Research and Transfer
Ostfalia as a university of applied sciences is, in principle, strongly application oriented in its teaching and research, and is roted in the region. The exchange of knowledge, technology ideas with the surrounding region and with society provides decisive impetus for the regional innovation system and for all parties involved.
With its transfer strategy, Ostfalia has set goals for the transfer of ideas, knowledge and technology.
Ostfalia, as a university of applied sciences, is, in principle, strongly application-oriented both in its teaching and in its research, and is rooted in the region. Based on this self-recognition, the research activities of the University are closely connected with those of its non-academic partners. The University understands the transfer process to be a multi-directional operation, in which the relevant players are involved.
The research results – in the form of new knowledge, products, technology and inventions – must be disseminated and exploited in order to increase the benefits for the economy and to further develop the German economy.
Our university is a reliable partner for companies, institutions and authorities. Through networking in the scientific and industrial spheres, we open up a multitude of options to members of our University. In addition to our strong regional roots, we also operate at national and international levels.
Teaching and research at Ostfalia are based on social, economic, legal and technical challenges, and set new standards in terms of quality and topicality. We carry out research that has no predetermined results, and is independent, free and responsible. Our conduct is based on the ethical standards of the relevant professions.
For students and staff, we provide an optimal infrastructure for teaching and research in the context of the opportunities available, and promote entrepreneurial thinking.
Ostfalia is an important source of knowledge, especially for regional players, thanks to multifaceted cooperation with the private sector in the areas of teaching and research. Ostfalia is aware of its importance and responsibility for the regional innovation system.
In accordance with the position of universities of applied sciences within the University Rectors' Conference (HRK), we assume our role as an essential player in the regional development process. In addition to teaching and research activities, the transfer of knowledge, technology and ideas from the university to the region and society provides a decisive impetus for their (further) development. These three tasks assumed by the university are closely interrelated and ensure the application orientation and attractiveness of Ostfalia in terms of academic studies and research. We derive the strategic goals of our transfer activities with a view to the societal challenges that we, as a university, will encounter in the future, also taking into account our self-image as a driver of regional development. We refer in this respect to the objectives agreed with the Ministry for Science and Culture of Lower Saxony for 2014 to 2018, the objectives agreed between the university administration and the faculties for Strategy Concept 2020, with the objectives for research and development, and the university IP strategy, which stipulates its responsible and conscious approach to dealing with intellectual property rights generated at the university.
The promotion of the transfer of knowledge and technology (§ 3(1), No. 4) and practice-oriented research and development (§ 3(4)) form some of the tasks of the universities, according to the Lower Saxony Higher Education Act. Ostfalia's Knowledge and Technology Transfer organisational unit sees itself as a service provider for researchers and for regional and national industry and institutions. It paves the way for those outside the university to access it, and initiates personal and networking contacts. It supports research-related processes at a national and international level and thus aids the input of knowledge into the university and thus into the region.
Ostfalia has set itself the goal of anchoring itself more firmly in the region and thus making itself more visible as a significant pool of knowledge and a driver of innovation. This means that contacts and links with regional players such as industry, associations, universities, research institutions and social groups should be increased and intensified, with the result that the perception of the university grows within the region. Through cooperation with other universities in the region, synergy effects can be achieved.
Ostfalia intends to refine and expand its profile, and to adapt it to future social and regional needs. Its profile formation includes the areas of teaching, research and transfer, including entrepreneurship. As Ostfalia is very application-oriented in its research, the research activities are closely linked with transferring the results into practice.
Ostfalia is pursuing the goal of expanding its international research activities, and thus its research collaborations, and of increasing the perception of the university at an international level. In addition to exchange with the international scientific community, the pre-requisites of bringing knowledge into the region, and thus having a positive effect on the regional innovation system, are thereby established.
Ostfalia's 12 faculties, with their technical, arts and social sciences orientations, offer a wide range of expert knowledge and application-oriented research results, transferred via the following channels:
Of particular note are Ostfalia's activities in the field of entrepreneurship. In cooperation with TU Braunschweig, Ostfalia received funding through to the last round of the nationwide EXIST fund in 2011, and received an award as one of 10 excellent universities nationwide, as designated by the EXIST competition. Ostfalis's Entrepreneurship Center continues to attract funding (e.g. ERDF) and has launched the University's own holding company.
Since the transfer of knowledge and technology is fundamentally dependent on research activities, the focal points of the transfer activities at the University are in those areas with strong research characteristics. These are the research areas
However, transfer activities also occur in the following research areas
Using human resources, the executive committee is promoting the establishment and the activities of multidisciplinary centres at the university, the Centre for Energy and Mobility (CEMO), Ostfalia Learning and Innovation Factory (OLIF), the Centre for Additive Manufacturing (ZaF), the Centre for Social Innovation (ZEGI), the Center for Hydrosystems and Health (CHH) and the Centre for Scientific, Interdisciplinary Risk Management and Sustainability (ZWIRN). The creation of these centres lays the foundations for research questions and approaches that go beyond individual disciplines, and paves the way for transdisciplinary research approaches.
Ostfalia is developing activities and measures with which it will increase regional networking, improve the perception of its application-oriented research, and strengthen its profile.
The basis of successful transfer activities is professional and target-group-oriented science communication and corresponding research marketing. Ostfalia is expanding its activities in these areas, and is developing a concept for science communication, in order to reach the various target groups with appropriate measures. In this way, we are strengthening the University's image, taking the results of our research into the public domain in a stronger fashion, and making potential research partners increasingly aware of us. Ostfalia is striving to be viewed as more active in terms of research and as more application-oriented, and to increase its attractiveness to research partners.
Society is challenging universities to get players in civil society more involved in the research process, and thus expand the transfer paths. At Ostfalia, professors from various faculties have established the Center for Social Innovation (ZeGI), where work on transdisciplinary topics is also performed. First steps have hereby been taken to create the conditions necessary for groups in (civil) society to become involved in innovation, research and knowledge transfer. Ostfalia is thus intending to open up new and innovative transfer paths, and to build up a strong transfer profile.
In order to pursue transdisciplinary approaches, the researchers at Ostfalia are supported through appropriate measures, with regard to particular methodology and processes. Ostfalia is creating a solid and systematic knowledge base in the transfer of knowledge and technology as the basis for future strategic alignment.
Due to its identity as an integral part of the regional innovation system, Ostfalia, as a university of applied sciences, sees itself as responsible for contributing to the further development of the region via new methods of transfer. Supporting a sustainable start-up culture and promoting business start-ups is, and remains, an important strategic goal for Ostfalia. The University will continue to develop its activities in this area, with social developments and relevance in mind.
Ostfalia's aim of involving players in (civil) society more in research, innovation and transfer processes opens up new prospects for the creation of enterprises. Ostfalia's transfer of knowledge and technology will support and aid the structuring of new utilisation possibilities.
Consulting and support structures are being created in order to promote international networking for the University in the field of research. This will focus on measures for building and maintaining networks, providing information, individualised advice and coaching, public relations and the provision of resources.
The more established research fields at Ostfalia are being further developed, expanded and supplemented as required. Research priorities are to be promoted in order to refine the University's profile. The University is also intensifying its research and transfer activities in the arts and the social sciences, and is supporting interdisciplinary research.
Collaborations with industry, other universities, research institutes and other institutions are to be expanded, and the regional anchoring of our research and development improved. The application-oriented research activities are to be reinforced.
Significant research areas, including those of social relevance, are being supported and further developed through internal university funding measures. Criteria related to the transfer of knowledge/technology are taken into account in this respect.
The processes defined in the intellectual property strategy aim to increase Ostfalia's attractiveness and reliability in the eyes of research partners. Since 2009, Ostfalia has been collaborating with the economic development agency of the district of Wolfenbüttel in the area of technology transfer and innovation consultancy. This cooperation is to be continued. It allows direct contact with companies in the region and offers the opportunity to understand the demands made on the companies. It also promotes contact with the University.
Ostfalia's "Innovation Consultancy" project, which is being run together with the district of Wolfenbüttel,further expands and intensifies contact with companies in the region.
Please contact the team of the Knowledge and Technology Transfer for more information.
