Future day 2025: Global minds, local moves
The conference focused on location development under the motto ‘global minds, local moves’. What strategies can southern Austria use to benefit from the dynamic between international perspectives and regional action? High-profile keynote speeches outlined possible ways for Europe to become more effective and stable, while numerous talks at the interface between business and science highlighted regional tasks and potential. The hosts were JOANNEUM RESEARCH and the Styrian Business Promotion Agency SFG.
"We must open our minds, think internationally and act regionally – just as Future Day brings us together here today and unites us across borders. Styria has a strong industrial backbone, a healthy SME sector, a strong skilled trades sector, an excellent educational landscape and top-level research, which is also actively supported by the country's entrepreneurs, as evidenced by our all-time high research quota of 5.31 per cent. We can be proud of this, and it only works when business and science pull together. Today, we are once again consciously looking ahead and reflecting on our roots and strengths: creativity, inventiveness and diligence. Then we face reality and work on solutions with a positive attitude," said Regional Minister for Economic Affairs Willibald Ehrenhöfer in his opening speech.
New world order and trans-European cooperation
In his keynote speech in the morning, Robert-Jan Smits explained the dawn of a new world and economic order. ‘The world is no longer a village.’ The old rules of international cooperation no longer apply, as the USA, Russia and China, among others, have clearly demonstrated. ‘Cooperation will be based on shared values in the future,’ explained the former EU Director of Research, who is responsible for large parts of the multi-billion-pound Horizon research programmes. Europe's regions must massively expand their existing innovation ecosystems and network with each other across Europe.
Styria as a prime example of cooperation between politics, science and business
"A competitive business location is the result of a strong innovation location. As the federal government, we are deliberately focusing our industrial strategy on key technologies that offer the greatest growth potential for our country. Styria plays a decisive role in this. Not only because it is one of the most important federal states when it comes to innovation, but also because it is a prime example of how politics, science and business can pull together. This cooperation will be further intensified across federal states with the opening of the Koralm Tunnel in mid-December – for the benefit of the location and its people," emphasised Innovation Minister Peter Hanke.
In the afternoon keynote speech, General Robert Brieger, until recently Chairman of the EU Military Committee, spoke about new hybrid threats, necessary military investments in security and Austria's role in a common European defence policy.
International ideas and regional strength
Shaping the future together means thinking globally and acting locally. Future Day 2025 shows how international ideas and regional strengths can inspire each other. We bring together national and international speakers to connect perspectives and point out new paths. It's about learning from each other, acting courageously and understanding cooperation as a driver of innovation. I invite everyone to be part of this dialogue. Let's work together to lead the location into the future!" says Heinz Mayer, Managing Director of JOANNEUM RESEARCH.
Learn more about Robert-Jan Smits in an interview (in German) with the SFG
