Educational and research perspectives in rural areas

January 22, 2018, Nr. 7

Schwarzwald Campus and University of Stuttgart conclude cooperation agreement
[Picture: Müller / IHK]

With a cooperation agreement the Schwarzwald Campus and the University of Stuttgart are officially laying the foundation for their cooperation. The aim is to jointly develop and successfully establish a range of studies at master level at the Freudenstadt location as well as a teaching and development laboratory for digitalisation and energy efficiency in production. The cooperation simultaneously forms the statutory framework for agreements based on this, such as e.g. endowed professorships.

Two signatures also help the Schwarzwald Campus take an important step forward on the administration level: Professor Wolfram Ressel, Rector of the University of Stuttgart und Stefan Bogenrieder, Managing Director of the Centrum für Digitalisierung, Führung und Nachhaltigkeit Schwarzwald (Centre for Digitalisation, Leadership and Sustainability Schwarzwald) (Schwarzwald Campus), today signed a cooperation agreement. The agreement provides for establishing joint ranges of studies in the master course Mechanical Engineering/Technology Management at the University of Stuttgart – initially for a specialisation subject with the topics of digitalisation and sustainability in production. At the same time the science transfer should be established from the theory to production. To do this a teaching and research laboratory will be especially set up at the Campus in Freudenstadt.

Theresia Bauer, Minister for Science, Research and Art Baden-Württemberg, welcomes the cooperation and says about the agreement being signed: “The Schwarzwald Campus is a unique cooperation in Baden-Württemberg between the University of Stuttgart und companies with appeal located in the region of Freudenstadt. Thanks to the exceptionally high density of world market leaders and the exemplary commitment of the region, the educational and research perspectives in rural areas can be extended. In this way the possibility will arise of developing individual study contents in a practical way in close connection with the economy.“

Those present included the board of the University Campus of Nordschwarzwald e.V., Dr Kurt Schmalz, Managing Partners of J. Schmalz GmbH, Professor Klaus Fischer, owner of the group of companies fischer, and the Chief Managing Director of the IHK (Chamber of Industry and Commerce) Nordschwarzwald, Martin Keppler as well as representatives of the initiative company and the University of Stuttgart, who jointly got the campus off the ground in terms of contents and finance.

Broad range of courses and more practical relevance

The Stuttgart University Rector Wolfram Ressel welcomes the centre being established: “Through this range of courses our students have the opportunity to combine science and practice with each other in a unique way. The topic of digitalisation is of particular significance for the future, thus I am delighted that the Schwarzwald Campus is supplementing our versatile spectrum of courses.“ Campus Managing Director Stefan Bogenrieder was also enthusiastic about the cooperation: “Together with the initiative companies and representatives of the University of Stuttgart, under the management of Professor Sauer, we have developed the concept in the past couple of years. Some of this is already being actively implemented. In this way we have already put around 300 mechanical engineering students in contact with our companies. We will now take further central steps in the on-going development of the campus.“ Among other things this means setting up an endowed professorship as well as the integration in the Stuttgart student union with all advantages for the students. The University of Stuttgart has already been awarded a special prize in the competition “Best machine house 2017” by the Association of German Engineering Federation (VDMA) for the practice-based concept.

Regional companies and IHK Nordschwarzwald are counting on Schwarzwald Campus

IHK Managing Director Martin Keppler has been involved in the Campus in Schwarzwald since the beginning of the initiative and knows how important the further development of the campus is: “Our regional companies are frequently world market leaders with their innovative products. In order to continue to assert our top position in the global competition we need to attract highly specialised professionals to the region. With the Campus in Freudenstadt we are positioning the Schwarzwald as a flagship for the digitalisation in mechanical engineering.“ Professor Klaus Fischer also endorses this and likewise considers soft factors important: “Young academics not only need technical knowledge. In addition they acquire management skills through the close practical relevance.” And Dr Kurt Schmalz, whose company has its headquarters in neighbouring Glatten, is already thinking now about the coming weeks and months: “At the moment we are working on a laboratory concept and determining which machines and plants will be installed and linked in order for lecturers and students to enjoy the best conditions on site. When establishing and expanding the campus we are counting on the University of Stuttgart as a strong cooperation partner and are hoping for valuable impulses from science and teaching to train new specialists and managers.“

Renate Keinath, the Managing Partner responsible for personnel at ARBURG GmbH + Co KG, welcomes this step that is important for the companies and the region: “Naturally there is still a great deal of work in the detail: but if the Schwarzwald Campus gets it right, the heart of digitalisation in mechanical engineering will be beating here with us in future.“ As a representative of the initiative company Dr Michael Merz, Managing Director of HOMAG GmbH, Schopfloch, is looking forwards optimistically: “Through the Schwarzwald Campus sustainable networks will develop that are imperative for the digital future.“ Freudenstadt’s Lord Mayor Julian Osswald thanks the companies and the University of Stuttgart for the decision to build the Schwarzwald Campus in Freudenstadt: “This commitment is associated with great opportunities for our city and the entire region of being able to offer the companies excellent conditions for a future-oriented development.“

About the Schwarzwald Campus

The Schwarzwald Campus was created in 2016 at the joint initiative of the University of Stuttgart and the companies located in the Black Forest. These are: ARBURG GmbH + Co KG, Robert Bürkle GmbH, EMAG eldec Induction GmbH, fischerwerke GmbH & Co. KG, HOMAG GmbH, Hansgrohe SE, KOCH Pac-Systeme GmbH, LEUCO Ledermann GmbH & Co. KG, L'Orange GmbH, Nedo GmbH & Co.KG, Oest GmbH & Co. Maschinenbau KG, J. Schmalz GmbH und Gebr. Schmid GmbH. The campus will meet the future challenges in production through combing university and industrial research and the relevant teaching at the University of Stuttgart and on the campus in Freudenstadt. The focal points hereby are in the fields of digitalisation, sustainability and leadership. Since the winter semester 2017/18 the jointly developed lectures “Digitalisation”, “Sustainability in producing companies” and “Leadership and Management in High-Tech Companies “ are implemented in lectures at the University of Stuttgart. In Freudenstadt the plants provided by the industry will be linked with each other in the Technology Centre of the Campus.www.campus-schwarzwald.de

 

 

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