glass and Nanotechnology, Manufacturing Engineering, Design Engineering, Waste Engineering, Electricity, Electronics and Automation, Refrigeration and Climatisation, Big Data, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Environmental Inorganic Chemistry and Ceramic Materials, Sustainable Chemistry and Supramolecular Chemistry, Processes Reengineering, Business Digitalisation and Balanced Scorecards.
Finally, it is noteworthy that the Knowledge Transfer Antennae Project is actively and constantly underway throughout 2020, whose objective is to extend the project’s area of influence to the north and south of Castellón, and to the Camp de Morvedre area.
