WPT gets off the ground

Last week provosts from Warsaw's top universities and academic institutions signed an agreement that launched the Warsaw Science Consortium.

According to the deal, representatives of Warsaw University, the Warsaw University of Technology, the Warsaw School of Economics and other scientific centers will combine their academic efforts to work on the development of advanced technologies.

Apart from research, development and investment projects, the consortium's main objective is to support the Warsaw Technology Park (WPT) project, which is being developed on the basis of an agreement signed in August 2005 by the then-Minister of Science and Information, Michał Kleiber, and Lech Kaczyński, who was the president of Warsaw at that time. Warsaw authorities have already set up a municipal company dealing with any management and administration activities in connection with launching, developing and utilizing WPT.

The park will be completed in two stages. In the first, in 2006-2007, the 40 hectares designated for WPT's premises on ul. Gwintowa at Trasa Siekierkowska will be developed, with the construction of the first units and two incubators. At this time, EU funds will also be applied for. The second stage will take place in 2008-2015, when the area will be further developed with other buildings and various service functions will be launched.

The first technology park in Poland was launched in 1990 in the Wielkopolskie region. Since then, six such centers have been created across the country. Despite having the greatest number of academic staff and institutions among Polish cities, Warsaw has no professional academic R&D center.