• Prof. Miroslav Rebernik, Conference Chair, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Maribor

Introductory addresses:

• Bogdan Čepič, Vicemayor of the City of Maribor
• Prof. Dr. Ivan Rozman, Rector of the University of Maribor
• Mag. Andrej Vizjak, Minister of Economy

• Prof. Franc Mali, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana: "Second academic revolution: New ways of creating, transferring and exploiting knowledge at universities and institutes"
• Prof. Miroslav Rebernik, prof. Polona Tominc, mag. Ksenja Pušnik, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Maribor: "Findings of the world project GEM on entrepreneurship and innovation in the knowledge society"
• Sharon Bamford, Scottish Institute of Enterprise, United Kingdom: "Mechanisms for motivation of the academic community for entrepreneurship"

• Simon Dewulf, CREAX, Belgium: "Systematic innovating in the established companies"
• Prof. Grazia Santangelo, University of Catania, Italy: "Cooperation between public research institutions, multinational corporations, and local policy in fostering the economic development"
• Matej Potokar, Microsoft: "A Case on the role of multinational corporation in regional development and building of knowledge society"
• Dr. Ted Prodan, Private researcher, Tonko Sladič, Director of Dume-Trade d.o.o. and Alenka Hren, Assistant Manager of JAPTI: "Presentation of Technological laboratory for the complex composite products: A successful case on cooperation between governmental, research and economic spheres"  Presentation

Technology platforms as mechanisms for joint planning of R&D investments

Participants:

• Mag. Mateja Mešl, Vice-chairman of Chamber of Commerce of Slovenia: "Technology Platforms in Slovenia"
• Dr. Blaž Nardin, Director of Tecos and of Technology Platform Manofuture, Slovenia: "The Future of processing industry"
• Franc Lesjak, director of Predilnica Litija d.o.o. and chairman of Textile Technology Platform: "Textile Technology Platform for Slovenia"
• Mag. Ulla Hudina, European Commission, Enterprise and Industry Directorate General: "European Commission financial instruments for direction of the policy on competitiveness and innovativeness"

Introductory presentations will be followed by discussion led by Mag. Mateja Mešl.

Participants:

• Prof. Aleš Vahčič, Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana: "d.school Slovenia and reform"
• Prof. Jadran Lenarčič, Josef Stefan Institute: "d.school Slovenia and IJS"
• Prof. Janez Bešter, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana: "d. school Slovenia and technology platforms"
• Mag. Franjo Bobinac, President of the Management Board of Gorenje, d.d.: "d.school Slovenia and traditional industries"
• Japec Jakopin, Seaway Group, d.o.o.: "d. school Slovenia in nautical design"
• Gorazd Lampič, Sinteza d.o.o.: "d.school Slovenia and design of vehicles"

Introductory presentations will be followed by discussion led by Prof. Aleš Vahčič.

Introductory address: H.E. Mr John Groffen, Ambassador of the Netherlands: "Linking the academic and business world: the Netherlands experiences"

• Prof. Loet Leydesdorff, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands: "The triple Helix and Knowledge-based innovation systems"
• Dr. Metka Stare and Dr. Maja Bučar, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia: "From innovation potential to innovation benefits"
• Dr. Doros Platika, Chairman and Director of Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse, USA: "The Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse: A case of successful cooperation in commercialization of technology"

• Mechanisms and levers for the cooperation between government, business and university
• Innovation creation and its transfer

The following participants announced their papers:

• Prof. Dr. Erich J. Schwarz, Mag. Daniela Almer-Jarz, Mag. Malgorzata Wdowiak, University of Klagenfurt, Austria: "The role of students' attitudes and perception of environment conditions in their career decision toward self-employment"
• Dr. Aldo Cammarota, European Commission, Italy: "The conceptual and operational facets of the ED approach to entrepreneurship policy"
• Franz Hofer, Dipl.-Ing., Graz University of Technology, Austria: "The role of university technology transfer officers: Between great dreams and reality?!"
• Dr. Alessia Melasecche Germini, Anna Amati, Andrea Di Anselmo, Ing., University of Studies of Perugia and Meta Group srl, Italy: "Incubation and acceleration: How to bring Start-ups/SMEs out of the "Garage" Phase"
• Prof. Dr. Tonis Mets, University of Tartu, Estonia: "Shaping innovation paths of tecnology-based SMEs: Case of Estonian biotechnology"
• Robert Križnar, Alpina d.d., Slovenia: "Nobody is perfect in global competition, but business/academic/governmental team could be"
• Vanja Rangus, Mag. Iztok Lesjak, Robert Rudolf, Prof. Dr. Uroš Stanič, Alenka Rebec, Innovation project management team, Slovenia: "Implementation of the national innovation system action plan 2005 - 2008"
• Enej Kuščer, Blaž Kos, Stewart McTavish, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia and University of Cambridge, UK: "Inspiring innovation and entrepreneurship: comparing and contrasting the entrepreneurial environment surrounding the University of Cambridge, UK and the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia"
• Estelle Chatard, Joseph Place, City Technology Office - Newcastle City Council, UK: "Cooperation between the economic, academic and governmental spheres: mechanisms and levers"
• Dr. Sarath Dasanayaka, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka: "Impact of organizational culture on innovativeness of export oriented firms: A study on gift and decorative ware industry in Sri Lanka"
• Dr. Viljem Pšeničny, Janez Škrlec, Chamber of Craft of Slovenia: "Knowledge transfer from universities to Slovenian Craft"
• Dr. Annamária Inzelt, Dr. Laszlo Szerb, Corvinus University and University of Pécs, Hungary: "Innovation activity and innovation cooperation in a stagnating county of Hungary"
• Jürgen Jantschgi, Dipl.-Ing., University of Leoben, Austria: "Usage of innovation tools (events & projects) to foster the cooperation of university and industry"
• Miha Krisch, Asobi d.o.o., Slovenia: "Presentation of the Initiative for the establishment of Slovenian Design Centre"
• Dr. Jaka Vadnjal, Public Agency for Entrepreneurship and Foreign Investments, Slovenia: "Innovativeness and inter-generational entrepreneurship in family businesses"
• Dr. Petar Orbanić, Mag. Valerija Verhovnik, Dušan Bušen, ACS - Automotive Cluster of Slovenia, Slovenia: "Polycentric technological center as an example of good practice in three-sphere cooperation in Slovenia"
• Dr. Tone Češnovar, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia: "Measures for improving the transfer of new knowledge from research institutes to companies"
• Marijan Stele, private consultant, SPATINOVA Group, Slovenia: "Connecting science and economy"
• Prof. Slavica Singer, Mag. Sunčica Oberman Peterka, University of Osijek, Croatia: "Entrepreneurship across campus: How far Croatian universities are from it?"

Performed by: Mag. Jure Verhovnik, IRP, Beno Štern, Pro-Eco, d.o.o., Danilo Sitar, Nova KBM, d.d., Marko Rataj, Športni center Pohorje, d.o.o.

*The knowledge on the possibilities of acquirement of funds from the direction of structural policy of EU enables the companies or institutions to choose the appropriate calls for papers. There is a lot of possibilities, but for the successful proposition of the project one need the consistency and effective approach. The aim of the workshop is to present the participants the efficient project management and the Slovenian good practice case.

Performed by Sharon Bamford, the Director of the "Scottish Institute of Enterprise" and coworkers.

*YOMP is a new and really interesting tool for learning the entrepreneurial skills which are needed for establishment and growth of the company. YOMP tool (www.yomp.com) was developed in the Centre for teaching the entrepreneurship at the University of Cambridge.

Workshop 3: Creative cooperation based on a synergy of methods "Six Hats of Thinking" by E. De Bono and "USOMID" by M. Mulej

Performed by Prof. Dr. Matjaž Mulej, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Maribor.

*Methodologies "Six Hats of Thinking" and "USOMID" successfully supported creativity and creative cooperation already for 20 years. The tests showed for them to be even more useful when used together.