Mura-Drava Learning Network – MUDRA

Title:                     Mura-Drava Learning Network – MUDRA
Project type:          Trilateral Project – CRO-SLO-Belgium
Coordinator at TTF: Prof. Ana Marija Grancarić, PhD

Project Summary:

MUra DRAva Learning Network (MUDRA) is a joint network project from experienced Flemish business and educational partners: the Flemish side of Voka-Chamber of Commerce of East-Flanders and Ghent University, Department of Textiles; with their Croatian and Slovenian counterparts: the Croatian Chamber of Economy, County Chambers of Varaždin, Čakovec, Krapina and Karlovac and the Faculty of Textile Technology of the University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; Department of Textile Materials and Design of the University of Maribor, Slovenia; the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Murska Sobota and the Maribor Development Agency-Euro Info Centre Maribor, Slovenia. The project started in March 2008, and ende in September 2009. The mentorship methodology offers the framework to a large group of SMEs and entrepreneurs to exchange expertise and to professionalize their management. The know-how from the universities strengthens the technological capacity and helps these companies to innovate. The target group were textile and design-related companies facing heavy economic pressure. The cross-border partnership consists at at the Croatian side of. MUDRA will establish a cross-border network of minimally 40 entrepreneurs and/or companies (partly SMEs). Finally, the partners will create the MUDRA Technology Transfer Platform, which will ensure long-term continuation of the networking and capacity building activities. The project was focused on textile and apparel companies, faced with severe market pressure. The project achieved a dynamic, informal (so called PLATO) network manager (mentors) from key companies textile clothing sector, to exchange experiences and connect mentors and SMEs; cooperation in textile industry with the academic community, and the transfer of knowledge, technology and innovation. Croatian mentors were Milan Lušić, director of business improvement of Varteks, Varaždin; Davor Sabolić, controlling director of Čateks, Čakovec; Alan Đurek, production manager of Regeneracija, Zabok, and Dalibor Maršić, manager of Pletix d.o.o. Kamanje. Slovenian mentors were Igor Drev of TSP, Vera Merc of Prevent Mislinja, Mateja Gorse of Beti, and Jure Sedeljsak of Svilanita. Belgian partners assigned all the coordinators and mentors MUDRA recognition, as well as all the representatives of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Representatives of mentors and SMEs testimonied their gratitude to all partners. On that occasion, the Brochure and platform MUDRA Project (Wis Technology Transfer Platform; http://textiles.ugent.be/MUDRA/) were presented, which will ensure long-term and permanent network for the development of textile.