From 6th to 8th December 2022, prof. RNDr. Pavol Miškovský, DrSc., Chairman of the Board of CNIC, visited European institutions in Brussels. Together with the delegation of the Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice led by its rector, prof. RNDr. Pavol Sovák, CSc., prof. Miškovský presented the CNIC project to the Vice-President of the European Commission for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight, Maroš Šefčovič, Slovak MEPs Michal Wiezik and Ivan Štefanec, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to the EU, Maria Malová, and the diplomatic mission of the Slovak Republic to the EU.

The presentation introduced the joint project of three Košice universities, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Louis Pasteur University Hospital, Košice self-governing region, the city of Košice and Cassovia Discovery Park, and highlighted the importance of eastern Slovakia’s share in Slovak research and technology transfer.

It is CNIC’s experience in successful technology transfer, its specialized scientific research centers and the potential of its experts that appealed to the leading representatives of the Slovak Republic in the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Permanent Representation of the Slovak Republic to the EU. The representatives promised media coverage on the domestic and European political scene and open support for steps leading to successful implementation of CNIC.

Michal Wiezik proposed a visit to the Cassovia New Industry Cluster, and Ivan Štefanec offered prof. Miškovský the opportunity to present the project in the EP plenary in the first half of 2023. The Vice President of the EC, Maroš Šefčovič, highlighted the timelessness of efforts to improve the socio-economic situation in the region of eastern Slovakia and offered advice on financing the consortium. Like Ivan Štefanec, the vice-president suggested promoting this cluster at the international level and in the EC.

Part of the visit was the “Šafárik University meets Brussels” event, where prof. Miškovský presented the starting points, current implementation, and visions of CNIC to the invited guests. Thank you to the Slovak Liaison Office for Research and Development in Brussels (SLORD), the Permanent Representation of the Slovak Republic to the EU, and the Lifelong Learning Centre and Projects Support at UPJŠ for organizing the Brussels trip.

“The visit at the European institutions proved that we are on the right track for building up the East Slovak region. Science and industry are crucial for the modern times, and Slovak representatives in the EU institutions are well aware. Now it must be realized by Slovaks, too. The negotiations in Brussels showed us the direction we need to take to be successful. The CNIC project is not of a local nature exclusively. Its scope goes beyond the Slovak borders and advances development opportunities by means of collaboration between private sector and academia,” said the Chairman of the CNIC Board, prof. Miškovský.