A range of CQU staff members are involved in a Festival of Innovation event being organised by the Department of State Development and Innovation (and sponsored by CQU) on Thursday, October 26.

The third annual Festival of Innovation will be held at DPI Parkhurst, with a Celebration of Innovation Dinner later at the Rockhampton Leagues Club.

There will also be a workshop on Matrix Thinking presented by Roger La Salle, a judge on 'The New Inventors', on Friday October 27.

The Festival of Innovation aims to:.

- encourage and equip the business community to increase the level of innovation in business practices and processes to increase profitability;.

- inform new and established local enterprises about the pathways to successful innovation and commercialisation of new products and services; and.

- encourage networking between businesses, local service providers and metropolitan specialists.

A steering committee planning the Festival includes CQU Professor Paul Hyland, Anna Thomas (Rail CRC) and Leslie Walker (CQU Research Office).

CQU staff involved in the event include:.

Associate Professor Tony Ward, Associate Dean of Research, Faculty of Business and Informatics, who will provide an interactive exhibit on his Customer Service Predictor.

Associate Professor Kerry Walsh, Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Health who will be an exhibitor and presenter on NIR fruit testing.

Noel Patson, Faculty of Business and Informatics, who will exhibit his new way of visualising large amounts of network traffic information.

Professor Bob Miles, from CQU's Institute of Sustainable Development, who will facilitate a discussion on matching industry needs with local research expertise.

Dr Bernadette Walker-Gibbs, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Education, will join Margaret Brown, a partner in Minter Ellison, in a session on overcoming hurdles, barriers and roadblocks to innovation and will also promote the Bachelor of Creative Enterprise program.

Three staff members from the Centre for Railway Engineering will present a session with industry partners, Ergon Energy and QR, on 'Partnering to enhance competitive advantage'.

Drawing on research in innovation and business improvement, Professor Hyland will draw together the key lessons for businesses in CQ from the presenters at the Festival.

He will also highlight how business can form partnerships with researchers and specialists to innovate within their business to add value and improve the bottom line.

Details about the Festival are available from Mr Hunt via 4938 4571 or arthur.hunt@sd.qld.gov.au .