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Close-up of a landmark in the Ruhr region against a red evening sky © Marcel R​/​stock.adobe.com
CAMPUS FOR SCIENCEPRENEURS

Working Together to Foster a Culture of Entrepreneurship

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Two women are standing in front of a glass pane covered with Post-its © RUB, Marquard
TU Dortmund University and Ruhr University Bochum (RUB) are working together to foster a strong culture of entrepreneurship and the successful transfer of scientific findings into practice. The Falling Walls Foundation has once again recognized this commitment: TU Dortmund University received the “Young Entrepreneurs in Science Campus” (YES) certificate for the second time, while RUB was honored for the third consecutive year.

With this certificate, the Falling Walls Foundation recognizes universities that foster an entrepreneurial mindset among researchers early on and show them ways to translate research findings into concrete applications. At TU Dortmund University, the Center for Entrepreneurship & Transfer (CET) creates appropriate programs and conditions to support this. At RUB, this role is fulfilled by WORLDFACTORY, the university’s startup and technology transfer center.

Joint workshops foster entrepreneurial thinking

Last year, certified YES trainers offered a comprehensive series of workshops based on the YES program. The workshops are designed for doctoral students and researchers and provide practical guidance on how to reexamine scientific findings using innovative methods and apply them in practice.

Joint workshops organized by RUB and TU Dortmund University enable researchers from both universities to network, gain new perspectives on their research, and develop entrepreneurial skills. Further collaborations are planned, including with the University of Duisburg-Essen, their joint partner in the University Alliance Ruhr.

Cooperation to Support the Ruhr Region as a Hub for Innovation

The exchange among YES trainers within the network shows that many universities face similar challenges when it comes to supporting early-career researchers and fostering entrepreneurship. Networking among the transfer centers therefore provides an opportunity to share experiences, develop joint initiatives, and pool existing expertise.

Strengthening the transfer of technology and knowledge to the region and beyond is also a goal of the Ruhr Innovation Lab, a joint initiative currently being pursued by TU Dortmund University and Ruhr University Bochum as part of the Excellence Strategy.

About YES

The “Young Entrepreneurs in Science” initiative aims to promote the transfer of innovations from research. The goal is for scientists to develop an entrepreneurial mindset early in their academic careers and to learn about alternative career paths outside of academia. Hands-on workshops help them recognize the practical applications of their research, further develop their own ideas, and build new networks.

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