COPILOT Project Coordinator Participates in “Science. Education. Business – 2025” Forum at NULES

On 11 November 2025, Prof. Ahmad Arabkoohsar (Technical University of Denmark, DTU), coordinator of the COPILOT project, participated in the “Science. Education. Business – 2025” Forum organised by the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine (NULES).

Fig. 1. The stage of the NULES assembly hall with participants of the panel discussion “Synergy between Business and Universities: A Partnership That Creates Value” during the “Science. Education. Business – 2025” Forum

Focusing on the integration of science, education, and business as a key driver of innovation, higher education quality, and economic growth, the Forum brought together over 500 participants, including CEOs from various sectors, government representatives, members of the Ukrainian parliament, representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and academic leaders from universities across Ukraine and Europe.

As a keynote speaker, Prof. Ahmad Arabkoohsar presented “Successful Cases of International Scientific Cooperation: EIT HEI Initiative Projects”, in which he introduced the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), its Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs), and the opportunities available to universities through the EIT Higher Education Initiative. He emphasised the practical outcomes and transformational impact of EIT projects on institutional innovation.

Materials were presented by Prof. Ahmad Arabkoohsar to the participants of the “Science. Education. Business – 2025” Forum

He showcased the TREATY project as an example of successful international collaboration between NULES (Ukraine), DTU (Denmark), the Institute of Entrepreneurship Development (iED, Greece), the Cyprus Institute (Cyprus), and the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM, Spain). Building on this, the COPILOT project was launched to strengthen the innovative, entrepreneurial and research capacities of universities, with six new institutions now joining: Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University (Ukraine); the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece); Križevci University of Applied Sciences (Croatia); the National Documentation Centre (EKT, Greece); and the University of Information Science and Technology "St. Paul the Apostle" (North Macedonia).

Prof. Ahmad Arabkoohsar presents the COPILOT project to the participants of the “Science. Education. Business – 2025” Forum

Within COPILOT, pioneering institutions play a central role in transferring innovative practices, sharing expertise, and providing guidance, as well as supporting mentoring, developing innovation infrastructure, fostering strategic partnerships, and promoting Deep Tech approaches. A key focus is the integration of Sustainable Energy and Clean Technologies (SECT) into the educational, research, and entrepreneurial processes of newcomer universities, thereby enhancing their institutional capacity and engagement within European innovation ecosystems.

In conclusion, Prof. Ahmad Arabkoohsar emphasized the strategic importance of expanding international collaboration among universities, industry stakeholders, and innovation-driven organizations. He noted that the synergy among these actors enables the creation of globally competitive educational and research environments, capable of delivering breakthrough technological solutions and actively supporting Europe’s green transition.

PhD Volodymyr Nazarenko,
Project participant