SPARC - booster for future ICT innovation

Early january, Fontys School of ICT made an important step forwards in it's continuous cooperation with the Partners In Innovation, united in the cooperation Sharing Platform for Applied Research Cooperation (SPARC). SPARC-chairman Martin Hundepool signed the first 'letter of intent' on behalf of the cooperation as supporter and investor in long-term research concerning ICT. Research takes place in the unique educational environment of the Fontys ICT InnovationLab on Strijp TQ, where SPARC fulfils an essential role in innovative and practical research.

SPARC - co-creation and cooperation

SPARC is a network of leading organizations from various branches, who put broad knowledge creation and sharing within the ICT domain high on their respective agendas. That's why they've been working with Fontys School of ICT for a while as investors and partners. This takes place within the Fontys ICT Innovationlab, where education and research come together to learn, research and work on ICT-innovations. In this hybrid learning environment, SPARC members, as Partners in Innovation, play a big part by brining practical research questions from heir business into an educational setting.

SPARC-members and ‘shirt sponsors’ of ICT research are in 2021: Sligro Food Group, Atos, PSV, HLB Van Daal, Simac IT NL, CTOUCH, Additive Industries, PharmaPartners, GAC Business Solutions, Vion Food Group, HERE Technologies, IT-Workz, Ecodorp Boekel, Bierens Incasso Advocaten, Ministerie van Defensie and the Sociale Verzekeringsbank.

The first letter of intent supports the NWO application for the Data-Driven Biodiversity research proposal. The coordinator on behalf of Fontys University of Applied Sciences is Professor Gerard Schouten. The research focuses on exploring and implementing possibilities for making urban biodiversity measurable and understandable through data and ICT tools for applications such as urban design and smart green management.

Knowledge sharing in motion

The cooperation between SPARC and Fontys University of Applied Sciences ICT is in full development. This year the cooperative was again able to welcome new partners. Ongoing research helps to improve the cooperation and mutual cross-fertilisation in knowledge sharing between the partners and to explore new opportunities. In 2021 the cooperative also expects to welcome new members, to grow and further develop the network.