training
Roadmap for Digital Transformation
The workshop

The workshop was a complete success! 47 measures were elaborated in small groups. The main criterion for the evaluation of the measures was the willingness of the stakeholders to get involved themselves in the implementation. In the next step, all information and findings will be summarised in a strategic plan, the roadmap.

You can find a video clip here.

Roadmap development

In the workshop, about 100 goals and future activities for the next 5 years were collected, which are now being analysed by the project team. A summary of this event can be found here.

In the preparation for the roadmap workshops, four virtual round table discussions were held, which approached the topic of “digitalization” from different perspectives. The aim of these rounds was to exchange and discuss relevant trends and directions based on the status quo. The results and insights gained will now flow directly into the roadmap development.
We would like to thank our experts and participants for their input. You can find a summary of the events here:

Business and Industry

The vision represents the goal of the roadmap, like a shining star. The roadmap must be developed and implemented in such a way that the Upper Styrian region achieves the vision. The vision was developed on 29.10.2020 with the participation of regional representatives from business, science and education, and the public sector. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul1OMhRhq0s&feature=youtu.be 

The federal province (Bundesland) of Styria is located in the South of Austria. The region has a population of 1.2 million inhabitants and covers about 16,400 km². The biggest economic sector in Styria is the services industry, which accounts for 70.1% of the entire economically active population followed by 25.7% working in industry and trade. The main business sectors are machinery industry, automotive industry, pulp and paper, iron and steel production, materials and electronic industry.

Starting point for the DigiTeRRI initiative in Styria was Upper Styria (referred to as “Obersteiermark”) under the leadership of Montanuniversitaet Leoben [1], Zentrum für angewandte Technologie [2] and Standort und Marketing Bruck an der Mur [3].

Upper Styria is an Alps territory, in former times characterised by iron ore mining and metallurgy. Today, many large companies and SME as well have settled in the area. The focus on material production has also attracted other branches such as polymer engineering, industrial logistics or environmental engineering.

The economic crisis in the past led to a heavy loss of jobs in the region of Upper Styria, which resulted in a decrease in population as younger people have moved to urban areas, a trend that continues today.

[1] http://www.ausseninstitut-leoben.at/de/2484/getarticle/detail/digiterri/
unileoben.ac.at
[2] unternehmerwerden.at
[3] www.marketing-bruckmur.at

Strategy

In the local government’s economic strategy [4] for the period, leading up to 2025 (dated 2016) “digitalisation” is one of the five main principles. It also highlights S3 policies that aim to lead the area into the future: technology and creativity, innovation and quality of life, digital transformation, the area as an attractive business location or bridging the gap between strategic planning and making the future a reality.

Digitalisation is also one of the seven main topics of the Styrian Green Book 2030+ [5] focussing on smart communication, smart cities and regions, smart mobility, smart health and Industry 4.0 (smart production and services).

The DigiTeRRI project will foster regional policy by including the European Commission’s RRI approach and provide an opportunity for trans-territorial learning.

[4] https://www.wirtschaft.steiermark.at/cms/beitrag/10430090/12858597
[5] https://www.2030.steiermark.at/

Research and innovation

Styria is considered a robust economic player and an innovative, forward-looking area with the potential to anticipate and adapt to the changes caused by new trends such as digitalization. With a research quota of more than 5%, Styria is a leader among Europe’s research-oriented regions.

Styria has set up a profound cluster and network strategy [6]. One of the territory’s strengths is its strong collaborative network among science, industry and public organisations, reflected e.g. by the fact that Styrian partners are involved in 25 of 42 Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies (COMET). Furthermore, serval universities are highly engaged in research projects promoting new technologies.

All over Styria technology parks are situated to support innovative businesses with a common field of expertise not only with up-to-date infrastructure but also with extensive services. Universities and their start-up centres have promoted a lively entrepreneurial culture and a new orientation of technology in the territory.

[6] https://www.sfg.at/ansiedeln-und-vernetzen/cluster-netzwerke/

DigiTeRRI | Die Roadmap

Um als Zukunftschance eine digitalisierte Region zu realisieren, braucht es einen vorausschauenden und antizipativen Strategieplan, der von einer breitaufgestellten Gruppe regionaler Akteuren mitgestaltet und -getragen wird.

DigiTeRRI versteht sich als Plattform, die politische Entscheidungsträger, Unternehmen, Forschungs- und Ausbildungsorganisationen, gesellschaftliche Interessensgruppen und Menschen der Region verbindet und in der Gestaltung der digitalen Zukunft begleitet. Das übergreifende Projektziel ist es, strategische Roadmaps für die ausgewählten europäischen Regionen Värmland (Schweden), Grand Est (Frankreich) und Obersteiermark (Österreich) für den Übergang zur digitalisierten Region zu entwickeln.

Für jede genannte Region wird ein individueller Fahrplan unter Einbindung der lokalen Stakeholder erstellt. Im Team der zwölf Projektpartner werden die unterschiedlichen Ansätze und Ergebnisse zusammengeführt und als Input in die eigene Region rückgespiegelt, um so einen übergreifenden europäischen Lern- und Austauschprozess in der Gestaltung von Regionen zu erzielen.

Diese europäische Vernetzung führt zu einem breiten Wissenspool und bietet Synergien, um die vielfältigen Aspekte der Digitalisierung in einer Industrieregion mit einzubeziehen.

Gender

Today, the number of employees in the Styrian region who have successfully completed the Matura exams at the end of their secondary education is lower than the Austrian average and the gender pay gap continues to be an obstacle to gender equality: in Upper Styria, there is clearly a lower employment rate among women than men. In 2017, the general employment rate for women was around 40%, with less than 35% in industrial sectors.

On the other hand the rate of women engaged in technology-oriented studies is constantly rising.

Higher Education

In Styria, higher education [7] plays a major role. Styria’s five universities and universities of applied sciences offer a profound education for more than 60.000 students. Furthermore, HTL (schools for higher technical education) provide the industry with well-trained young employees.

The close collaboration between universities, schools and other public institutions will serve as an excellent base on which to develop the activities foreseen in the DigiTeRRI project.

[7] http://www.wissenschaft.steiermark.at/cms/ziel/98588492/DE/

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Das steirische Konsortium

Die Montanuniversität[3] bildet in diesem Projekt den Angelpunkt für das Thema Wissenschaft und Innovation und hat die Funktion des regionalen Sprechers inne. Das ZAT[4] als regionaler Partner, bringt sein Engagement für Unternehmensgründung ein. Der Projektpartner Standort und Marketing Bruck an der Mur GmbH[5] eröffnet die Zugänge zu kommunalen Vertretern und Organisationen.

[3] www.unileoben.ac.at

[4] www.unternehmer-werden.at

[5] www.wirtschaft-bruckmur.at/

Stakeholder und Interessierte aus der Region werden eingeladen, sich aktiv in den Roadmap-Prozess einzubringen. Interessensbekundungen bitte an digiterri_styria@unileoben.ac.at

Brigitte Kriszt

Montanuniversität Leoben

Julia Schmidbauer

Montanuniversität Leoben

Erich Weber

Standort und Marketing Bruck an der Mur GesmbH

Teresa Riedenbauer

Zentrum für angewandte Technologie Leoben GmbH

Franz Edler

Zentrum für angewandte Technologie Leoben GmbH