Launch of World's First Open Innovation Programme to Educate Scientists

VIENNA, July 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Scientists may apply online until September 22, 2015 at http://www.openinnovationinscience.at for the 'Lab for Open Innovation in Science' continuing studies programme taking place in Vienna. 

Health sciences' two greatest challenges are the lack of incentives for investigating new research questions and the complexity of current research findings, according to a recent survey of international researchers and scientists conducted by the Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft (LBG). These findings provided the impetus for launching the LBG's  Tell us! crowdsourcing project in their Open Innovation in Science initiative. This initiative invites patients, families, and professionals to actively contribute to the development of scientific research questions in the field of mental illness. Findings from this unique research approach will impact the world's first educational programme for the application of Open Innovation in science, known as 'Lab for Open Innovation in Science' (LOIS).

As Josef Pröll, President of the Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft, explains, "We have designed the 'Lab for Open Innovation in Science' curriculum based on the needs of researchers, the current state of research on Open Innovation, as well as the results from the crowdsourcing project. As of April 2016, LOIS will provide 20 selected researchers and scientists with the opportunity to learn about the application of Open Innovation methods in the course of individual training modules. Furthermore, they will be able to test Open Innovation principles while navigating the entire research process. LOIS is an exclusive educational programme for researchers and scientists that will impart tailored know-how they can apply to their daily research activities. The practical application of the methods learned is a key component of the 12-month continuing studies programme."

LOIS is aimed at researchers and scientists in the field of health sciences research at universities, universities of applied sciences, and other (non-profit) research organisations. The programme targets scientists at post-doc level and higher. Participants should have a clear interest in new ways of opening up research processes, beyond what we already know about open access or open data. Furthermore, they should be willing to open up their own research field and that of their colleagues to Open Innovation methods, and should commit themselves to actively participating in all the various LOIS modules. The LOIS curriculum comprises 13 individual training modules within a 12-month period. It is conducted in English. Participation requires 18 days of attendance in Vienna, and the tuition fees are EUR 1.500.

Researchers and scientists who are interested can apply online at http://www.openinnovationinscience.at for this unique educational programme. The deadline for applications is September 22, 2015. Further information about the programme is available at http://www.openinnovationinscience.at/the-programme.html.

About Open Innovation in Science 

LOIS is the second pillar of the unique Open Innovation in Science initiative. This project is the first of its kind in Europe. From April 2015 until July 6, 2015, patients and interested parties participate in the Tell us! crowdsourcing initiative in order to generate new research questions in the field of mental illness. The entire initiative is managed by the Austrian Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft. International support is provided by a renowned advisory board, the members of which include representatives from the WHO, Harvard Medical School, and the Max Planck Society. The selective opening of innovation processes should help to inject new knowledge from outside into research activities. Further information may be accessed at http://www.openinnovationinscience.at.

About the Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft  

The Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft (LBG) is the research incubator for the field of health sciences in Austria, operating 18 research institutes and clusters with over 600 employees. Acting according to its motto "Research for the people", the LBG addresses socially relevant research questions.

For further information, kindly contact:
Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft
Dr. Lucia Malfent
Project Manager, Open Innovation in Science
phone.: +43(0)1-513-27-50-21
mobile: +43(0)676-392-19-40
e-mail: lucia.malfent@lbg.ac.at