21/04/2004

The creation of an integrated open information system for the promotion of innovative results in the region of Western Greece as well as the development of training courses on innovative technologies constitute the main objectives of the "Archimedes" project, which is developed by the University of Patras and funded jointly by the Region of Western Greece and the European Regional Development Fund.

The project aims to collect and diffuse innovative results in the Region of Western Greece, enhance SMEs' access to research and innovation through Web and e-Learning Technologies and promote the cooperation at regional, national and European level.

To this end, the project is based on two main action lines. The first concerns the development of a Portal on Innovation, covering thematic areas such as: on-line provision of innovative results, contacts and partner searches, information on relevant news and events in Europe and the world, conversation teams and fora for open discussion of the results.

The project also promotes training on innovative technologies via the Internet, Asynchronous Tele-education and e-Learning. Within this framework, specialized education packages will be developed to familiarize the SMEs with new technologies and provide information on the development of innovative applications.

The need for the above is reflected in reliable European indices (European Innovation Scoreboard) that confirm the restricted access of SMEs to innovative results and free disposable education material for training the employees in new technologies. The project is expected to contribute to the infiltration of innovation in the production process, the reinforcement of research and academic institutions and the promotion of the Region of Western Greece in the international arena.

The "Archimedes" project also includes actions for the continuous enrichment of the Portal's content, the update of the educational packages and the collaboration with relevant European networks.

Apart from the University of Patras, the consortium of the project includes the Research Academic Computer Technology Institute and the Open University. The project is also supported by the National Documentation Centre and the Organisation of Intellectual Property.

Source: University of Patras