Picture : Olivier Curty, State Councillor, Minister of Economic Affairs.

The countries with the strongest growth and the most robust, resilient economies are those that invest heavily in education and research. They also best appreciate the important role that the transfer of knowledge and technology plays in economic growth, business development and job creation, which is why they offer academia-industry partnerships generous public support.

In Fribourg, these partnerships take the form of a great many number of collaborative projects between companies and our cantonal university, our universities of applied sciences, and our centers of expertise on human health, buildings of the future and nanotechnology. As you will discover in this edition of Fribourg Network Freiburg, our cantonal economy is a dynamic and highly diversified ecosystem that can draw on a deep well of all kinds of knowledge and expertise.

This culture of reaching out to academia and forging successful partnerships is widespread among most of the large homegrown and international companies in our canton. The challenge today is democratizing this collaboration so that SMEs, the largest contributors to cantonal GDP, can also reap the benefits.

The canton of Fribourg has devised a series of funding instruments and targeted strategies to incentivize business and research to work together and boost technology transfer. Whether in the construction or agri-food industries, which are part of our economic DNA, a special effort is made to help every segment of these sectors to move up the value chain.

Stepping up the transfer of knowledge and technology is at the top of our agenda. The 2020 issue of Fribourg Network Freiburg is proof positive that we are well on the way to accomplishing our ambitious mission.

Olivier Curty, State Councillor, Minister of Economic Affairs.