Inaugural MUST Week on Technology and Knowledge Transfer Launched by Technology Transfer Office
In the first week of June, the Technology Transfer Office welcomed representatives from six European universities. During the four-day programme, participants explored the Czech Republic's technology and knowledge transfer system, delved into modern trends in the field, and engaged with critical topics such as intellectual property protection, commercialization strategies, and the creation of spin-off companies.
"The biggest benefit for me was the meeting with colleagues from foreign universities. We used the time to share experiences and good practice, which was very beneficial", says Daniela Podzemná from the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University.
Martin Schulz from the University of Ulm was interested in the session on the commercialisation of research potential and spin-off companies, especially the recent establishment of the Masaryk University subsidiary MUNI Ventures. "I see a great potential for development in this company, it is really interesting to follow this situation". He positively assessed the programme and organisation of MUST Week, as well as the wide range of activities that the Technology Transfer Office is engaged in.
The program was complemented by a tour of the Faculty of Medicine Simulation Center, where MUST Week concluded with a lecture by Dr. Yashwant Pathak from the University of South Florida, a Fulbright Scholar visiting Faculty of Pharmacy. During his talk, Dr. Pathak discussed the issues of transfer and entrepreneurship in terms of their place in university curricula. The topic was also welcomed by Daniela Podzemná: "It is important to spread awareness of technology transfer among students, especially those studying master's programmes. This awareness is still lacking." The programme concluded with a lively discussion on current challenges.
Roser Ortes Rigola from University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia would recommend the event to other colleagues in the field: “MUST Week was very inspiring for me. It's important to share our experiences with each other, it's the only way we can grow and improve our universities in the future."
"We are thrilled with the success of this year's event and are already planning for an even more impactful program in 2026," said Ondrej Woznica, MUST Week lector from Technology Transfer Office. "Our goal is to foster collaboration and knowledge transfer between universities, enhancing both academic and commercial innovation, and ultimately broadening the impact of research".
