Canadian mission showcased power of connected innovation ecosystem and opened up new opportunities for technological cooperation

A delegation from Brno University of Technology (BUT), led by the university’s rector, took part in a working mission to Canada from 23 to 27 May aimed at strengthening academic and research cooperation between Czech and Canadian universities. The mission was organized by the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Toronto in cooperation with BUT, building on previous contacts that helped define its focus, particularly on technological collaboration and research in engineering and natural sciences.

Canada is one of only a few countries outside the European Union, alongside South Korea and New Zealand, that are associated with the Horizon Europe programme, specifically its Pillar II (Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness). At the same time, it holds the status of a so-called third country in the Erasmus+ programme, allowing participation in selected activities such as international credit mobility, partnerships within university alliances, and capacity-building projects.

The aim of the mission was to present the potential of Czech universities and identify opportunities for joint projects in both research and education, particularly in promising technological fields. In addition to BUT, the delegation included representatives of Masaryk University, the University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the South Moravian Region, the City of Brno, JIC Innovation Agency, and University Hospital Brno.

During an intensive programme, the delegation visited leading Canadian universities in Toronto, the surrounding area, and Edmonton. Discussions focused primarily on opportunities for cooperation in artificial intelligence, semiconductors and chip design, cybersecurity, aerospace technologies, the automotive industry, quantum technologies, robotics, nuclear energy, and biomedical technologies. An important topic was also the preparation of joint research projects under the Horizon Europe programme.

The delegation met with the leadership of the University of Toronto, Toronto Metropolitan University, the University of Waterloo, York University, McMaster University in Hamilton, and Ontario Tech University. The programme also included visits to innovation centres and business incubators focused on supporting knowledge transfer and technology entrepreneurship, such as DMZ at Toronto Metropolitan University, the Toronto Business Development Centre, the Vector Institute, the Ontario Investment and Trade Centre, and MaRS Discovery District.

Coincidentally, the visit took place during Toronto Tech Week, which included Czech Tech Day organized as part of the mission with the participation of Canadian partners, chambers of commerce, and industrial companies.

The mission to Canada represented an exceptional opportunity not only to develop academic and research cooperation with leading Canadian universities, but also to showcase a unique model of collaboration that has been built in Brno and the South Moravian Region in recent years. Unlike traditional international academic missions, it successfully brought together representatives of universities, the City of Brno, the South Moravian Region, JIC Innovation Agency, public administration, and the healthcare sector to jointly present Brno Tech Region, a well-functioning regional ecosystem based on cooperation in research, innovation, education, and business support. This comprehensive approach attracted significant interest among Canadian partners and became one of the key messages of the visit.

“This mission was exceptional not only because of its professional focus and the quality of the institutions visited, but also because we arrived in Canada not as individual organizations, but as an interconnected ecosystem. BUT was one of the initiators of the joint mission concept, which brought together universities, the City of Brno, the South Moravian Region, JIC, and other partners. This allowed us to demonstrate to our Canadian counterparts that the success of our region is based on the ability to cooperate across the academic, public, and innovation sectors. This model generated extraordinary interest and confirmed that connecting education, research, innovation, and regional development represents a significant competitive advantage when building international partnerships,” said Iveta Šimberová, BUT Vice-Rector for Internationalization.

“At every meeting, there was a genuine interest on the Canadian side in active and pragmatic cooperation that goes beyond formal agreements and memoranda. The dominant areas of interest included priorities such as AI, quantum computing, semiconductors, cybersecurity, aerospace, automotive technologies, robotics, digitalization and Industry 4.0, biotechnology, environmental sustainability technologies, and especially nuclear technologies, notably small modular reactors (SMRs), whose development is progressing rapidly in Canada. Interest in technologies strengthening resilience and defence capabilities was communicated openly, and possibilities for establishing practical cooperation in related defence-industry technologies were explored,” said BUT Rector Ladislav Janíček, adding: “A particularly pleasant experience was the friendly atmosphere, sincere interest in cooperation, and strong pro-European orientation, which clearly reflected Canada’s close ties and identification with the European Union, as well as a shared understanding of competitiveness and the need for economic and technological independence. From an academic perspective, there is a clear and unmistakable focus on the use and development of artificial intelligence and its integration into educational and research activities, as well as decision-making and technological processes. Another evident trend is the strong focus on the progressive technologies already mentioned, which have the potential to provide a competitive advantage.”

The mission also offered a symbolic moment. The delegation visited Niagara Falls, a site associated with one of the most significant milestones in the history of electrical engineering and with the legacy of Nikola Tesla. “The trip to the breathtaking Niagara Falls, which are inextricably linked to the name of Nikola Tesla, was not merely a pleasant addition to the programme. Near these falls stands a power plant where Tesla’s concept of a polyphase alternating current system was first implemented on a large scale during the so-called War of Currents between Thomas Edison, who advocated direct current, and George Westinghouse together with Nikola Tesla, who championed alternating current. It was at Niagara Falls that the first long-distance transmission of electrical power based on Tesla’s patents took place in 1896, and Niagara is often referred to as the place where Tesla electrified the world. I am proud that Tesla was awarded an honorary doctorate by BUT in 1937,” the rector noted.

According to the rector, another key takeaway from the Canadian mission was the complete normalization of support for small and medium-sized enterprises in technology and innovation. “These represent the most effective forms of knowledge transfer, focusing on the valorization of knowledge and maximizing returns on investment through the sale of incubated and developed start-up and spin-off companies. Knowledge transfer, entrepreneurship support, and industrial cooperation are integral and strongly supported components of the policy of every university we visited. Knowledge transfer is undoubtedly a major challenge for Czech universities as well, and I believe that the forthcoming amendment to the Higher Education Act will help remove barriers preventing universities from investing in the development of related entrepreneurial activities and the commercialization of knowledge and know-how concentrated at universities. Among the institutions where I believe we achieved a genuine convergence of interests across a broad range of technologies were McMaster University in Hamilton and Ontario Tech University in Toronto. The mission can be assessed as highly inspiring and stimulating in many respects, including providing numerous impulses for the future direction and development of our university,” evaluated the Canadian mission Ladislav Janíček, Rector of BUT.

In conclusion, the rector expressed his gratitude. “I would like to sincerely thank our guides Eva Bartoňová and Karolína Konicarová, who prepared the programme flawlessly and accompanied us throughout the mission. I would also like to thank Radek Machů, Consul General of the Czech Republic in Toronto, who supported us with his personal involvement at key moments of the mission.”

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Published	2026-06-02 23:10
Link	https://www.vut.cz/en/but/f19528/d335070