Those teams whose ideas are recommended by the selection committee continue to participate in the Digital Future workshops at DUDIZ. The Project Management Board, consisting of a project manager, coordinator and Ukrainian partners, identifies suitable mentors at the HSA and in Odesa. In particular, the Research and Technology Transfer Center, the training center, the start-up center, and the Graduate Academy are used as well as the professors from the Department of Electrical Engineering, mechanical engineering, and industrial engineering, the Department of Computer Science and languages as well as other departments if required. The potentials of the innovation idea are discussed together with the ideal providers and specialists who are searching for possible ways of implementation. At this level, the concept idea is specified again, adapted and possibly expanded through an interactive multimedia session using the Zoom platform. The Ukrainian talents can edit, discuss and defend their sketches, diagrams, notes and 3D elements with the supervisors in Ukraine and Germany using the new digital platform.
If the mentors realize that the idea cannot be pursued further, the mentoring program with the team is stopped. The experiences gained are summarized in a “wrap-up session”. Otherwise, if the idea is still valuable and if the mentors in Germany see the opportunity to enter the implementation phase, the possibilities and modalities of a research or study stay of the team or individual members thereof in Germany are investigated (“Digital Future” scholarship program stay for study and research purposes at the HSA).
Expected results: Students and doctoral students with promising and thematically suitable ideas have been selected, a mentor has been identified on the Ukrainian and one on the German side, and in remote mode in the Mentoring process involved. Ideas have received the tablets for borrowing and can regularly discuss the progress of the idea/concept in virtual rooms
