International Activities

 

Kooperationen_Europa zugeschnitten

Partner universities on European level 

 

The Ostfalia has an outstanding expertise due to the seven focus research areas and takes part in many international research and other projects.

Ostfalia cooperates with both companies and the public sector. The projects develop new, broad-based solutions for regional and national needs. Ostfalia is a member of FHnet, a network bringing together all the 23 universities of applied sciences that participate in the EU-Strategie-FH programme.

The websites of the International Relations Office present an overview of Ostfalia's international operations in all their variety:

International Relations Office

The International Relations Office is responsible for the coordination of international relations and the development and implementation of projects with international partners. Please contact the office for cooperation agreement with partner universities. 

An overview of past activities can be found here:

2023


Approval for the DAAD-funded project "InTransfer - Preparing for International Transfer through Integrated Practical Teaching"

Ostfalia University has once again succeeded in the national funding programme HAW.International of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with its project proposal "InTransfer - Preparing for International Transfer through Integrated Practical Teaching".

The DAAD specifically supports the internationalisation efforts of universities of applied sciences. A key part of the project is a double/joint degree developed between Ostfalia and UPSSITECH Engineering School at the Université Paul Sabatier in Toulouse, focusing on robotics and interactive systems. The project includes industry internships for both domestic and international students at globally active partner companies.

The project, starting in January 2024 and running for two years, is a joint effort of the Faculty of Computer Science, the International Relations Office, and the Knowledge and Technology Transfer. The funding amount is about 500,000 euros. For more information on past activities, visit the  International Relations Office website.

Presentation of current research results at CIRP Design 2023

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Carsten Stechert Panel lecture by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Carsten Stechert

Three days before the start of the CIRP Design 2023 conference in Sydney, the journey for Prof. Dr.- Ing. Carsten Stechert, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, began: from Braunschweig he took a train to Hamburg and then a flight via Dubai.

The conference started on the 17th of May 2023 on the campus of the University of New South Wales and included various keynote lectures as well as a networking event. This gave Prof. Stechert the opportunity to cultivate contacts and exchange ideas with colleagues from abroad, such as the USA and South Africa.

On the following two conference days, Prof. Stechert was able to present his contributions to his research group and receive feedback. He also took part in other lectures, while using the breaks and the conference dinner for in-depth discussions.

In addition to concrete suggestions for Prof. Stechert's research results (e.g. the usability test for augmented reality experiences), other ideas for completely new research projects and forms of international cooperation also emerged.

The conference ended on the 19th of May 2023 with many new impressions and the promising possibility of new future collaborations in an international framework.

Eindrücke der CIRP Design 2023

Impressions of the CIRP Design 2023

"International Work & Study Program" successfully piloted by Ostfalia University in Wolfsburg

In cooperation with the US-based Northwood University in Midland, Michigan, and Autohaus Wolfsburg, Professor Dr. Mike Hoffmeister, Professor of International Management at the Faculty of Economics at Ostfalia University, developed a pilot program to make the Wolfsburg location even more attractive for students from foreign partner universities.

The goal of the program is to provide "intercultural competence" for American students through a practical internship integrated alongside their studies at a company in the Wolfsburg region."  The students should compare and analyze the different work processes and methods of companies with those in their home country", says Hoffmeister, emphasizing that the students do not need to know German and will be accompanied by a trainee as a tandem partner during their internship.

" The Ostfalia Work & Study Program in Wolfsburg is very attractive for our American students," says Dr. Mamiko Reeves of Northwood University. Luke Gorlich was the first Northwood student to successfully complete his part-time internship at Autohaus Wolfsburg. Christian Roth, Manager at Autohaus Wolfsburg, says that "  Luke was an exceptionally motivated intern. During his internship at Autohaus Wolfsburg, Luke Gorlich went through the SEAT/CUPRA, DUCATI, and corporate business areas." Luke Gorlich adds " It's very impressive how the automotive industry in Germany differs from the USA. I was particularly fascinated by the very good social working conditions in the dealership. I don't see that in the USA." He also says, "I was able to learn a lot about German culture. I was surprised that Germans always say 'Mahlzeit' at lunchtime. The internship at Autohaus was one of the best experiences of my life."

" We will now gradually offer the program to students from partner universities in South Africa, Singapore, and Taiwan", says the international coordinator of the Faculty of Economics, Professor Dr. Denis Royer. To further develop the program, Royer and his team have already held discussions at Nanyang Polytechnic University in Singapore."  We plan to offer Ostfalia students the opportunity to gain work experience at companies in Singapore parallel to their studies in return", Royer said.

"International Work & Study Program" successfully piloted by Ostfalia University in Wolfsburg

Photo: Photo Designer Matthias Leitzke

From left to right: Prof. Dr. Denis Royer, International Officer of the Faculty of Economics, Prof. Dr. Mike Hoffmeister, Program Initiator, Junior Ebot-Etchi and Nigel Black from Autohaus Wolfsburg, Luke Gorlich, Northwood University, and Christian Roth.

Please contact Prof. Dr. Mike Hoffmeister (m.hoffmeister@ostfalia.de)  for more information on this international activity.

First International Research Week

The first International Research Week took place in the first week of May from 02 to 05 May 2023!

Researchers from ten different universities from Portugal, Spain, Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany came together in Wernigerode to exchange and discuss ideas and approaches to relevant research topics on a European level in various event formats. On the part of Ostfalia, researchers from seven faculties were involved.

 

DSC03224

Panel Discussion am 03.05.2023, Fotograf: Yannick Waselkowski (Ostfalia Hochschule)

 

A special focus was placed on workshops during the International Research Week, in which participants engaged in conversation about research approaches in the thematic areas of health, mobility, digital transformation, and sustainability. Questions about the application process in general and about European funding programs such as Horizon Europe and ERASMUS+ in particular were discussed in the groups and with expert guests. In this context, trends, challenges and opportunities for international research were discussed in particular with panel guests from both universities as well as Helene-Olesja Betuch as representative of the state of Saxony-Anhalt at the European Union.

The event also provided ample space for participants to network and exchange ideas about their own research projects. Kai Hillebrecht, Head of the International Relations Office and Deputy Head of Knowledge and Technology Transfer at Ostfalia University, emphasized: "Scientific and social networks are the basis for successful research".

The International Research Week came to a fitting conclusion with a visit to the Wolfenbüttel campus and a tour of the newly created Open Mobility Lab as well as the laboratories for 3D printing and robotics.

The International Research Week was organized jointly by the Harz University of Applied Sciences and the Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences as part of the weR-inteR project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

  

 

 

To the coverage of the Harz University of Applied Sciences

International Conference for Sustainable Globalisation

Fakultät_V Presentation of Dr. agr. Hedda Sander


The 5th International Conference for Sustainable Globalisation took place from January 7th to 10th in Kerala, India.

The conference was organized by Dr. Abey Kuruvilla (University of Wisconsin at Parkside) as Program Chair, Dr. Robinet Jacob (Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India) as organizational chair and Dr. Hedda Sander (Ostfalia University, Faculty of Supply Engineering and Center of Scientific, Interdisciplinary Risk and Sustainability Management) as review chair. The first days were filled with sessions in four tracks headed under the topics of education, innovation and entrepreneurship, tourism and economy and sustainability, environment and risk management.

The special characteristic of the conference is to allow participants not only from scientific background, but also from the area of entrepreneuship and administration to exchange views and develop solutions for challenges resulting from development towards a more sustainable world. This approach has allowed for start ups to develop in the past like the student mobility app ‚Abroad‘ or networking and best practice exchange between communities towards perceived challenges within the environmental field.

Ostfalia presented two presentations within the educational and sutstainability track.
The first contribution within the educational track ‚Chemification: A new gaming tool for student learning in natural sciences‘ by Dr.Hedda Sander, Frederic Körner, Phil Kühnholz and Rebecca Gustke presented a gamification option for young students within the STEM area. The input, a project supported by the Foundation Innovation in Higher Education (Stiftung Innovation in der Hochschullehre) dealt with student motivation using the media and gaming affinity of the digital native generation and was recieved with great interest, workshops with international participation from the USA and India for different areas of teaching will follow.

The second presentation within the sustainability track on ‚Cost of Climate Change: Financial Consequences for Fisheries, Tourism and Prevention Measures as assessed via Environmental Monitoring‘ by Dr. Hedda Sander, Phil Kühnholz and Frederic Körner dealt with the consequences of climate change in the areas of public health, tourism and fisheries for water quality and harmful algal bloom incidence, a topic common around the globe.


We look forward to the 6th International Conference for Sustainable Globalisation in January 2024, save the date.

2022


Team of InterAct! project visits partner Univserity IPS Setúbal

Intensifying international networks in study, teaching, research and transfer - that is the goal of the project "InterAct! - International Activities". In order to present the measures planned within the framework of the project to the partner university Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal, the project leader Kai Hillebrecht and two project staff members travelled to Setúbal from 16-18 November 2022. They met with Vice President Luisa Carvalho, representatives of the International Office, representatives of science communication, faculty mobility coordinators, as well as interested researchers and potential exchange students.

The project measures include the ongoing InterAct! mobility scholarships, which, among others, were awarded to the two Ostfalia students Tia Cosma Herbst (Faculty of Transport-Sports-Tourism-Media) and Lennart Rott (Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering). The project team took the visit as an opportunity to meet with the two InterAct! scholarship holders, who will spend the winter semester 2022/23 at IPS Setúbal. When asked what they liked best about Setúbal, they replied, "the flexible division of the service provision", the good support from the International Office and the proximity to the beach.

Lennart Rott and Tia Cosma Herbst in Setúbal
Lennart Rott and Tia Cosma Herbst

In the area of teaching, the personal exchange made clear that there is great interest in expanding the existing Erasmus agreement. Further collaborations are being discussed in the study programmes Logistics (Suderburg), Sport, Tourism and Media (Salzgitter) and Computer Science (Wolfenbüttel). Further InterAct scholarships, which are planned for both students and researchers in the project year 2023, were also presented.

In the area of research, various IPS projects were presented within the E³UDRES² funding programme on the research topics of health, entrepreneurship, Industry 4.0, digitalisation and science communication. Furthermore, an intensification of cooperation in these research fields is planned. The exchange is to be continued during the International Research Week at Ostfalia and Harz and the International Week at the IPS in May and June 2023.

In addition, the project team visited various IPS laboratories, such as the innovation laboratory, the mechanical testing laboratory and the LU Ban laboratory for innovative manufacturing processes.

Visiting the LU Ban Laboratory
The LU Ban Laboratory

 

Five-member Delegation from Ostfalia at the University of Wisconsin Parkside, USA

From 10-14 October, a five-member delegation from Ostfalia visits the partner institution University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Wisconsin, USA.

The delegation, consisting of the Vice President for Research and Transfer, Prof. Dr. Gert Bikker, Head of the International Relations Office, Dipl.-Biol. Kai Hillebrecht and representatives of the cooperating faculties of Computer Science, Law and Economics, will present the measures planned within the framework of the DAAD project “InterAct! – International Activities”. In that context, they also coordinate and prepare concrete joint activities (exchange/scholarships, joint study programmes, joint research initiative). These activities are to be deepened and concretised at workshops in 2023.

Delegation_Kenosha

From left to right: Prof. Dr. Royer (Faculty of Economics); Prof. Dr. Ludwig (Faculty of Computer Science); Vice President Prof. Dr. Bikker; IRO_Leitung Dipl.-Biol. Kai Hillebrecht; Prof. Dr. Rogmann (Faculty of Law).

The programme also includes a visit to the mayor, the International Office, the New Holland company (agricultural machinery manufacturer), the Haribo company and many more.

 

New_Holland

 

Save the Date - International Conference 4 and 5 May 2023

On 4 and 5 May 2023, the international conference of the " Leibniz Science Campus - Postdigital Participation" (LSC PdP) will take place at the Leibniz Institute for Educational Media | Georg Eckert Institute in Braunschweig.

The conference will provide a platform for international exchange on current aspects of post-digital participation in the fields of education and urban development. Experts and practice partners will discuss the conditions for successful social participation and the critical reflection of digitally supported forms of participation in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary formats. High-profile keynotes, exciting lectures, participatory formats and informal events for stimulating networking are planned.

On our website you can already find out about the diverse and future-oriented  projects of the LWC PdP as well as its  memberspublications and events.

We will also publish more detailed information on the programme and registration for the international conference here soon: https://www.postdigitalparticipation.org/en/

French diplomat visits Ostfalia

Dr. Bernard Ludwig, attaché for Higher Education Cooperation at the French Embassy in Berlin, has visited Ostfalia on 28 July 2022 to inform himself about the university and about cooperations with French university and company partners. Dr. Ludwig was accompanied by Alice Duruflé who is currently doing an internship at the embassy.

The university’s president Prof. Dr. Rosemarie Karger informed the French guests about Ostfaila and its current state of research, teaching and transfer. Furthermore, she presented the content of the university’s future strategy and objectives. Kai Hillebrecht, responsible for international cooperations and the Knowledge and Technology Transfer at Ostfalia, presented concrete approaches of German-French cooperations in the areas of teaching and research.

Based on this information, concrete measures were discussed to further deepen the cooperation between Ostfalia and French partners. These measures include the development of joint study programmes and the implementation of summer schools and transnational projects. Dr. Bernard Ludwig showed great interest in already initiated projects and internationalisation measures and has promised to support these activities, within the framework of the Franco-German University and Campus France. Finally, based on this meeting it was agreed to promote joint initiatives and to continuously expand the cooperation. Prof. Dr. Rosemarie Karger and Dr. Bernard Ludwig both agreed that the contact between the French Embassy and Ostfalia is of great mutual importance and should be used to initiate and implement joint activities.

Guests from the French Embassy

Dr. Bernard Ludwig (2nd from left), attaché for Higher Education at the French Embassy in Berlin, visited Ostfalia on 28 July 2022.

Text: K. Hillebrech
Picture: A. Salbach/Ostfalia

Third Intercultural Business Workshop Online on 23rd April 2022, organised by the Faculty of Business

Prof. Dr. Mike Hoffmeister from the Faculty of Business at Ostfalia successfully organised the Third Intercultural Business Workshop Online with over 80 students from more than 15 countries. The participants worked in intercultural mixed groups on the topics of Leadership, University Education and Future Work.

Students during the International Business online workshop

Students from all over the world who participated in the online workshop.


Part of the workshop were discussions about working across cultures in times of digitalisation as well as questioning the role of international experience in improving the cultural intelligence of students. The main goal of this workshop was to gain intercultural experience and competencies.

international business workshop_Denis Royer

Official opening by Prof. Dr. Denis Royer, Head of International Affairs
of the Faculty of Business, Ostfalia.


In addition to the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the students, it was also a great experience for the lecturers. As well as the students they came from many different countries such as Dr. Roger Muller from the Nelson Mandela University in South Africa, Kelly Duhaime from the Northwood University in the USA, Michael Heinrich from the Hotel Institute Montreux in Switzerland and Manjeera Karunaratne from the ANC American National College in Sri Lanka.

 

Praticipating Organizations:

logos_2

logos

 

Your Contact Person:

Mike Hoffmeister

Phone: +49 5361 8922 25 220

Mail: m.hoffmeister@ostfalia.de

International online lecture series with contributions from nursing professionals from the European Respiratory Society (ERS) at Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences in the summer semester 2022

This summer semester, Prof. Dr. Martina Hasseler, Internationalisation Officer of the Faculty of Health and Health Care Sciences at Ostfalia, together with colleagues from the nursing section of the European Respiratory Society (ERS), invites you to an international online lecture series. The lectures will deal with international cooperation in nursing, the conception of an international curriculum for specialist nursing in the field of respiratory diseases, research activities in this field and last but not least the experiences in dealing with the Covid pandemic. All lectures will be hold in English and will last 60 minutes, including discussion time. Registration is not required, therfore, interested parties can dial in from 5:15 p.m. (CET) using this link (video conference platform "BigBlueButton"):

https://vc.b3.sonia.de/b/and-prf-8dx-tja

The first lecture will take place on 6 April 2022:

Title: Development of International Curriculum for Respiratory Nurses

Speaker: Andreja Šajnić, MSc, RN, Nurses Group Chair at European Respiratory Society, Healthcare Manager at Dept. for pulmonary diseases, University Hospital Centre Zagreb,

Further lecture dates are:

  • 20 April 2022
    Speaker Dr. Karen Heslop–Marshall PhD, RN, Nurse Consultant, Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust

 

  • 11 May 2022
    Speaker Bridget Murray, Candidate Doctorate (DHAE), MSc, PG Dip (RCNP) PG Dip (CHSE), BSc, HDip (ICU), RGN, RNT, FFNMRCSI, Programme Director/Nurse Tutor/ Lecturer, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin

 

  • 01 June 2022
    Speaker Prof. Dr. Georgia L Narsavage, PhD, APRN, FAAN, ATSF
    Professor Emerita, West Virginia University, Morgantown

 

  • 15 June 2022
    Speaker Prof. Dr. Miguel Padilha, RN, CRRN, MScN, PhD, Coordinator Master and specialization courses, Escola Superior de Enfermagem do Porto

 

More information on the titles of the individual lectures are following soon. If you have any questions, please contact André Heitmann-Möller (a.heitmann-moeller@ostfalia.de).

Internationalization accelerates through DAAD funding project "InterAct!"

Internationalization is a central goal of Ostfalia's future strategy until 2030. So it is all the more gratifying that the university has prevailed with its project application "InterAct! - International Activities" in the nationwide HAW.International funding program of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The project has now been launched and is intended to further the internationalization of the university over the next two years and contribute to an improved international presence at the level of research and teaching as well as administration and organization, with the involvement of partner organizations. The project is implemented by a joint team of the International Relations Office and Knowledge and Technology Transfer. Therefore, there is also a close cooperation with the FH-Europa projects " TOOL - Development of a toolbox for science communication in EU research proposals and projects" and " weR-NEAR - Expansion of the regional network for joint activities and research in the European area with the Harz University of Applied Sciences".

 

One of the key measures of the "InterAct!" project is the efficient design and expansion of existing qualification offers for staff and student mobilities, whereby intercultural, practical and professional competencies are acquired. An optimized communication strategy with modern content and appealing channels strengthens the international presence and promotes an increased exchange with international universities, so that cooperations with international partners can also be consolidated and expanded in the long term. Ultimately, this should also facilitate the acquisition of collaborative projects at the international level and lead to an increased volume of cooperative projects. Thus, internationalization measures as well as inter- and transdisciplinary activities will be implemented across faculties and synergies and competencies will be used in a goal-oriented manner. Of particular interest is the expansion of cooperation on an international level with universities in Portugal and Finland as well as in the USA, China and South Africa  

 

DAAD links_en

 

Your contact persons:

Kai Hillebrecht, Dipl.-Biol. (Project manager)

Phone: 0049 5331 939 109 00

Mail: kai.hillebrecht@ostfalia.de

 

Angelina Capelle, M.A. (Project coordination)

Phone: 0049 5331 939 107 60

Mail:  a.capelle@ostfalia.de

 

 2021


New staff member in the International Relations Office (IRO): Andrea Moysén Mason, M.A.

Andrea Leticia Moysén Mason has been supporting the International Relations Office team at Ostfalia since July 2021. She is the contact person for questions regarding the administration of university partnership agreements as well as lecturer and staff mobility via Erasmus+. Within the framework of Ostfalia's Working Group Internationalisation, Ms Moysén Mason is responsible for application processing and documentation.

 

Andrea Leticia Moysén Mason


Andrea Moysén Mason

Telephone: +49 5331 939 10930

 

Click here for more information about the IRO.

Research cooperation with the Province Eastern Cape South Africa

Since 1998, a university partnership exists between Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences and Nelson Mandela University (NMU) in Gqeberha, South Africa, in the field of automotive engineering. The mission of the cooperation is to support the exchange between scientists, teachers and students within the field. The cooperation is led by Ostfalia’s interest group for automotive acoustics and drive technology (Interessengemeinschaft Fahrzeugakustik und Antriebstechnik, IFA) and by NMU’s Department of Mechanical Engineering of the Faculty of Engineering. Over the last few years, other departments and faculties of both universities, for example the Faculty of Economics in Wolfsburg and the Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences of NMU, have signed cooperation agreements and established exchange programmes for students. Close relations also exist in the field of sports management.

In 2007, the German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, DAAD) and Volkswagen of South Africa (VW SA) provided support in creating a professorship for automotive engineering at NMU. The so-called “VWSA3-DAAD International Chair in Automotive Engineering at NMU” has been established over the last ten years and had become an additional pull factor for German and South-African Students who wanted to complete a study semester at NMU or an internship semester in the surrounding automotive technology or industry. Despite the end of the financial support for the professorship by DAAD and VW SA in 2017, the cooperation and exchange are being continued.

The State Chancellery of Lower Saxony (Niedersächsische Staatskanzlei) supports the scientific cooperation between NMU and Ostfalia since 1998.

  Extension of the Chair-Treaty (2015)

On the picture, from left to right, are: Thomas Schäfer CEO VWSA, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Udo Becker International Chair, Derek Swarz VC NMMU.


Contact person: Prof. Dr. - Ing. Udo Becker

Digital exchange with researchers from all over the world: International Week at Tampere University of Applied Sciences

Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK) in Finland organised an International Week called “ Eye on TAMK” in March 2021, involving all seven faculties of the university. Due to the impact of the Corona pandemic, the complete programme comprising lectures, workshops and cultural events, was carried out online.

Around 2000 participants (1400 students and 600 presenters) from all over the world joined the event. To the regret of the hosts, the international guests could not to take part in outdoor sports or visit the sauna as part of networking activities – instead, a very diverse cultural programme was presented from Mediapolis Studio in Tampere. This programme was organised by staff and students, including a movie night and a discussion around a bonfire surrounded by characteristic Finnish nature. 

Screenshot International Week Screenshot from a session of the Research, Development and Innovation programme.

Lectures and presentations were given in the following study programmes: Biomedical Engineering, Business, Engineering, Health, Languages and Communication, Media, Music and Art, Physiotherapy, Social Service, Teacher Education.

The two presenters from Ostfalia, Dr Hedda Sander (Faculty of Supply Engineering) and Pamela Holweg (Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering), held lectures in the field of Environmental Engineering. On March 22, the students organised a special programme on the occasion of the World Water Day. Topics like water quality, transmission of diseases by water and groundwater recharge were discussed.

Additionally, Corinne Motard-Schäfer from the International Relations Office and Angelina Capelle from the Knowledge and Technology Transfer represented Ostfalia. They joined several sessions in the field of Research, Development and Innovation, exchanging ideas on strategic topics such as internal and external communication or project management.

 

Click here to watch the supercut of Eye Experiences. 

 

Please contact Angelina Capelle for more information on this international activity.

 2020


Corona crisis: Ostfalia supports the production of face visors

Since early April 2020, the Centre for Additive Manufacturing (ZaF) at the Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences has been producing components for face shields using 3D printing processes. With this initiative, the Ostfalia supports the Technical University of Braunschweig and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in the production of face shields. These are urgently needed by the clinics in the region due to the corona crisis and are currently not available by other means.

The faculties of Electrical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering involved in the ZaF are committed to the initiative and provide 3D printers as well as specialist expertise. Several students immediately offered their help. The devices, usually used in teaching and for research into additive processes, are now used to produce special headbands and reinforcements made of plastic, which are needed for the production of facial shields.

ZaF_Ostfalia Production of components for face shields in the center for additive manufacturing

"In compliance with all protective measures, up to 100 pieces can be produced per day. Two people supervise the printers", explains Dipl.-Ing. Franz-Gregor Haas, who coordinates the practical tests and activities at the Ostfalia and is in close contact with his colleagues from the TU and DLR. Work is underway to manufacture the components of the masks by injection moulding. This should enable a faster production of many parts and thus ensure the continued support of the clinics even when demand increases. "However, 3D printing is the best alternative for the transition," states Haas. "I am pleased that we are able to help in this challenging situation by using the resources at our disposal. In doing so, we are assuming part of our social responsibility."

 

Please contact Dipl.-Ing. Franz-Gregor Haas for more information on this initiative.

Ostfalia and TU Braunschweig win funding from EXIST Potentials Competition

With the joint concept "International TechKnowlogy Hub" in the program line "EXIST Potentials – International leadership", the Technical University of Braunschweig (joint coordination) and the Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences are among the winners of the "EXIST Potentials" competition of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (abbreviated BMWi). The requested funding volume for the joint application is 2 million euros. The State of Lower Saxony will also assume the necessary own contribution of ten percent of the funding. The aim of the project is to create international high-tech start-ups in the technology fields of mobility and sustainability that will settle in our economic region. To this end, entrepreneurship collaboration agreements are being concluded with international universities, building on the long-standing international research and teaching cooperation of the five partner universities in China, India, Singapore and Finland. On 01.04.2020 both universities received the notification of funding, which allows the project to officially start.

A total of 220 universities from all federal states applied for funding from the BMWi. The 142 award-winning universities – including eleven from Lower Saxony – will receive funding of around 150 million euros over the next four years.

 

Please contact Prof. Dr. Reza Asghari for more information on this international activity.

The Ostfalia, represented by the faculties of Electrical Engineering and Supply Engineering, is now partner in the EU funded project CAR - Creating Automotive Renewal

Creating Automotive Renewal (CAR) has the goal of promoting the large-scale implementation of electric mobility in the countries around the South Baltic. There are ten partners with complementary competencies and resources from Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Poland. Project activities aim to fulfil two overall goals:

  • Implementing six pilot investments, each one of those driven by one partner.
  • Building a network of companies, public organizations, universities, research institutes, and clusters that want to contribute to the increase in systems for electric mobility.

Throughout the project activities will be organized where creative dialogeues will be initiated  between players with different roles in the electric mobility sector. Discussions will not centre primarily on technical issues. Instead, meetings and seminars will focua on how to increase adoption of electric mobility and investments in electric vehicle systems .

The project will durate until end of September 2021. Contact persons on behalf of Ostfalia are Prof. Dr. Joachim Landrath (Faculty of Electrical Engineering) and Prof. Dr. Ekkehard Boggasch and Prof. Dr. Thorsten Ahrens (beide Faculty of Supply Engineering).

 

The project website can be found here.

Kick-off: International follow-up projects on Digital Trust and Intuition

Prof. Dr. Launer has been travelling to foreign universities for over four years. Further down on this page you can find the reports on the research semester, the contact trip to Latin America and Asia as well as the International Service Management Congresses with foreign guest professors in Suderburg. With his systematic approach, he was able to establish numerous contacts in his research areas: e-learning, digital trust and intuition. Before becoming a professor, he lived in the USA for a total of nine years and visited Africa, too.

 

E-Learning-Society-Philippines

Prof. Markus Launer (centre) at the E-Learning conference in the Philippines with Prof. Dr. Anna Ramas (left), Assistant at the University of Santo Thomas, and Prof. Dr. Thennie Mariano (right), President of the Open University of the Philippines.

 

Based on his previous research projects “Digital Trust & Teamwork” and “Intuitive Decisions” the international follow-up studies are to be implemented. Numerous foreign university professors from Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America would like to participate in his study “Digital Trust at the Workplace”. In order to present his follow-up projects and to establish further valuable contacts, Prof. Dr. Launer visited universities in Thailand, Korea and the Philippines as well as two international research conferences in the Philippines and France during the summer break of 2019. As a member of Ostfalia’s ethics committee, at the moment he is in intensive exchange about data protection in international research projects.

Universities from Russia, Estonia, Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile have already agreed to participate in the research project “ Digital Trust at the Workplace”. Recently, universities from Sweden, Finland and countries from Africa also agreed to join.

Research Process – Present State

The following specific academic activities were implemented in the research projects “E-Learning” , “Digital Trust” and “Intuition”:

  • E-Learning: ongoing research on didactics and technical implementation of e-learning. The studies should be completed and published by September 2019.
  • Digital Trust: The EFRE research project is to be internationalised at the beginning of 2020 (follow-up study). Preliminary talks were held with faculties of Business Administration and Computer Science.
  • Intuition (RHIA): The EFRE research project is to be internationalised at the end of 2019. It is planned to develop an international questionnaire for this purpose. To this end, contacts have been established with the faculties of Sociology and Psychology.

 

 

Siam-University-Thailand

In dialogue with Siam University in Bangkok: Ashutosh Mishra, Prof. Markus Launer, Prof. Dr. Chanita Rukspollmuang (Vice President) and Kavin Katanyutaveetip (from left to right).

 

Future Research Projects

New research proposals were discussed on the subject of “E-Health at Home and at Work”. Prof. Dr. Launer would like to organise these projects internationally from the very beginning. Further trips and a visit to the Suderburg campus by an international delegation from China are planned.

 

Please contact  Prof. Dr. Markus A. Launer for more information on this international activity.

 2019


Expansion of international networks at the International Week in Setúbal (Portugal)

One week, participants from eleven countries and a common goal: expanding networks, exchanging research topics and developing ideas and projects together. In November, Ostfalia Vice-President Gert Bikker, professors of the Faculties of Public Health, Social Work and Transport-Sports-Tourism-Media and members of the Knowledge and Technology Transfer team travelled to the Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal (IPS) in Portugal to participate in the International Week, representing Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences.

 

Setúbal_Gruppenfoto_Ausschnitt For the Ostfalia at the International Week (from left): Theresa Springer, Angelina Capelle, Kai Hillebrecht (all knowledge and technology transfer), Sandra Verena Müller (Faculty of Social Work), Gert Bikker (Vice President & Faculty of Computer Science), Brigitte Wotha (Faculty of Transportation-Sport-Tourism-Media). Martina Hasseler (Faculty of Public Health) is missing. Photo: Ostfalia 

According to the theme “40th Anniversary of IPS – Creating networks for the next 40 years”, the IPS specifically invited partners from its existing network to the International Week – including Ostfalia. The two universities have already been working together since 2015. Gert Bikker and IPS Vice-President Susana Piçarra agreed to strive for an even closer cooperation. For example by the exchange of students and staff, but also by joint project initiatives.


How such projects could look like was demonstrated working on seven so-called “Round Tables” on the research topics Smart Cites, Education, Ageing, Additive Manufacturing, Agriculture 4.0, Risk, Vulnerability and Crisis Intervention and Sustainability/Circular Economy. In addition to the researchers, scientific staff, students, companies and regional actors from Portugal also participated in the workshops. Based on real tenders in the European funding programme Horizon 2020, they developed ideas in working groups on how to pool their expertise in a joint proposal. This work will be continued after the International Week and further researchers from both universities will be involved.

 

Round Tables

Round_Table_SmartCities At the Round Tables, the participants jointly developed project ideas for current tenders. Photos: Ostfalia and GiCOM

Besides this active networking, the IPS team offered lectures on internationalisation at universities. Case studies invited the participants to look beyond their own national horizons and to derive best practices. Joint cultural activities completed the programme and helped not only to deepen contacts but also to get to know the country and its people.


A return visit of the IPS to the Ostfalia is planned for next year. Hooray for the next 40 years!

 

Please contact Kai Hillebrecht for more information on this international activity.

 

Gruppenfoto_Alle

International e-learning course and workshop on solar powered irrigation systems

The Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering developed and implemented an e-learning course on Solar Powered Irrigation Systems (SPIS) for capacity building. The goal of the course was to foster the deployment of well-planned and managed SPIS and thereby contribute towards the nexus, energy - water - food security and powering agriculture in developing countries.

The target group of the e-learning course are agricultural consultants in regions where solar irrigation would not be possible without solar powered pumps. These consultants are being trained in order to familiarise local farmers with the possibilities of solar irrigation, but also academic staff, NGOs and governmental institutions.

The educational project was financed by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). Additionally, the Ostfalia Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering cooperated with e-learning and video production specialist Margraf Publishers GmbH and Hans Hartung, proven expert on SPIS.

190828_InternActivity_SPIS_E-Learning
The SPIS E-Learning platform on "dis-course".

The e-learning course is based on the comprehensive Toolbox on SPIS , developed by GIZ and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to assist the planning and implementation of Solar Powered Irrigation Systems.

The e-learning course was developed to promote the Toolbox on SPIS and provide guidance for its use and application. The pilot course was held over six weeks in June and July 2019 on an online platform called “dis-course” and consisted of four modules:

  • Sustainable Water Management
  • Solar Pumping Essentials
  • Planning and Implementation
  • Operation and Maintenance

Three related webinars and a final multiple-choice test were also included. After the application period, 120 international participants, mostly from African countries, were selected to attend the pilot course. Staff members of Ostfalia University with relevant technical skills were trained to be so called e-tutors. They were responsible for organising the webinars, forum discussions, assignments and providing the participants with the required guidance to conduct the e-learning course. Certificates were assigned to the successful participants in the end.

During this project, international experts in the field of solar powered irrigation from Nepal, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Iran supported the team of Ostfalia University by holding webinars with relevant topics and providing expert support in forums and discussions on the online platform. They shared their experiences with the participants in a dynamic environment.

  190828_InternActivity_SPIS_Workshop
Campus tour in the hydraulic laboratory on campus Suderburg during the international workshop.

Subsequent to the e-learning course, a workshop was held at Ostfalia University in Suderburg in August 2019, hosting international experts and representative partners from GIZ and Margraf Publishers. To analyse the team’s performance and improve the course the goal of the workshop was to discuss the course format and the results of the e-learning course. As a next step, the course will also be provided in French.  

 

 

Please contact Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus Röttcher for more information on this international activity.

Establishing international contacts in Asia for the Faculty of Trade and Social Work

In 2018 and 2019 Prof. Dr. Markus Launer of the Faculty of Trade and Social Work in Suderburg travelled through Asia to establish international contacts and cooperation. He visited several universities in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand and the Philippines. Not only the Faculty benefits from these international activities, but especially the two research projects “ Digital Trust and Teamwork in Service Companies” and “Rationality, Heuristic, Intuition & Anticipation”, both funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), as well as an own research program "E-Learning" of Prof. Dr. Markus Launer. Based on the established contacts, two international Service Management Congresses were held at the Campus in Suderburg.

Open Uni Kaphsiung Praesidentin One of many new contacts in Asia: At the Open University of Kaohsiung in Taiwan Professor Launer met with president Prof. Liu Chia-ju and her colleagues of the departments of research, e-learning and languages. It was the second visit after last year’s discussion about research on e-learning.

 

Targets of the international visit

The overall target of the international visits in Asia was to further advance the internationalisation of the Faculty of Trade and Social Work at the Campus Suderburg by the following means:

  • Students should be able to study abroad at partner universities;
  • Professors should be able to participate in international conferences;
  • Professors should be able to teach abroad, e.g. as visiting professor;
  • Professors should be able to research abroad and take part in international research projects and participate in academic conferences abroad;
  • Scientific staff should be able to internationalise their research work and participate in international research projects.

In addition, for the ERDF research projects “Digital Trust and Teamwork in Service Companies” and “Rationality, Heuristic, Intuition & Anticipation” international partners who transfer their know-how to the district of Uelzen should be won. Also, important contacts to Open Universities were made for the Online Study Program “Business Administration” of the Faculty.

Preliminary Work

The universities had been selected systematically by publicly available rankings. As a result, Prof. Launer was invited to conduct personal discussions with various academic departments and selected scientists.

Firstly, personal contact with the offices for international linkages was established by Prof. Launer as described above. The University of the Philippines was of great help to establish further contacts in Japan, Taiwan and Thailand. Stefan Nowatschin, head of the Vocational School in Uelzen (“BBS I”), used his contacts to China to connect Launer to Shenzhen Polytech University and Beijing Open University.

The respective heads of the International Relations Offices were connected with Holger Zimpel, head of the International Relations Office at Ostfalia, and Prof. Dr. Dirk Plickat, international officer for the Faculty of Trade and Social Work.

Research Process

The following specific academic activities were implemented for the research projects:

  • Digital Trust and Teamwork: The topic is very popular in Asia at present. All visited professors were excited about the research project “Digital Trust and Teamwork in Service Companies” and will support it. They also wish to transfer their knowledge to the district of Uelzen. As an additional result, an international study about “Digital Trust at the Workplace” will be conducted. Co-Head of this study is Prof. Dave Marcial from Silliman University, who soon will be a Visiting Professor in Suderburg. Professors from the University of Electro-Communications (Japan), Siam University (Thailand), National Cheng Kung University (Taiwan) and the University of the Philippines already committed to the international study. Soon, Universities from Korea and India will join in as well. The respective professors also participated in the Second International Service Management Congress on Digital Trust in Suderburg and Uelzen in November 2018.
  • Intuition: The topic of the ERDF research project “Rationality, Heuristic, Intuition & Anticipation” is of great interest in Asia as well, but it needs an interdisciplinary approach. Not business professors are needed but psychologists and sociologists. All visited professors, however, promised to connect the Faculty to respective experts. At the Third International Service Management Congress on E-Learning in Suderburg, the project was introduced to business professors who made helpful suggestions regarding further strategies. 
  • E-Learning: Current research on didactics and technical implementation of e-learning was discussed. At Asian universities e-learning is mostly organised in Open Universities – which are separate entities of leading universities. Contacts were established to the Open University of the Philippines, the Taiwanese Open University of Kaohsiung and the Beijing Open University in China. Professors of these Open Universities already participated in lectures at campus Suderburg during the third International Service Management Congress on E-Learning in 2018. Of great help was Prof. Ricky Kwok from the Hong Kong University.

Siam University Prof Chanita und Praesident_web
In Thailand Professor Launer visited Prof. Dr. Chanita Rukspollmuang and president Pornchai Mongkhonvanit of Siam University, Bangkok.

 

Implementation of Results

The journey was successful especially concerning the establishment of contacts and the planning of more international research.

  • The implementation of research for the project "Digital Trust and Teamwork" has begun. In addition to the local implementation strategy, an international study will be conducted in 2019. The translations of the questionnaires have started. The international team of professors is committed to the project and will participate in their respective home country. The local German IT company Visoma offered the establishment of an Bitrix24 connection platform to unite all activities of the project.
  • The ground work and theory building for the research project "Intuition" has been furthered. The common sense of all professors was to shift from single experiments towards questionnaire based evaluations in a broader approach. The professors promised to participate with their students at the study.
  • The research on e-learning could not be conducted empirically, neither in Latin America (see article from 2018) nor in Asia. Too many approval processes of ministries would have been necessary for each country. Therefore, more personal interviews were conducted. The results were discussed in Suderburg at the Third Service Management Congress.
  • All visited professors would like to be invited to a fourth International Service Management Congress.

 

Please contact Prof. Dr. Markus A. Launer for more information on this international activity.

Exchange on future opportunities for EU research funding for universities of applied sciences in Brussels

"Opportunities of universities of applied sciences in the new research framework program Horizon Europe" was the topic of an event of the network FHnet on 4th and 5th April in Brussels. The network had invited representatives of its member universities to an open exchange – Gert Bikker and Kai Hillebrecht followed the invitation to Brussels on the part of Ostfalia university.

FHnet is a nationwide network of German universities of applied sciences. The FHnet universities want to improve their strategic position regarding European research topics and increase the visibility of the universities of applied sciences in Europe. The aim is to attract more EU research projects, particularly under the research framework program "Horizon 2020" and the follow-up program "Horizon Europe". The network has been funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) since 2017.

The event in Brussels was carried out with assistance of the EU Cooperation Agency of Science Organizations. About 50 participants deepened their knowledge of EU funding opportunities for applied research projects. Speakers from the European Commission, industry and academic associations as well as strategic university networks were present. Together with the representatives of the FHnet member universities they discussed the current state of negotiations on Horizon Europe and possibilities for the participation of universities of applied sciences in Horizon 2020 and the successor program.

 

FHnet Brussels

Thomas Estermann (European University Association), Jens-Peter Gaul (German Rectors' Conference), Dr. Henning Gädeke (Permanent Representation of the Federal Republic of Germany to the EU), Birte Schöpfer (FHnet / Hochschule Bremen), Dr. Ing. Torsten Fischer (EU Cooperation Office of the Scientific Organizations)

 

Especially in collaborative research there will continue to be good opportunities for participation in universities of applied sciences.

This is one of the conclusions of the event. For the universities of applied sciences, with their practice-oriented research, this also offers the best prerequisites for an ongoing successful cooperation with the proven partners from the region. The possibility of European funding for innovative start-ups was also discussed during the two-day visit to Brussels, as the universities support the spin-offs of students and employees.

 

 

Please contact Kai Hillebrecht for more information on this international activity.

Cooperation with Sochi State University

It is already several years since the Karl-Scharfenberg Faculty at Ostfalia set up the partnership with Sochi State University. In autumn 2018, representatives of the Faculty of Transport-Sports-Tourism-Media made their first trip to the Black Sea to intensify the exchange between the institutions. Stefan Küblböck (professor of tourism management) and Harald Rau (professor of communications management) aimed to conduct intensive talks and discussions with various officials and faculties.

Sochi University

Sochi State University.

A particular goal was to initiate a lecturer exchange programme (each phase lasting two weeks, held in English) and to invite students with knowledge of Russian to take part in exchanges in the area of media management and communication. Ostfalia also had an opportunity to present the chair’s international research strategies in Sochi in addition to its research in the field of location-based services (LBS). LBS applications (apps) run on mobile devices and are designed to create added value for its users through localisation.

In particular, placing the focus on the tourism industry – both in Salzgitter and Sochi – served to make the cooperation of interest to both parties. The two universities are currently engaged in raising funding for an Erasmus Plus project, the aim of which is to enable an intensive exchange between courses of study in the tourism sector. The trip undertaken to further the universities' cooperation also gave Ostfalia the opportunity to present the faculty's main areas of research in front of a large audience at a university auditorium in Sochi. Stefan Küblböck explained the background of a study looking into the quality of training and the market situation in the field of hotels and catering in the Braunschweig region; this produced findings that were of international interest. Harald Rau presented the extensive research project funded by third-party sponsorship entitled "Location-based services in regional media communication" along with its initial findings, as well as giving a presentation on the subject of click-baiting – motivated by media economics and media-critically realised. All presentations met with great appreciation.

Prof. Rau in Sochi

Prof. Rau giving a speech at Sochi State University.

For the purpose of squaring differences and drawing parallels, the professors from Ostfalia held very concrete discussions with the presidential board on the following themes in the course of the cooperation talks:
How is research awarded for scientists? How are activities in internationalisation supported by faculty - facing the single researcher? How can staff be prepared for international science and research projects? How could work be published? How is research coordinated and monitored? How is success in research communicated (internally and externally)?

 

 

Please contact Prof. Dr. Harald Rau for more information on this international activity.

 

 

University of Jönköping: A special kind of research cooperation

The Media Management Transfer Center (MMTC) and the communication management chair at Ostfalia are currently intensifying their cooperation. The MMTC is a world-renowned research institution at the University of Jönköping, where it is domiciled within the Jönköping Business School. It is a major player not only in Europe but also internationally. The Business School recently advertised new doctoral positions in the field of media management, in which successful candidates are able to conduct their research and teach in employee positions for a period of five years while preparing their doctoral dissertation (PhD).

Annika Ehlers, member of the EFRE research project team: "Location-based services (LBS) in regional media communication", successfully fended off 108 other applicants to gain one of the highly desirable places. LBS applications (apps) run on mobile devices and are designed to create added value for its users through localisation. Annika Ehlers has meanwhile arrived in Sweden, and according to Professor Leona Achtenhagen, head of the MMTC, she is making extremely good progress in the Business School's team. What is special about this is that Annika Ehlers, who studied media management at Ostfalia, obtained a master's degree in communication science (IJK Hannover) as well as in business management (University of Hagen), continues to work in the LBS project at Ostfalia.

Prof. Rau and Ms. Ehlers

Prof. Dr. Harald Rau (professor of communications management, Ostfalia) and Annika Ehlers (Ostfalia/University of Jönköping) during one of the last face-to-face project meetings at the Karl-Scharfenberg faculty. Meanwhile, they are communicating exclusively via social media and IP telephony.

This is all thanks to the endeavours towards internationalisation made by the Karl-Scharfenberg faculty. The LBS project team additionally benefits from the international integration and especially from having a contact in the Scandinavian region; it was in northern Europe that the first research into localised journalistic offers took place. The cooperation with the MMTC was expanded at the beginning of 2019; on the basis of a common positive experience, the University of Jönköping is now on board as an important international partner in direct cooperation with the communications management chair at Ostfalia, as a result of an application to the Lower Saxony doctoral programme, which was jointly initiated by the TU Braunschweig and Ostfalia.

 

 

Please contact Prof. Dr. Harald Rau for more information on this international activity.

 

 

New FHnet homepage is now online

New FHnet homepage is now online

By publishing the cooperative web presence www.eu-strategie-fh.net, an important milestone is being reached. With a fresh and modern design and an orderly structure, the homepage facilitates a quick overview of the FHnet network and the running EU-Strategie-FH projects at the participating universities. Furthermore, the page informs about the research projects of the FHnet members which are being financed by the EU funding programme Horizon 2020.

 

  To Ostfalia's web page within FHnet

 

FHnet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 2018


"Digital dabei" – joint research in Lower Saxony and South Africa

"Digital dabei" is a research project initiated by the Faculty of Social Work at the Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences that aims to determine the educational requirements of people with disabilities in Lower Saxony and in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The partners in the project are Lebenshilfe Lower Saxony, Nelson Mandela University and the Eastern Cape Disability Economic Empowerment Trust in South Africa. The project is supported by the State of Lower Saxony.

Representatives of the partner institutions from Lower Saxony and South Africa met on Wednesday, 28 November at Nelson Mandela University in Port Elisabeth. The meeting focused on the findings of the education survey conducted by the project manager, Prof. Dr. Ludger Kolhoff of the Faculty of Social Work of the Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences, between 2016 and 2017. The aim of the research was to determine the educational requirements of disabled people in northern Germany. The following topics were considered: Digital media (social media and using software), dealing with money (avoiding debt, appreciating the value of money, saving), social skills (friendships and partnerships, handling conflicts, dealing with authorities), work and education (writing applications, external workplaces, handling work equipment), leisure and knowledge (finding out information about regional offers and animals & plants, learning languages), independence (mobility, housekeeping, travelling), and health and nutrition (healthy diet, easy-to-understand cooking, dealing with stress).

digital dabei

Meeting at Nelson Mandela University in Port Elisabeth (left to right): Prof. Dr. Ludger Kolhoff (Ostfalia), Natalie Mansvelt (Nelson Mandela University), Uwe Hiltner (director of the Lebenshilfe Lower Saxony, and the Association of Sheltered Workshops North), Prof. Louise Stroud, Dr. Aldene Luck and Prof. Dr. Zoleka Soji (Nelson Mandela University).

In addition, digital educational offers such as explanatory videos and digital self-study units were presented by Professor Kolhoff of Ostfalia, Uwe Hiltner, director of the Lebenshilfe Lower Saxony, and the Association of Sheltered Workshops (North); these were specifically developed by the "Digital dabei" research club at Ostfalia and the Association of Sheltered Workshops (North) for the target group of people with disabilities.

For its part, Nelson Mandela University will devise a supplementary educational study in South Africa to determine the particular educational needs of people with disabilities in the Eastern Cape. The educational offers will be based on those developed in Lower Saxony. They also aim to develop their own educational courses.

"The 'Digital dabei' project not only makes an important contribution to the professional training and social inclusion of disabled people but also promotes cultural and social dialogue as well as training and further education in Germany and South Africa. The exchange between the countries will serve to promote global learning and create new perspectives in further education", says Professor Kolhoff.

Implementing these further education courses in digital form will give users significant benefits. For example, they can be used in rural areas that are not connected to the transport network – thanks to the existence of dense mobile phone networks both in South Africa and Germany. Moreover, the courses can be adapted to the specific needs of people with sensory impairments or worded in a simple language style. The aim is to simplify the learning process and to increase users' independence in their daily lives.

 

 

Please contact Prof. Dr. Ludger Kolhoff for more information on this international activity.

 

 

Establishing foreign contacts in Latin America for the Faculty of Trade and Social Work

International university contacts and cooperations in Brazil, Argentina and Chile for the Faculty of Trade and Social Work in Suderburg and for the research projects "E-Learning", "Digital Trust and Teamwork" and "Intuition" of Prof. Dr. Markus Launer.

Targets of the international visit

The overall target of the international visit was to further advance the internationalisation of the Faculty of Trade and Social Work in Suderburg by the following means:

  • Students should be able to study abroad at partner universities
  • Professors should be able to participate in international conferences
  • Professors should be able to teach abroad, e.g. as visiting professor
  • Professors should be able to research abroad and take part in international research projects and participate in academic conferences abroad
  • Scientific staff should be able to internationalise their research work and participate in international research projects.

In addition, for the EFRE research project "Digital Trust and Teamwork" international partners who transfer their know-how to the district of Uelzen should be won.

Preliminary Work

Prof. Dr. Markus Launer, chair of Business Administration with a focus on Service Management, had made contact with universities in Latin America. The universities were selected systematically by publicly available rankings. The highest rated university of a country was targeted. First contact was established via email and personal contacts from previous private trips. In the in-depth mail exchange, information on possible cooperations and joint research projects was exchanged with the respective offices for international linkages. As a result, Prof. Launer was invited to conduct personal discussions with various academic departments and selected scientists.

Research Process

Firstly, personal contact with the offices for international linkages was established by Prof. Launer as described above. The respective heads of the offices were connected with Holger Zimpel, head of the International Relations Office at Ostfalia, and Prof. Dr. Dirk Plickat, international officer for the Faculty of Trade and Social Work. As a result, a memorandum of understanding will be exchanged as a basis for future collaborations.

The following specific academic activities were implemented for Prof. Launer’s research projects:

  • E-Learning: Ongoing research on didactics and technical implementation of e-learning were discussed. In particular, specific work was done with professors on the implementation of the empirical survey in Brazil, Argentina and Chile. In Brazil, Prof. Dr. Marco Krebs from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro takes over the study. At the University of Buenos Aires the study should be taken over by Prof. Miguel A. Marzullo. A suitable contact person is currently being sought by Prof. Erich Spencer, head of the international office at the University of Santiago de Chile. The study will be completed by April 2019 and will be presented in an international symposium "International Lectures".
  • Digital Trust and Teamwork: The EFRE research project will be internationalised at the beginning of 2019 (study 1). Therefore, preliminary discussions were conducted with faculties of Business and Computer Science, asking how the empirical study could be implemented in Brazil, Argentina and Chile. In Brazil, the study will be supported by Prof. Dr. Marco Krebs from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. The University of Buenos Aires (Prof. Luis Perez van Morlegan) and the University of Santiago de Chile (Prof. Erich Spencer) are currently looking for suitable contacts.
  • Intuition: The EFRE research project Intuition will be internationalised at the end of 2019. This is to carry out the experiments on site in Brazil, Argentina and Chile with students and companies. Therefore, contacts were established with the faculties of Sociology and Psychology. In Brazil, Prof. Roberto Ivo from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro was excited to cooperate on the project and transfer his knowledge to the district of Uelzen.

 

In addition, future joint research projects were discussed.

 

University of Santiago de Chile

Meeting at the University of Santiago de Chile: Prof. Dr. Eduard Kohler (project partner), Stephanie Dazin (International Linkages), Prof. Dr. Markus Launer (Ostfalia) and Prof. Dr. Erich Spencer (International Relations).

 

Implementation of results

The journey was successful especially concerning the establishment of contacts and the planning of common research. All set targets have been reached.

  • The research on e-learning has already started in Brazil, together with Prof. Markus Krebs. First results are available. The next steps will be interviews in Argentina and Chile.
  • The implementation of research for "Digital Trust and Teamwork" has also begun. In 2019, national studies will be carried out together with the partners.
  • The ground work and theory building for the research "Intuition" has already begun. The project starts officially on October 1, 2018.
  • The respective professors will now be invited for November 2018 to the second Service Management Congress in Suderburg/Uelzen.

 

 

Please contact Prof. Dr. Markus A. Launer for more information on this international activity.

 

 

Development and Enhancement of Preventive Resources for Professions with High Stress Experience

Development and Enhancement of Preventive Resources for Professions with High Stress Experience

The project investigates the preventive resources (protective facotors) for social workers and counselors and aims for an enhancement of these resources. In this context, the term "resources" refers to competences, relationships or other tools protecting against stress.

The researchers examine what kind of factors are already taking effect during the first working experiences of students and also later on during their working life. They investigate how these resources can be strengthened effectively, so that the consequences of stress experience on health can be reduced.

Cooperations exist with the Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC), USA. 

 

Please contact Prof. Dr. Andrea Schwanzer for more information on this international activity.

 

 

Tuning environmental competences in Asian fishery education for sustainable development (TUNASIA)

Tuning environmental competences in Asian fishery education for sustainable development (TUNASIA))

The project focuses on the modernization and development of curricula for the qualification students in transdisciplinary education system in the network with companies, research institutions and stakeholders of the region. The project strengthens European cooperation in transdisciplinary education and internationalization, which has been rather limited due to the strong scientific traditions in HE-education systems. This makes it possible to transfer knowledge about the transdisciplinary model to higher education and therefor enable the future generation of scientists and employees in enterprises to draw on synergies from different scientific directions. This seems necessary since environmental problems are rather complex and therefore need even more complex answers. Empirical studies on the needs analysis in the labor market are conducted in the participating PCs and competency catalogs are compiled. On the basis of the catalogs, curricula for the BA level are modernized by the development of modular thematic clusters, the curriculum for the transdisciplinary MA course "Environmental Management of Fishery Enterprises" is developed, modularized distance learning courses for continuing education of employees in the fishery sector are developed and the MA course is adapted for online-teaching. A centre of excellence for transdisciplinary env. education and vocational guidance (with eLabs as an innovative element) will be set up at PU for the highly debt-oriented design of the curriculum, training courses for university staff, professional orientation and networking in the local education landscape. Through measures for dissemination and sustainability, the model character of the transdisciplinaryl education in fisheries is supported and the transfer of the project results is ensured nationwide and internationally. The evaluation of the curricula of internal and external experts contributes to effective quality control.

 

Erasmus Project Visitors from Asia

 

 

Please contact Prof. Dr. Thomas Potempa for more information on this international activity.

 

 

"GrowIn 4.0" promotes digitization in SMEs – in the Peine district, too

"GrowIn 4.0" promotes digitization in SMEs – in the Peine district, too

An interview regarding the project "GrowIn 4.0 - Growing into Industry 4.0"

Structural change and digital transformation create competitive pressure, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. This is because they lack the capacity to deal with digitalization. As part of the "GrowIn 4.0" project, 15 partners from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, England and the Netherlands are developing innovative methodologies, tools, and concepts for these companies, in order to facilitate the developments. In close cooperation with the Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences, wito gmbh is hoping to increase the innovation and competitiveness of local companies. In an interview with editor Melanie Stallmann, wito managing director Günter Eckhardt, and the Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences' Prof. Dr.-Ing. Diederich Wermser, Professor Dr.-Ing. Gert Bikker and Dipl.-Biol. Kai Hillebrecht talk about the enormous opportunities presented to the companies as a result of the collaboration.

 

What exactly does the "GrowIn 4.0" project involve, and what benefit does it entail for companies?

Bikker: We want to provide targeted support to small and medium-sized enterprises on their road towards digitalization. On the one hand, we're investigating the effects of digitalization on existing business concepts in terms of strategy development and business-model development. On the other, the project aims to promote technology transfer between research institutes, universities and business – in all economic sectors.

 

What does this mean exactly?

Wermser: Today, every company – whatever the size – has enterprise software which handles, for example, personnel management, accounting, inventory management, and much more. In addition, there are production tools via which the machines are operated and controlled. However, there is a gap between these two, where many tasks are still done manually in a time-consuming manner. Our goal is to digitize the entire chain from top to bottom. Amazon's power, for example, lies in the fact that from the very top (when you order something) until the very bottom (where the last car is monitored), each step is digitized. There is not a single stage where a human has to write on paper or read anything.

 

But can small enterprises manage to do what the larger ones are putting into practice?

Bikker: Of course. Although of course each company must decide itself on data-transfer matters. We can advise and support them in how to collect and use this data first of all, and then in how to do so in an affordable manner. Because, technically speaking, anything is possible. For this reason, it's all the more important to get some advice. It's very important in the process chain that you gather a lot of information. No-one wants to tell the outside world, though, why they produce products at lightning speed. It can be seen as very practical however, for example, if a supplier can automatically learn from production-chain experiences how much of which materials is needed and when.

 

Following your first encounters, where do you feel is the greatest need for advice in the companies that you have visited so far in the Peine district?

Wermser: The interests and issues around Digitization and Industry 4.0 were as varied as the sectors in which the companies operate. Primarily, it is a question of possibilities in terms of materials and production, and the corresponding staffing requirements.

 

What does the subsequent collaboration between business and the University look like?

Hillebrecht: If asked to do so, we can determine the requirements directly in situ and see how we can fulfil them in the form of projects. In this respect, we work with individually tailored, targeted solutions taken from all areas of the digitization field.

Wermser: One advantage for companies is that we know about the University's technical innovations, and can combine – or even promote – them, depending on the needs and wishes of the companies.

 

What role does wito gmbh play in this collaboration?

Eckhardt: We know the companies, make contact and organise workshops on the topic. Ostfalia's experts then give their opinion on a variety of topics, and make the companies aware of the possibilities offered by the digitization.

 

How open have SMEs been to new ideas to date?

Wermser: For many, the topic is completely uncharted territory, because for a long time digitization took place based on economies of scale, and has not therefore been affordable for SMEs. Recently though, technological developments have come so far that digitization is much more flexible thanks to open standards, and can be achieved with far lower cost and effort. Compared to other European nations, we also enjoy the luxury that digitization projects within smaller companies can be facilitated through various funding programmes. And that's exactly what the companies should be taking advantage of.

Eckhardt: Because anyone shying away from digitization will eventually disappear from the market. It must be said though, that even the smallest of businesses in the Peine district are mostly already equipped with modern technology, and are therefore essentially sympathetic towards digitalization. However, many people feel somewhat inhibited about contacting universities with a view to taking advantage of research contracts or projects. But this is precisely what we want to change.

 

Text: Peiner Wirtschaftsspiegel, 04/2018 (Edition 2/2018) Link: to article from Peiner Wirtschaftsspiegel publication

 

 

Please contact Dennis Haarmeyer for more information on this international activity.

 

 

TraCIM and ValTraC projects

TraCIM and ValTraC projects

A part of computer science has its roots in the field of applied mathematics. The term "computer" of course comes from the verb "to [mathematically] compute". As a calculator, a computer nowadays usually fulfils basic arithmetic operations at a hardware level, and further functions – such as trigonometric functions – are implemented in the standard libraries of programming languages, such as FORTRAN, C or Java. There are also libraries for more complex functions, but not for all such functions. Certain functions and procedures must therefore be programmed explicitly, whereby the verification of the correctness of the calculation process can be very complicated and extensive, once the calculation is beyond a certain level of complexity.

One area of application of such complex procedures comprises coordinate-measuring machines, which are used in industrial production, for example, to check manufacturing tolerances. The sensors take recordings at measuring points, and the length, area or volume of the object to be measured is calculated by software-implemented procedures. The sensors operate using tactile, optical and even x-ray-tomography measures, down to the level of micrometres. One such well-known calculation method is the method of least-squares, based on foundations laid by Carl Friedrich Gauss as far back as 1795, and is thus about 200 years old.

The research project TraCIM (Traceability for Computational-Intensive Metrology) ran from June 2012 to May 2015 in the framework of the European Metrology Research Program (EMRP), with the aim of, for example, validating and certifying the method of least-squares, which is used by software in coordinate-measuring machines. Public-authority certificates are issued by national metrology institutes (NMIs). Within the scope of the TraCIM project, the national metrology institutes of Germany (PTB), the United Kingdom (NPL), the Czech Republic (CMI), Italy (INRIM), Slovenia (UM) and the Netherlands (VSL) worked on this type of certification question.

Other project partners were the University of Huddersfield, University of Applied Sciences Zwickau, the University of York, as well as the Ostfalia. At the Ostfalia, the work was undertaken at the Institute for Software Engineering within the Faculty of Computer Science/IT, under the direction of Prof. Dr. Bernd Müller. The Ostfalia was responsible for the entirety of the software-side solution, while the metrology institutes and the other universities worked on the mathematical issues. TraCIM's partners from the world of industry were Hexagon, Mitutoyo, Werth and Zeiss – the global market leader in the field of coordinate-measuring machines.

 

Tracim The modell of the server application

 

The server application developed by Ostfalia consists of an administration core and "expert extensions", which effect the respective mathematical methods. The architecture is shown in the figure. The application, which has been productively operated at the Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt in Braunschweig, Germany since 2014, currently presents the procedures of Gauss and Chebyshev. In addition, an inter-comparison procedure was prepared using the three appropriate expert extensions. The typical use of the system is as follows: a coordinate-measuring-machine manufacturer, using standard Internet protocols, requests the relevant test data for one of the three procedures. After checking the administrative and economic boundary conditions, it receives the corresponding test data and uses this as input data for its software to be certified. The result of the calculation is sent back to the PTB, where the corresponding expert extension compares the submitted results with those expected. If, in a specific tolerance report, the results are in agreement with each other, the device manufacturer receives a certificate for the tested version of its software.  In the meantime, all four coordinate-measuring-machine manufacturers involved in the project have had several versions of their software certified in this way. The number of other certifications is in the high double digits.

In the follow-up project, ValTraC (Validation of Software Development and Analysis Tools using TraCIM, also funded by EMPR), the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the Ostfalia and National Instruments (as a partner from the industrial sector) worked on validating and certifying further mathematical procedures, independent of issues around coordinate-measuring machines. The project ran from July 2016 to December 2017 and allows the NPL to offer commercial certification involving 6 calculation methods to date, which can be used for example by National Instruments for LabVIEW.

 

 

Please contact Prof. Dr. Bernd Müller for more information on this international activity.

 

 

REMEDI - Bioremediation of organic pollutant contamination in industrial waste water

REMEDI - Bioremediation of organic pollutant contamination in industrial waste water

A Project within the EU Framework Program for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020 with partners from North and South America

The project is placed within the EU Framework Program for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020 with partners from North and South America. Main objective  is the development of a bioremediation process (filter module) for the removal of the dye rhodamine B used in the agate processing industry of southern Brazil with microalgae species as adsorbent, involving researchers from Ostfalia (Dr. Sander), University of Wisconsin at Parkside (Prof. Skalbeck) and Universidad Federal de Santa María (Prof. Carissimi). Preliminary results found, that the filter materials designed to support the process are effective in treating heavy metal contaminated waters. Bioremediation processes developed should preventively protect the public from the health risks posed by the dyes used in the agate processing industry and, in further steps, organic pollutants and improve water quality.

The environmentally friendly and cost-effective process approach for wastewater treatment should have the potential to cost-effectively enable residue-free decontamination of other organic pollutants in wastewater also within the EU (waste water treatment, 4th stage of purification). Thus, continued work with an extended circle pf partners from TAMK, Tampere, Finland and others within Horizon 2020 is planned.

 

SM BR 2 Cultivation of endemic algal species for test on bioremediation efficiency

 

 


REMEDI Meeting

A first meeting on the 10th Decembre connected the international projectpartners of the Researchproject "Bioremediation of contaminated waters with organic pollutants REMEDI)". 15 investigators from Germany, Finnland, Poland, Brazil and the USA met to dicuss the collaboration as well as fitting foundations to finance the project.

Following points among others have been part of the meeting:

  • Presentations oft the latest status of measures to fight contamination throu Rhodamine B in Brazil and studies about filter materials and their absorbtion powers and reusability
  • Discussion in the plenum about measures and investigations. Suggestions from the participants on possible future actions. Work packages and possible synergies have been talked about. Experiences from different areas have been exchanged and have been used in the planing of the project.
  • Formal and organisational aspects of the project and possible supports and national as well as international collaborations have been talked about. Different options have been compared.

  Remedi meeting

 

 

Please contact Dr. agr. Hedda Sander for more information on this international activity.

 

 

International conference addresses the issue of digitization in medium-sized businesses

International conference addresses the issue of digitization in medium-sized businesses

Cooperation sealed by partners with contract signing

In Braunschweig, on Wednesday and Thursday of this week, 15 project partners from Germany, Denmark, Great Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands discussed the shift to digital in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Allianz für die Region GmbH and the Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences also attended. In an international cooperation project, "GrowIn 4.0", they are working on supporting SMEs on their way to digitization, with demand-led offerings. Recently, Allianz für die Region GmbH, Ostfalia University and the Braunschweig Ministry for Regional Development signed a corresponding cooperation agreement. It contractually stipulates the final details of the project cooperation and fulfils all the preconditions for benefiting from the international exchange of knowledge and for being able to develop targeted solutions for SMEs.

Digitization and Industry 4.0 hold great opportunities for the region. However, it is small and medium-sized enterprises in particular which often have a limited capacity to deal with the complexity of the opportunities presented by digitization. "Here we have a project where we analyse individual needs and requirements together with selected companies, in order to develop offerings for the region, along with the participating European partners," said Oliver Syring, managing director of Allianz für die Region. The trans-national exchange makes it possible to learn best practices from the partner regions and to adapt them for the region. It also makes it possible to provide impetus in the other direction.

The local partner is the Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences. For many years now, it has been researching technologies which are relevant to Industry 4.0 and has formed an interdisciplinary research area. "Against this backdrop, we were pleased to be able to take on the management of the sub-project "Optimised use of technologies and development of new products". The project accelerates the transfer of practical knowledge to the producing medium-sized enterprises in the region," said Prof. Dr. Gert Bikker, Ostfalia's Vice President for Research, Development and Technology Transfer.

Matthias Wunderling-Weilbier, Braunschweig Commissioner for Regional Development welcomed the collaboration by Allianz für die Region and the Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences within the scope of the project "GrowIn 4.0": "Work must follow on from knowledge, and progress and innovation must be carried out for the benefit of the people. We're looking beyond our own backyard: we're taking part in the developments of other economically innovative regions in Europe and strengthening the competitiveness and economic growth in our region."

 

International exchange in Braunschweig

At this two-day conference, the participants were first of all told about the political relevance, opportunities and risks of digitization, as well as the funding opportunities around it. The participants were also able to see in situ, during a visit to Simtec Systems GmbH, how companies are making the shift to digital. "Especially with regard to our rapidly growing company, which is both hoping to welcome in many new employees, and to make the production process more efficient and high-quality, the innovative ideas of progressive digitization is a crucial step into the future," is how Philipp Hellwig, head of administration at Simtec Systems, described the situation at the company.

On the second day the partners exchanged views on the progress of the project and how it would proceed further. The emphasis was on a benchmark analysis, something on which the partners are not currently working. The focus was on the collection and evaluation of best-practice projects on the themes of business models, technology and skills. "GrowIn 4.0" started on 1 August 2017 and is due to run for three years. Since mid-2017, more than a dozen partners – from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, England and the Netherlands – have been working together. The project is embedded in European regional policy via the Interreg North Sea programme and is funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The European Union's intention with the Interreg programmes is to extend trans-national cooperation, and to improve the efficiency of regional policies by means of a cooperative approach to regional development. Support goes to projects working on solving common challenges (including those "across borders") in transnational partnerships. The areas of innovation, the environment and mobility comprise the main themes. The Braunschweig Office for Regional Development looks after regional partner acquisition and partner support on a local level.

 

Text: Allianz für die Region

 

 

Please contact Dennis Haarmeyer for more information on this international activity.

 

 

International sustainability conference in Kerala

International sustainability conference in Kerala

Ostfalia is one of the founding universities of the International Association for Sustainable Globalization

Presentation of the conference proceedings of the International Association for Sustainable Globalization (organising committee with guest from left to right: Dr. Hedda Sander, Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences, Germany, Prof. Dr. Thomas Sabu, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India, Prof. Dr. Abey Kuruvilla, University of Wisconsin at Parkside, Dr. Deborah Ford, Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin at Parkside, Prof. Dr. Robinet Jacob, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India.

The first organisation of an International Conference for Sustainable Globalization (ICSG), held from 11th to 13th January 2018 in Kochi, Kerala, India, was held by four universities in a partnership cooperation far beyond European bounds: Dr. Hedda Sander, Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences, Germany, Review Committee Chair, Prof. Dr. Abey Kuruvilla, University of Wisconsin at Parkside, Program Chair, Prof. Dr. Robinet Jacob, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India, Organizing Chair, and Prof. Dr. Mario Konecki, University of Zagreb, Croatia, formed the organising committee and determined the direction taken by this conference.

The conference and connected workshops offered four topics related to sustainable globalisation: education, IT, tourism and sustainable development were discussed by audiences of international experts.

The approach was new in that as well as scientific experts, participants from the fields of business and administration were invited, so as to facilitate the direct transfer of possible solutions into reality, such that subsequent projects arising from the workshops could involve these fields and have an effect beyond the scientific and technical level.

The range of delegates from various regions, such as Russia, Greece, USA, India, Brazil, Germany and elsewhere, were impressed with the approach to such an extent that the conference led to the establishment of an International Association for Sustainable Globalization in order to continue these activities. The Association's first ever board was formed by the aforementioned members of the founding universities, Dr. Sander, Ostfalia University, Prof. Dr. Kuruvilla, University of Wisconsin at Parkside, Prof. Dr. Jacob, Mahatma Gandhi University, and Prof. Dr. Konecki, University of Zagreb. The Association will make it their business to ensure the practical and technical implementation of sustainability approaches in society, with the help of scientific support, the development of administrative framework conditions for projects, and financial realisation.

 

 

Please contact Dr. agr. Hedda Sander for more information on this international activity.

 

 

 

2017


Tourism electromobility in Mallorca

Tourism electromobility in Mallorca

As part of a research project, the current state of electromobility in the tourism sector is to be examined on the Spanish holiday island of Mallorca and future perspectives explored. Electromobility in Mallorca is expected to undergo a dynamic evolution. Due to the excessive number of hours of sunshine, the island has considerable potential with respect to regenerative, climate-friendly energy generation. Therefore, there is a chance to increase the sustainability of electromobility in Mallorca. However, the tourism demand will place high requirements on electromobility in terms of price, infrastructure and range. The price of electric vehicles, the availability of a charging infrastructure and the range of the vehicles are widely considered to be the main obstacles to purchasing an electric vehicle.

The research project examines the special framework conditions in Mallorca, taking into consideration the peculiarities and requirements of tourism. This includes examining in greater detail the car hire business, an important player in tourism mobility. The use of hire cars for tourism on the relatively large island, under the special climatic conditions, will mean increased requirements for the range of electric vehicles. The car hire business will expect electric vehicles to be profitable. At the same time, tourists as users of the vehicles will expect a sufficient, functioning and easy-to-use charging infrastructure as well as comfortable, simple and reasonably priced vehicles. During the project, profitability, climate advantages and the use of electric vehicles for tourism will be investigated in theory and practice.

 

Key findings of the project

The number of electric vehicles from car hire companies is between approx. 60,000 and 100,000 vehicles during the peak season. Since active marketing rarely takes place, few tourists are aware of the offer, even though interest in electromobility is very high among tourists.

Electric vehicles such as the BMW i3 and the Renault Zoe, with a range of 200 km, are now being used in Mallorca. The charging infrastructure is also well distributed on the island, enabling longer trip routes.

 

DC quick charge station of local energy provider Endesa DC quick charge station of local energy provider Endesa

 

A public charging infrastructure as well as private charging options are vitally important for the use of electric vehicles, so that cars can be charged overnight. So far only one provider, a German company called "Auf nach Mallorca", has its own charging stations. On the company’s website, the option "e-auto charging station" can be selected. Hotels in Mallorca do not currently offer charging stations and are not interested in this topic. The use of such vehicles is not economical enough for the hire companies because the purchase prices are too high and the residual values are low due to the rapidly advancing technology (higher energy density, more range, lower battery prices). An oversupply of vehicles also makes profitability more difficult.

Electric vehicles are expected to emit less CO 2 than vehicles with a combustion engine. The way that electricity is generated has a major impact on this. Electricity generation in Mallorca is based on fossil fuels. If you consider the electricity consumed, the electricity supplied by an undersea cable from the Spanish mainland, which contains up to 40% renewable energy, must be included. As a result, the electricity in Mallorca is "greener", and the emissions factor in CO 2/kWh improves significantly.

 

Conclusion

Currently, the supply of e-cars in Mallorca is still low, but the level of interest from tourists is high. The supply is expected to increase in the coming years. In addition, car manufacturers will be introducing numerous electric vehicles on the market in the next three years. This will increase the manufacturers’ interest in marketing the vehicles, especially through car hire companies. In this respect, the residual value problem will be solved automatically, and car hire companies will increasingly use electric vehicles under profitable conditions.

For tourists who are familiar with handling electric vehicles, pure electric driving is already possible on the island without any considerable problems and is a great pleasure. If the recommended actions for the stakeholders of electric mobility are observed and implemented, use should also be problem-free and comfortable for those tourists who are driving an electric vehicle for the first time.

The expansion of the regenerative energy supply is a long-term challenge. However, there is no way around it now because Mallorca wants to become more sustainable and in particular make tourism more sustainable.

An online survey is currently being conducted about the use of electric hire cars. The objective of it is to examine customer satisfaction of the whole system of electromobility for the stakeholders. It is not just satisfaction but enthusiasm that makes a success story.

 

 

Please contact Prof. Dr. Thomas M. Cerbe for more information on this international activity.

 

 

Ostfalia visits Tampere University of Applied Sciences in Finland

Ostfalia visits Tampere University of Applied Sciences in Finland

Tampere University of Applied Sciences
  Tampere University of Applied Sciences
 

Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences is very active at the European level. This applies not only to the student exchange programmes but also to research activities with partner universities in Europe. The EU Strategy FH project, led by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF), promotes the strategic positioning with regard to European research topics at Ostfalia.

A European workshop on innovation and entrepreneurship at Ostfalia formed the start of the second project phase. Four European universities participated in order to develop joint transfer and cooperation projects. Amongst those visiting in Wolfenbüttel was Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK), which already has close ties with Ostfalia in the area of teaching.

Building on this workshop, Prof. Dr. Gert Bikker, Vice President of Research, Development and Technology Transfer at Ostfalia, and the EU Strategy FH project team visited Tampere University of Applied Sciences from 28 to 31 August, 2017.

The objective of this delegation trip to Finland was to build cross-border networks, intensify cooperation by expanding student and researcher exchange programmes and develop joint project ideas in the field of innovation management. In this framework, successful talks about joint activities in the area of promoting research and innovation were held between Dr. Marja Sutela, Vice President of TAMK, and Prof. Gert Bikker. Bikker explained: "We are very excited to further intensify our partnership with TAMK. Not only do our students benefit from this partnership, but also our researchers. Joint research proposals are currently being developed in order to bundle knowledge at the European level and to tackle social challenges together in the future. We see a great need, particularly in the area of innovation and digitisation, and look forward to joint research projects with our Finnish partner university."

 

 

Please contact Kai Hillebrecht for more information on this international activity.

 

 

Ostfalia University continues to expand its research at the European level

Ostfalia University continues to expand its research at the European level

Through its EU Strategy FH project, the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) aims to strategically position and increase the visibility of universities of applied sciences, with regard to European research topics.

Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences is one of ten German universities to receive funding of €150,000 in the first project phase (from 2015 to 2017). The project was extended by an additional two years, until 2019, for all ten universities. In this context, Ostfalia received an additional €150,000 in funding. Ostfalia University aims to strengthen the appeal of research by increasing its presence and visibility in the European research area, and to offer attractive conditions to researchers in their individual fields of research in order to increase research activities in the European research area. To accomplish this, the European research area should be developed, partnerships at the European level strengthened and identified potential exploited.

The kick-off event for the second project phase – the 29th annual conference of the European Liaison Office of German Research Organisations (KoWi) for promoting/funding research and innovation in the EU – provides representatives of the funded universities a forum in which to exchange information, opinions and experiences on the EU research and innovation programme "Horizon 2020".

A European workshop on innovation and entrepreneurship at Ostfalia University formed the start of the second project phase. Representatives from five different countries (Germany, Finland, Great Britain, Portugal and Slovenia) participated in the workshop, the objective of which was to develop the potential of common European networks as well as transfer and cooperation projects. In addition to coordination meetings on concrete project approaches, the programme also included the announcement of the "Startup Ecosystem" in Braunschweig and a two-day trip to Berlin to visit partner universities, co-working spaces and the project sponser ptj (EXIST, research at universities of applied sciences etc.) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF). A delegation visit to Finland for further project development is still planned for this year. Further delegation visits to Slovenia, the UK and Portugal will follow in the next few years.

 

 

Please contact Kai Hillebrecht for more information on this international activity.

 

 

What possibilities are offered by digitisation and Industry 4.0 for small and medium-sized enterprises?

What possibilities are offered by digitisation and Industry 4.0 for small and medium-sized enterprises?

Ostfalia and Allianz für die Region GmbH are partners in the European project "GrowIn 4.0"

Industry 4.0 is the theme of the GrowIn 4.0 project, which was launched at a kick-off event in Aarhus, Denmark. More than 30 representatives from 15 project partners in Germany, Denmark, Great Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands met on 9th and 10th October 2017 in the European Capital of Culture, Aarhus, to work on the specific content and activities within the scope of the project.

The total volume of the project amounts to €3.8mil and will run until February 2021. The Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences and Allianz für die Region GmbH are responsible for more than €600,000 of the project volume.

The aim of the project is to support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the selection and implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies, and the exchange of international knowledge and strategies in the implementation of digitisation and Industry 4.0 technologies and systems in SMEs.

Prof Dr Diederich Wermser teaches and researches at Ostfalia's Faculty of Electrical Engineering. He'll be leading – in cooperation with his team and Ostfalia's department for knowledge and technology transfer – the work package entitled "Optimised use of technologies and development of new products". Up to 60 companies from the partner regions are expected to participate in the work-package activities. Allianz für die Region GmbH is taking on cross-sectional tasks in the work packages "New business models and strategy development" and "Skills and attracting specialists". The company is supporting the project as an interface for regional companies in the field of public relations, and of the implementation and realisation of innovative instruments for the introduction and use of Industry 4.0

Companies in the region have the opportunity of participating actively in all project work packages.

The next international partner conference will take place under the auspices of Allianz für die Region GmbH in Braunschweig, Germany on 14th and 15th March 2018. Amongst other things, the plan is to sponsor the transnational exchange between companies, universities and industry partners from the North Sea region, within the framework of concrete company visits.

 

GrowIn4.0-Team The project partners in Aarhus

 

2016


Suderburg supports Nepal

Suderburg supports Nepal

€ 5,088.33 collected

2016_Nepal Nepal

 

The major earthquake in Nepal in April/May 2015 is already forgotten in Germany. But the people of Nepal will be busy rebuilding their country for some time to come. The earthquake and following aftershocks resulted in the deaths of around 8,000 people in Nepal. The Suderburg Campus of Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences is closely connected to Nepal as more than 25 Nepalese students have completed their Master’s degree there over the years. Suderburg graduate Kamal Khadka reported from his former home region of Sindhulpalchok, one of the hardest hit of the 14 regions affected in Nepal. 277,000 people live there in 66,600 homes – this is the equivalent of roughly three times the population of the District of Uelzen. 96% of the homes there were completely destroyed and 3,788 people were killed, 1.4% of the population. Practically everyone in Sindhulpalchok is now homeless. At the initiative of some Suderburg graduates, the "Suderburg supports Nepal" campaign was started immediately following the earthquake. Both faculties of the Suderburg campus (the faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the faculty of Trade and Social Work) and the people of Suderburg got involved in the campaign in a variety of ways. Appeals for donations were made at the annual meeting of the Karl-Hillmer-Gesellschaft, the Hydraulic Engineering Conference of Erica engineers and the Rieselwiese Festival. Local businesses in Suderburg also contributed with donations of money and supplies. For the Rieselwiese Festival, which was organized by the Suderburg community and the Erica Fraternity, students and university employees baked and sold cakes to raise money for Nepal. All proceeds were donated to the "Suderburg supports Nepal" campaign. At family parties, donations were collected instead of gifts. In total, the fundraisers were able to collect € 5,088.33, and thus the goal of financing a complete drinking water treatment system for Nepal was achieved.

 

Guneshwar Mahato
Guneshwar Mahato (light blue T-shirt) provides water to people in the village of Sanosirubari and to children from the Sidhi Ganesh Higher Secondary School in Sindhupalchowk District, Nepal. The fresh water was supplied by Trunz Water’s Survivor 300 water treatment system. The machine was paid for by donations from Suderburg.

 

The water treatment system delivers 180 litres of water per hour and runs on solar power, so it doesn’t require any additional infrastructure. It was purchased shortly thereafter. Suderburg graduate Guneshwar Mahato picked the system up in Switzerland and brought it to Nepal in early November 2015. In doing so, additional costs and time delays could be avoided. However, it still took some time before the system could be used because there wasn’t enough gasoline to transport it further into the country due to disputes between Nepal and India.

The system eventually arrived in the village of Sanosirubari, where it supplies the residents there as well as the children who attend Sidhi Ganesh Higher Secondary School. The Sindhupalchowk District is one of the regions in Nepal that was most severely affected by the earthquakes on 25 April and 12 May 2015. 300 homes were completely destroyed here and water supply and disposal systems were heavily damaged. Many families continue to live in tents and temporary shelters.

After installation of the Survivor 300 water treatment system that was provided by Suderburg, 125 residents in 25 homes and 450 school children had access to clean drinking water. Each family receives 40 litres per day, and each school child 2.5 litres. Ultrafiltration ensures that the water has a high standard of hygiene. Guneshwar Mahato set up the system and showed the residents how to use it, so that the system is guaranteed to work faultlessly for the long term.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus Röttcher, who supported the students and coordinated the campaign, is very satisfied with the result: "At the beginning of the campaign, I did not think it would be possible to pay for a complete system. But then a lot of people worked together and that is how it eventually worked out. The cooperation of the university and the Suderburg residents, as well as the numerous alumni who feel as strongly as ever connected to the university in Suderburg, was particularly successful. Thank you to all who contributed to this a great experience."

 

 

Please contact Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus Röttcher for more information on this international activity.

 

 

20 Iranian water experts visit Ostfalia University in Suderburg

20 Iranian water experts visit Ostfalia University in Suderburg

From the 21st to 31st of August, 20 water experts from Iran will be taking part in an expert visit in the District of Uelzen which has been organised by the Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences, Suderburg Campus. This visit is the result of a long-time cooperation between Sari University (Northern Iran) and Ostfalia, a cooperation that has included three summer academies in Suderburg and two excursions to Iran in the last 5 years. What all of these events have in common is the professional and cultural exchange between Iran and Germany. The Iranian participants of the expert visit include the president of Sari University as well as water management experts who are responsible for managing Iran’s very limited supply of water at the provincial level and supplying a sufficient amount of irrigation water. This is why the irrigation region around Uelzen was also selected as an excursion destination in Germany. In addition to visiting the irrigation region, the excursion will also include visits to dams in the Harz, Hitzacker’s flood protection, the Elbe Side Canal and the VW factory.

On Friday, the 26 th of August, a few companies are staging a small trade fair together with the university, in order to present various products from the water sector. The vice president of Ostfalia, Prof. Dr. Gert Bikker, will greet the participants in the university in Suderburg. The participants will enjoy an evening together with a barbecue dinner in the Erica Haus. Here, the mayor of Suderburg, Hans-Hermann Hoff, will welcome the guests.

Prof. Dr. Klaus Röttcher, who has organised the various German-Iranian meetings, hopes that the expert visit with participants from the fields of science, economics and administration will lead to an expansion in cooperation and new mutual areas of research.

 

Visitors from Iran Visitors from Iran (photo: Klaus Röttcher)

 

 

Please contact Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus Röttcher for more information on this international activity.

 

 

 

Please contact Kai Hillebrecht if you are interested in cooperating with the Ostfalia in the field of international research projects.

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