INNOVATION CAMPUS
A School for the professionals of technology transfer
The strategy for technology transfer in AREA was developed around Innovation Network, the
first Italian network of Competence Centres focusing on making crucial knowledge and innovative
technology available to the relevant market with the aim to enhance its competitiveness.
AREA can offer therefore specialized know-how and highly qualified teaching staff with a
practical, hands-on approach to the real issues of interest for enterprises and technical skills in
project management, evaluation of investments, access to funding for innovation.
After several successful national and international experiences, the original prototype
addressed to the professionals of technology transfer has been consistently updated to meet the
growing demand for innovation and new services have been added to improve the offer.
The School was created in 2005, aiming at offering a service of ongoing training and the
opportunity for operators and national and international bodies to resort to a laboratory to
compare practices and find support through high-level advanced training, in-depth analyses of
individual areas of interest, support and professional advice on issues and projects in the fields
of innovation and technology transfer.
The School is intended as the instrument to allow AREA Science Park, cooperating with other
prestigious institutions, to make the acquired experience available to those operators actively
working in technology transfer.
THE EXPERIENCE
In the period 2006/2008, Innovation Campus organized the first two courses of advanced
training for Innovation Brokers.
THE OFFER
Highly specialized contents and participation of experts actively working in the fields of
research and of technology transfer
Knowledge and managerial skills for the strategic management of innovation and technology
transfer
Good practices and practical methods for intervention
PROSPECTIVE PARTICIPANTS
The offer is addressed primarily to individuals working in the following sectors and
fields:
Bodies and organizations specialising in intermediation between research and enterprise
Chambers of Commerce
Universities
Science and Technology Parks
Research Centres
Enterprise Incubators and Enterprise Accelerators
Regional and Local Governments and Institutions
Consortia
Centres providing services to industry
RANGE OF SERVICES
Advanced training
Intensive training opportunities
Professional advice and support on technology transfer issues and projects
A.I.B.T. (Italian Association of Technology Brokers) – creation of networks
TEACHING METHODS
Training in AREA Science Park is based upon dynamic teaching methods allowing participants to
take part as protagonists in the learning process and which may contribute to motivate participants
to create a stimulating and collaborative environment for the exchange of information and the
sharing of experiences among students and with the teaching staff, achieving a more satisfactory
and efficient learning process.
Planning and carrying out of an innovation project with the full support of the experts
working for AREA is an integral part of the training.
Through an interactive teaching model, participants carry out practical training, study in
depth problem-solving techniques, deal directly with case studies, role-play and simulations, have
the opportunity to learn from professionals sharing their own direct experience and discuss issues
of specific relevance.
Priority is given to an inductive method: from the analysis of well-defined issues and
searching for solutions to the cases suggested by the teaching staff, participants actively
participate in the learning and become involved in a process of analysis and discovery leading them
to extrapolate general principles and theoretical models.
Such techniques give participants the opportunity to achieve a direct experience of likely
behaviours and situations, as can be found in real professional environments.
Direct contact with enterprises and institutions operating in the territory is also part of
the training, to promote the creation of a permanent laboratory, adapting to meet the real needs of
enterprises.
Self-education tools (books, course notes, cd-roms, a website, ftp space, a forum facility)
are furthermore made available to participants, available onsite and in the distance mode.
CUSTOMIZED TRAINING
Personalization of training: the creation of profiles for each participant, carried out using
the information provided during the selection process allows the teaching staff to design and
customize their modules;
Customization of the training process: obtained through an evaluation of the participants’
skills when starting the course to maximize their motivation and the efficiency of the teaching,
avoiding redundancy;
Initial agreement with participants: at the beginning of the course, together with all
participants, objectives and goals of the training are chosen to meet the real expectations of the
class;
Choice of the teaching methods: specific support is provided to the teaching staff in relation
to the class, with the objective to give priority to those dynamic methods and techniques allowing
the best possible participation in the learning.
CONTACTS AND FURTHER INFORMATION
Innovation Campus Secretariat
Phone: +39 040 375 5160
