Published on: Friday, 23 August 2013

- Rubicon Centre at CIT a European Model of Excellence -

CIT is currently leading key research elements of Working4Talent European research programme which has project partners in Ireland, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Rumania, Norway, Latvia, Lithuania and Norway. The focus of Working4Talent, an Interreg IVC project, is on retaining and attracting talented, highly qualified, individuals to a region and how regions can benefit from such talent in supporting research, innovation and in promoting entrepreneurship. In this regard the experience and reputation of the Rubicon Centre at CIT stands out as a European Model of Excellence.

The Interreg IVC Programme, through its funding for inter-regional projects, provides support for European regions to work together and share potential solutions on developmental issues.

The Institute has just completed a major milestone in the W4T project, where CIT examined all of the regional innovation systems in the ten partner regions and while it found that some of the regions such as Cork were very advanced in terms of their modern regional innovation ecosystems, others were only beginning on this road. Nevertheless, all of the partners shared similar challenges in strengthening research infrastructures and in retaining or attracting highly qualified people.

CIT’s track record and expertise in supporting entrepreneurship has led to it being used as a resource in a large number of regions throughout Europe and beyond. CIT is particularly active across the wide spectrum of Interreg Programs that aim to stimulate cooperation between regions in the European Union.

Mr Michael Delaney, Vice President for Development at CIT said: “Our involvement in the overall Interreg IV Programme across a wide range of project activities has led to CIT working with a large number of regions throughout Europe and beyond. Projects are on-going in areas ranging from Iceland to Cyprus where CIT is sharing its experience and expertise, particularly in the fields of entrepreneurship, innovation and research in specialised areas.”

Referring to the newly developed Hincks Centre at CIT, which is Ireland’s first Centre of Entrepreneurship Excellence, Mr Delaney noted that CIT is extending its long-standing, strong, commitment to supporting the entrepreneurship drive at regional and national level. “We intend to address a gap in Ireland’s current ability to train and provide support to all stakeholder groups who support and nurture entrepreneurship. This expertise is also now being used as a European resource.”

The next phase of Working4Talent will concentrate on what initiatives have worked best for regions and all of these lessons will be explored and widely shared with a view to better informing regional policy makers.

The next project meeting takes place in Turin in early October, when George Bulman of CIT’s Rubicon Centre will present to the “Voglia d’Impresa- Supporting Entrepreneurship 2013” conference of attendees from throughout Europe on the topic of how the PINC programme has secured valuable results in Ireland in terms of supporting female entrepreneurship.

PINC is an intensive programme for female entrepreneurs who have a business idea and want to bring it to the next level. Based in CIT’s Rubicon Centre, already home to a wide range of entrepreneurs, the unique environment allow participants the opportunity to focus on their business venture in a structured group environment, gaining invaluable knowledge on all aspects of business.

The programme runs two days a week, for eight weeks, under the guidance of an experienced Programme Manager. Over the period, participants are provided with the tools they need to grow and develop their business including; idea evaluation, business planning, market research, business funding, financial planning and business development. On a practical level, established female entrepreneurs and other people from the business community are invited to present their own stories to the group and in addition, each participant is assigned their own mentor.

For more information on PINC programme or CIT’s Rubicon centre visit www.rubiconcentre.ie for more details on Working4Talent go to www.w4t.eu