The GRC-FIRST Series of Lectures are organized by the Gulf Research Center (GRC) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Architecture and Software (FIRST). This first series of lectures will discuss: the Future of Information Technology (IT); some Information and Communication technology (ICT) research topics being developed in Germany-based FIRST; and the Fraunhofer model of innovation. Technology highlights will include digital dome projection systems and applications in the fields of medical and Electroencephalography (EEG) technologies.  More generally, the lectures will highlight the future impact and challenges of informatics and ICT, emphasizing the merging trends between the media, communication and information technologies. From a broader perspective, various frameworks to promote innovation and private-public partnership will also be discussed, based on Fraunhofer best practices.