It's always a pleasure to share our international research collaboration accomplishments Prof. Thomas Gegenhuber has a close relationship with Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU, formerly Ryerson University) since his undergraduate days when he first visited TMU in 2008/2009.

During his initial exchange, Prof. Gegenhuber planted the seeds of what would become fruitful, long-standing research partnerships with the Ryerson Entrepreneurship Institute, collaborating with Dave Valliere and Sean Wise, as well as with the Ryerson Diversity Institute, alongside Wendy Cukier.

Maintaining these connections, Prof. Gegenhuber has regularly journeyed to Toronto, ensuring that these collaborations not only endure but also evolve with the changing academic and research landscapes. His latest visit, from October 18th to 20^th 2023, was a testament to this ongoing commitment.

Kicking off his visit on October 18th, Prof. Gegenhuber delivered a research talk at the TMU Entrepreneurship Institute. His presentation, titled “Culture Matters. Culture Rules. Reflections on the Cultural Entrepreneurship Literature,” provided a thought-provoking look at the challenges of the cultural entrepreneurship literature.

In his role as a co-investigator in TMU's Inclusive Innovation and Entrepreneurship Network (IIE-Net), Prof. Gegenhuber conducted a workshop on October 19th titled "Navigating the Digital Landscape: Utilizing Online Data for Qualitative Research." This online session offered participants a deep dive into the rich reservoir of online data available for qualitative research, highlighting both its advantages and the inherent challenges it presents.

The concluding talk on October 20th delved into Open Social Innovation. Prof. Gegenhuber reviewed the potential of open innovation models to address pressing societal challenges like the climate crisis, emphasizing the need for a collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach.

Captured in a photograph from his visit is Prof. Gegenhuber with Prof. Wendy Cukier, the head of TMU's Diversity Institute, a symbol of the enduring academic partnership between JKU and TMU.

Prof. Gegenhuber's engagement with TMU not only enriches his own research but also enhances the academic prestige of the Sustainable Transformation Lab at the Linz Institute for Transformative Change/LIT, fostering a spirit of international cooperation and knowledge sharing that benefits all involved. We're eager to see how these collaborations will continue to grow and inspire in the years to come.