Last week, representatives of university departments, research institutions, hospitals, schools, companies, civic associations, and the City of Brno—who actively support the BLL—met at the Masaryk University campus in Bohunice to discuss new forms of collaboration. While most relevant projects had previously been organized bilaterally, the goal now is to create a shared platform for exchanging experience, capacities, and data, as well as implementing joint projects. The meeting therefore focused on discussing the needs, possibilities, and expectations of individual institutions. One of the topics addressed was the potential to connect other emerging living labs into a single ecosystem. It was agreed to establish a BLL Regional Council responsible for developing a joint strategy and conditions for collaborative projects, including the planned “Hub of Excellence.”
Brno is unique in the Czech Republic—and indeed in Central Europe—in that since the 1960s it has hosted a multigenerational study run in cooperation between Masaryk University and local hospitals. This study examines the conditions in which Brno’s children grow up and how these conditions influence their development and health. This long-term partnership between researchers and citizens, combined with the valuable integration of social, health, and environmental data and the strong concentration of research and innovation capacities, creates ideal conditions for the emergence of an urban living lab. Such a lab can ultimately improve living conditions for citizens, enhance societal resilience, and support regional prosperity. The BLL concept is closely linked to the large research infrastructure RECETOX, which provides a gateway to regional capacities and space for implementing joint activities.
Brno Living Lab, initiated by the RECETOX Centre at Masaryk University, has officially become a member of the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL).
