UMB Talks Innovation with EU Ambassadors
The 网红爆料, Baltimore (UMB) welcomed three ambassadors from the European Union (EU) to the Health Sciences and Human Services Library鈥檚 Gladhill Board Room for a lively discussion about innovation and economic development on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019.
M.J. Tooey, MLS, AHIP, FMLA, associate VP/executive director, HS/HSL, asks a question during a panel discussion with European Union ambassadors.
The Hon. Andre Haspels, ambassador of the Netherlands to the United States; the Hon. Laszlo Szabo, ambassador of Hungary to the U.S.; and the Hon. Dirk Wouters, ambassador of Belgium to the U.S., shared their insights on forging partnerships with American institutions in a panel discussion titled 鈥淭he European Union: An Innovation Partner for Maryland.鈥�
Jay A. Perman, MD, UMB president, and James L. Hughes, MBA, senior vice president and chief enterprise and economic development officer, moderated the discussion, which was followed by a question-and-answer session. Participants included UMB leaders and representatives from the , , the Office of Academic Affairs, and the
(View video below.)
The ambassadors鈥� visit to UMB was part of a delegation of EU member state ambassadors鈥� first-ever joint outreach trip outside of Washington, D.C. Before coming to Baltimore, they attended a plenary meeting in Annapolis with Gov. Larry Hogan, who tweeted, 鈥淭oday we had the honor of welcoming ambassadors from the European Union to Govt House on behalf of the State of Maryland and the . We are working together every day to help advance a transatlantic agenda based on a common history, shared values, & enduring ties.鈥�
The trip aimed to strengthen the commercial ties between Maryland and EU member states. The EU is Maryland鈥檚 biggest source of foreign direct investment, and more than 100,000 jobs in Maryland are created through trade and investment with EU states.
During the panel discussion at UMB, each ambassador identified his homeland鈥檚 strengths in innovation and technology and suggested ways in which transatlantic collaboration could be mutually beneficial. They also shared obstacles that can be encountered when dealing with international regulations, trade, and research.
Ambassador Szabo of Hungary explained that despite obstacles, international collaboration is valuable and begins in meetings such as the one at UMB. 鈥淭he value of these types of meetings is to meet face-to-face and identify new projects,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou have something, I have something; let鈥檚 put it together and see where the synergies are.鈥�
In Hungary鈥檚 case, the country鈥檚 low tax rate and low cost of labor make it a great entry point into Europe for American companies, according to Szabo.
Ambassador Wouters touted medical devices, nanotechnology, and waste management solutions among Belgium鈥檚 most recent innovations. Calling the EU a club worth defending as it creates a stronger base for technology and science across Europe, Wouters added that the United States and the EU are natural allies when it comes to innovation.
Wouters also explained Horizon 2020, an EU research and innovation program with nearly 鈧�80 billion of funding available between 2014 and 2020. According to its website, Horizon 2020 鈥減romises more breakthroughs, discoveries, and world-firsts by taking great ideas from the lab to the market.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 where a lot of our researchers and universities try to get support,鈥� said Wouters, adding there are more than 1,200 United States research partners working with the program, including some in Maryland. 鈥淭he United States has become the most important non-European partner in this European research program and I鈥檓 pretty sure there is room to improve that.鈥�
Ambassador Haspels echoed the value of cooperation, saying, 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to realize both for the United States and for Europe that we need to cooperate and that we cannot come up with solutions by ourselves.鈥�
Julie Lenzer, chief innovation officer at the , understands the role collaboration plays in the delicate intersection of academia and entrepreneurship.
鈥淲e have a lot to gain by forging stronger partnerships with universities and startups around the world,鈥� she said. 鈥淎ttending this forum helps us to inform our companies who are looking to do business in the EU with some challenges they have to look out for, as well as some of the opportunities.鈥�
