San José, Costa Rica | 10–14 August 2026
As the SDG-Partnerships project enters its final year, partners and members of the international In4In (Innovation for Internationalization) network will gather in San José, Costa Rica, from 10 to 14 August 2026 for the project’s final conference. The event will mark an important milestone in the development of a global cooperation network dedicated to strengthening innovation management capacities, fostering university–business linkages, and promoting sustainable partnerships between higher
education institutions and innovation ecosystems.
The conference will bring together representatives from the SDG-Partnerships consortium — Leipzig University (Germany), Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (Peru), Universidad del Rosario (Colombia), and Universidad Técnica Nacional (Costa Rica) — as well as international participants from the broader In4In network. Over the past years, the project has created opportunities for collaborative research, academic exchange, capacity building, and the development of new approaches to innovation management in different regional contexts.
The first day of the conference will be dedicated to internal consortium meetings, providing project partners with the opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the cooperation, discuss lessons learned, evaluate the impact of implemented activities, and define strategies for ensuring the continuation of the established partnerships beyond the project period.
On Tuesday, 11 August, the conference will open its doors to the international In4In community through a dedicated global event. Researchers, academics, innovation professionals, entrepreneurs, and representatives from partner institutions around the world will come together to exchange experiences, discuss current challenges in innovation management, and explore future opportunities for international collaboration.
A special highlight of the week will be the Alumni Event for graduates of the Innovation Management Programme in Costa Rica, reconnecting former participants of the programme and celebrating the long-term impact of capacity-building initiatives developed through international cooperation. The event will provide a platform for alumni to share their professional experiences, strengthen their networks, and contribute to the ongoing dialogue on innovation and entrepreneurship.
Since its launch in 2023, the SDG-Partnerships project (DAAD Project No. 17250840) has focused on strengthening institutional capacities for innovation management and sustainable development through international academic cooperation. The project has
supported knowledge exchange, research collaboration, mobility activities, and the creation of stronger connections between universities, companies, and innovation ecosystems across Latin America and Germany.
The final conference in Costa Rica represents not only the conclusion of a successful project phase, but also an opportunity to celebrate the partnerships, friendships, and networks that have emerged throughout the initiative. While the funded project period comes to an end, the In4In network will continue to serve as a platform for future collaboration and joint initiatives in the field of innovation management and sustainable development.
We look forward to welcoming our partners, colleagues, alumni, and members of the international In4In community to San José for this final milestone of the SDG-Partnerships journey.