Sharing best practices in cooperation between academia and industry at the Innovation Day at Novartis in Slovenia
- At Novartis in Slovenia, innovation is one of the key values that is embedded in all areas of work and is continuously promoted through various initiatives and activities in the company.
- The key to greater visibility and penetration of Slovenian innovation is an effective link between the academic and economic sphere for the development of new technologies.
- The representatives of Novartis in Slovenia discussed with professors from the University of Maribor and University of Ljubljana best practices and the achievements of mutual cooperation, challenges and steps forward.
Novartis in Slovenia has organized an Innovation Day focused on the presentation of best practices in cooperation between academia and industry. At Novartis in Slovenia, innovation is one of the key values that is embedded in all areas of work. The company continuously promotes it through various initiatives and activities, including the Innovation Days that all associates can attend. Great emphasis is placed on cooperation with academic and science institutions as companies and research institutions are natural partners in the development of science, basic skills and applicative solutions which together drive economic progress and ensure sustainable growth of social welfare.
In the first part of this year’s Innovation Day that was held virtually, useful solutions were presented which were developed in collaboration with students on the basis of various study projects, as well as digital solutions within the company. Among others, they presented the use of a collaborative robot in production processes, automation of internal logistics, 3D printing of spare and formatting parts and a packaging line model for training in a virtual reality environment.
This was followed by a discussion titled 'How to upgrade the cooperation with academia' in which the representatives of Novartis in Slovenia discussed with professors from the University of Maribor and the University of Ljubljana the importance of mutual cooperation, challenges and steps forward.
“The key to greater visibility and penetration of Slovenian innovation is an effective link between the academic and economic sphere for the development of new knowledge. The knowledge holders and innovators in academia and industry must know each other well and maintain lasting partnerships. We need to identify innovative, effective solutions in mutual cooperation and set further development priorities, strengthen professional competencies and economic growth,” stressed Darja Ferčej Temeljotov, Head Strategic Programs at Lek.
“The University of Maribor was created out of the needs of the economy, so it takes its third mission of knowledge transfer very seriously. In doing so, Novartis represents an important economic partner as well as potential employer for its students. We will be able to overcome the current COVID-19 health, economic and social crisis only connected and with the help of science and innovation, so we were happy to attend the Innovation Day at Novartis in Slovenia,” explains Assoc. prof. Urban Bren, PhD, Vice-Rector for Knowledge Transfer at the University of Maribor.
Novartis is the leading provider of medicines in Slovenia, where Lek, Novartis Pharma Services and Sandoz, operate. Together we are building and maintaining the reputation of a dynamic, ethical, and trusted pharmaceutical company. Lek develops, manufactures, and markets effective, safe, and high quality medicines and active pharmaceutical ingredients. With our knowledge, quality, and experience we have gained an important role in Novartis' organizational structure, especially in the Novartis Technical Operations, Global Drug Development, Novartis Business Services, and the generic division Sandoz. We are the leading Sandoz development center, and one of the key development sites for technologically complex projects. We invest a great deal in the development, education, and training of our employees. Over the last eight years, the company has created more than 2,700 jobs, making us one of the biggest employers in Slovenia. Novartis invested in Slovenia more than EUR 2.5 billion since 2003.
About Sandoz
Sandoz, a Novartis division, is a global leader in generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars. Our purpose is to pioneer access for patients by developing and commercializing novel, affordable approaches that address unmet medical needs. Our ambition is to be the world’s leading and most valued generics company. Our broad portfolio of high-quality medicines, covering all major therapeutic areas, accounted for 2019 sales of USD 9.7 billion. Sandoz is headquartered in Holzkirchen, in Germany’s Greater Munich area.
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About Novartis
Novartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend people’s lives. As a leading global medicines company, we use innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need. In our quest to find new medicines, we consistently rank among the world’s top companies investing in research and development. Novartis products reach more than 800 million people globally and we are finding innovative ways to expand access to our latest treatments. About 109,000 people of more than 145 nationalities work at Novartis around the world. Find out more at www.novartis.com.
This press release contains statements and conclusions based on projections of Lek’s future business operations. These estimates are derived from the best information currently available. In case these forecasts prove unreliable, the actual results could prove different from those projected.
For additional information contact:
Katarina Klemenc
Corporate Communications
Lek Pharmaceuticals d. d.
Phone: +386 1 580 22 43
Fax: +386 1 580 24 32
katarina.klemenc@sandoz.com