The excellent geographical location, teaching and research backup, and the developing infrastructure are the key assets of Lower Silesia, which have convinced international corporations to make investments here. Recently, the region has seen some spectacular enterprises by the global potentates of advanced technology. Projects by such companies, as Volvo, Toyota, Volkswagen, Whirlpool, WABCO, Siemens, and LG Philips, with the latter attracting two other partners – 3M and Toshiba, have been implemented in the recent years in Lower Silesia.

Crucial for attracting investors to the region is the research and scientific potential of the Wrocław academic centre and the work on creating a knowledge-based economy. Wrocław University of Technology, as the only technical university in the region, has become a leader of active co-operation with the industry. Collaboration with the economy allows to provide a comprehensive offer for companies looking for innovative solutions. Tens of long-term, many-sided collaboration  agreements signed prove that this is the right approach to business partners. These agreements cover a wide range of activities, from providing training for the employees of Lower Silesian companies to joint research aiming to introduce new technologies and products, and to increase the companies’ competitiveness on the Polish and international market. The network of accredited laboratories that is being organised will allow to enhance the offer for the industry. Each laboratory offers examinations of products introduced to the market for compliance with the “CE marking” requirements. Some of the laboratories have accreditations with a European authorisation.

With the industry in mind, the two-year Master’s degree programme “Mathematics for the industry” has been developed. This was possible due to the Wrocław University of Technology becoming a member of the European Consortium Mathematics for Industry (ECMI). In co-operation with the Univesity of Oxford (Great Britain), the Lappeenranta University of Technology (Finland), and the University Joseph Fourier Grenoble (France), high level specialists will be educated who, using mathematics, will be able to solve the complicated problems of the contemporary industry.

Wrocław University of Technology was also the co-ordinator of the Lower Silesian Centre for Advanced Technologies. It was set up by a consortium of Wrocław universities and local companies. The activity of the Centre focuses on four areas: design, production, and application of advanced materials; computer science; renewable energy sources and life quality (clean technologies, biotechnology, pharmaceutics, health food production technologies).