Introducing new, innovative technologies and methods to a wider professional public is part of the mission of MAÚT Hungarian Road and Railway Society. These novel technologies and methods, which are usually ready for practical application – due to their innovative nature – in practice often frustrate organizers of professional scientific conferences, with so-called ‘advertising’ topics, since their use is also in the direct interest of the owner, manufacturer, or dealer of the product or system. MAÚT wants to aim at the opportunities of this space and forum to introduce procedures, technologies, and products, in the spirit of professional impartiality. This involves expertise and objectivity, an overview, publicity, involvement of stakeholders and cooperation. At the half-day events, selected presentations from the group of applicants who have indicated their interest in advance are presented to the audience (designers, contractors, operators, experts) who apply on professional channels.
During the pandemic, the forum as a “mini-conference” became one of the most important points of reference for Hungarian road, bridge and railway construction experts, providing rural opportunities for Hungarian professionals across the border to stay up-to-date on the most modern innovations affecting our sector and keep up with the new requirements of the times.
On the 15th Innovation forum SPROUT was introduced. The topic of this forum was “diversity of urban development”, so the main topics of SPROUT fit the event’s topic. The opening presentation was held by Kornel Almássy from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. For the SPROUT session, the coordinator Maria Teresa de la Cruz from ZLC (Zaragoza Logistic Center) introduced the project overall. Georgia Ayfantopoulou from CERTH introduced the Innovation Readiness Index, which has been developed within the framework of the project. After their presentations, the SPROUT pilot cities representatives presented the work done in the pilots.
The summary presentation was held by Emese Makó, from Széchenyi István University, Győr. She especially highlighted interesting points from pilots participating in the SPROUT project. The closing session was held by Szabolcs Nyíri, the head of the MAÚT Society, who thanked the organizers for the high-quality presentations and inviting the project to the conference.
The conference can be watched on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTxQAkyzbrc
Written by Ákos DÁVID (Budapest Közút)