Each year, the participating companies are given the opportunity to choose a theme that is relevant to their current operations or current developments in their sector. Professors specialising in the subject are linked to this theme. This interaction between business and science often leads to new insights and can even result in surprising regional partnerships.
The UM Dinner also offers excellent opportunities for networking. The event serves as a platform where the business community, academics and government institutions can meet and establish connections. This contributes to the emergence of valuable collaborations that further promote innovation in the region.
An important part of the UM Dinner is the presentation of groundbreaking research by guest speakers, often prominent professors from Maastricht University. These researchers present their work in the form of pitches on current themes such as corporate social responsibility, health, sustainability, artificial intelligence and the energy transition. The research presented must be innovative, topical and socially relevant.
After the pitches, guests can anonymously and impartially vote for the most valuable project. The research project with the most votes will receive the Young Talent and Innovation Award, along with a cash prize to further support the research. The second and third runners-up will also receive a nice incentive award to recognise and encourage their work.
