On November 25, 2022, the Technical University of Košice (TUKE) welcomed a distinguished delegation including Deputy Prime Minister Veronika Remišová, Minister of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic, along with Elisa Ferreira, European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, and Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, concluding their two-day official visit to eastern Slovakia.
The visit took place at UVP TECHNICOM, where the guests first met with the TUKE leadership. During this meeting, Rector Dr. h. c. prof. h. c. prof. Ing. Stanislav Kmeť, DrSc., and Vice-Rector for Innovation and Technology Transfer Dr. h. c. prof. Ing. Anton Čižmár, CSc., introduced the university’s innovation activities, project achievements, and collaboration with industry. The session included speeches by the visiting guests and a moderated discussion between the delegation and nearly 100 student representatives.
The guests were introduced to TUKE’s hydrogen technologies, such as the hydrogen supercar MH2, and visited several innovative startup projects, including NORDICSs, CEELABS, APONI, as well as Ulysseus and the EDIH CASSOVIUM project.
At the end of the visit, Deputy Prime Minister Veronika Remišová and Rector Stanislav Kmeť signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization and TUKE.
“Investments and support for quality education are essential for Slovakia’s success. Unfortunately, past governments failed to fully utilize the potential of academic and research capacities. We are committed to changing that. Our goal is to involve top experts and offer students hands-on experience to motivate them to stay and develop professionally in Slovakia,” said Minister Veronika Remišová.
Thanks to this memorandum, ministry experts will involve students and academics in projects focusing on EU funds, innovation, state IT infrastructure, and regional development.
One of the strategic areas of cooperation includes the development of smart regions and cities, climate adaptation, digital transformation, and cybersecurity.
“Innovation and new technologies are—and will increasingly become—the driving force of Slovakia’s economy. They are key to ensuring the country’s prosperity and providing high-value jobs in the regions,” added Deputy Prime Minister Veronika Remišová.
She emphasized that UVP TECHNICOM, along with its Startup Centre and collaboration with the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at TUKE, exemplifies how research and innovation can effectively drive the growth of entrepreneurial ecosystems, including Slovakia’s first hydrogen vehicle initiative.
