The ERNACT network has hosted today the first day of the Interreg Europe funded CARPE DIGEM project's North West Ireland study visit to discover Donegal and Derry’s digital ecosystem in peripheral and emerging Europe.
During the first day of the visit, some inspiring digital transformation good practices have been shared. Professor Malachy O’Neill from Ulster University has welcomed the team to the Intelligent Systems Research Centre in Derry (Northern Ireland) where we have had the opportunity to learn about digitalisation technologies in AI, data analytics and visualisation. The visit has continued with a guided tour by Mr Peter Devine, also from Ulster University, to the Centre for Artificial Intelligence to discover different cutting edge innovation and automation good practices. Project partners and stakeholders from Sweden, Slovenia, France and Portugal got inspired with the real-world applications and pilots in medicine, among others.
Afterwards, the visitors together with local experts from Donegal and Derry & Strabane, got the opportunity to find out more about the industry-focused research centre for Industry 4.0: the Centre for Industry, Digitisation, Robotics and Automation (CIDRA).
The valuable learnings have continued in a form of roundtable with the region’s political, public and private leaders and the representatives from the other European regions and cities participating in the CARPE DIGEM project. The session has provided an overview of the Digital Transformation Ecosystem in the cross-border region, including the inputs of Intelligent Cities Challenge programme and Donegal Digital strategy, and it has brought the opportunity to further discuss a cross-border digital action plan.
Stephen Gillespie, Director of Strategic Development at Derry City and Strabane District Council, and John Mc Laughlin, CEO at Donegal County Council, have explained how the evolving crossborder digital transformation action plan can fit within the economic development priorities of the North West City Region. Afterwards, Paul Hannigan, Director at Atlantic Technological University - Donegal; Patrick McKeown, Principal, and Fergal Tuffy, Technology Innovation Manager at North West Regional College; and Malachy O'Neill, Director of Regional Development at Ulster University, have commented on the digital-related investment taking place and how the investments can be leveraged on a crossborder basis. The discussion has continued with the interventions of David Minton, Director of Northern and Western Regional Assembly, and Declan McGarrigle, Programme Manager at Special EU Programmes Body, about how does the emerging North West digital transformation plan fit with regional-level innovation, digital transformation and crossborder development plans. Finally, visiting colleagues from Slovenia and France have also exchanged some views on the North West Ireland City Region digital ecosystem action plan development.
The day has concluded with another study visit to the THRIVE/C-TRIC Centre for Transnational Research and Innovation Centre of the Ulster University, the local Council and the Western Health Trust. This research and innovation centre is located at Altnagelvin Hospital which acts as a state-of-the-art bridge between frontline medicine and cutting-edge science.
In paralell, Mayor of Donegal and ERNACT Board member, Jack Murray, and Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Graham Warke, together with Brian Boyle and Conor Heaney, members of the ERNACT board, have welcomed visiting politicians Margarida Luís from Madeira - Portugal and Patrick Molinoz, France, at Derry's Guildhall.
Stay tuned! Tomorrow the CARPE DIGEM visitors will continue exploring the digital innovation ecosystem of Donegal!