MediaTech Hub Accelerator’s Post

What a day! Another November 9th commemorating the fall of the Berlin Wall as well as the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany. The #FallingWalls #ScienceSummit24 has left me stunned with new insights, ideas and also meeting with dear colleagues as Julia Wandt Nicola Kuhrt Cordula Kleidt Lilo Berg, just to mention a few ones. This extraordinary meeting also gave the chance to reflect what happened this week. The US citizens elected a president who is a threat to democracy, and the German government crashed. It now seems even more urgent to protect our democracies against radical and authoritarian nationalism. Education and research are essential because they empower people and can contribute to more equality. Most impressive: The interim German Minister for Research and Education Cem Özdemir made his first public appearance! He mentioned education as the foundation of our democracy (including down to earth things as free school meals) as well as the need for more innovation through supporting entrepreneurship. Most exciting: Better access to drinking water: Guihua Yu from The University of Texas at Austin presented technology to harvest water from the atmosphere using solar power. It could also lead to a self watering soil for sustainable agriculture. Most insightful: A discussion about academic freedom. It is crucial that we allow a free flow of information and a dialogue with society, if we want to prevent a pushback against science. Thank you to the organizers, especially to Jürgen Mlynek and Sebastian Turner! #science #education #innovation #PublicEngagement

The Alumnae/i meeting of my second alma mater (after Freiburg), University of St.Gallen ("HSG"), on Thursday evening on "Best Practices in German and International Supervisory Boards" was fantastic. Hengeler Mueller provided the venue. Our hosts Daniela Favoccia and Lucina Berger gave a wonderful presentation. Dorothea Wenzel provided us with a good practical insight into multi-board directorship, while Georg Guttmann took a systematic/academic look at the subject. My highlighted topics were: Dorothea Wenzel: Why choose to take on a mandate? How do 1-tier and 2-tier structures differ in practice? Daniela Favoccia and Lucina Berger: Practice of the Codex Commission of the German Corporate Governance Code and the "independence" of supervisory boards. Georg Guttmann: Research perspective on administrative and supervisory board issues on a national comparison; among other things, I found the different compensation approaches and the perennial topic of "company interest" intriguing. The alumnae/i community is pleasantly diverse and – despite some prejudice to the contrary – is not just made up of "shareholder value apologists". https://www.unisg.ch/en/

🔀 What is my personal path in #PublicEngagement? This question will guide the new cohort of researchers in our Training Portfolio, which started last week. For the coming nine months, we have the pleasure to work with 9️⃣ 0️⃣ researchers from 1️⃣ 3️⃣ partner institutions and projects across Germany, diving into strategies and skills for connecting research and society. For us, Public Engagement is a fundamental aspect of an #AcademicCareer that can have a lasting impact on research outcomes, societal impact, and personal growth. The Portfolio builds competencies in three key areas: ✨ strategically framing engagement through a people, purpose and process model ✨developing skills around dialogue, communication and evaluation that lead to meaningful formats ✨empowering researchers to find joy and fulfilment in connecting with different people and perspectives. Each journey is unique, which is reflected in our flexible and modular approach. But sustainable engagement needs more than personal passion and effort: it also requires structural capacities that make it possible and attractive to work in participatory way. We therefore offer our Training Portfolio in collaboration with partner institutions, who are working to embed Public Engagement into their research structures. Partners receive a number of training places for their researchers, and in turn commit to supporting them on their engagement journey. With further opportunities for exchange and strategic support, this helps to grow a German Engagement community actively working towards a transformation in research culture. We are pleased to have developed a great and diverse network here in Berlin: the Excellence Clusters #NeuroCure and UniSysCat - Cluster of Excellence, the Berlin University Alliance network via the Knowledge Exchange Office and TDLab, Hermann von Helmholtz-Zentrum für Kulturtechnik an der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, IQB | Institut zur Qualitätsentwicklung im Bildungswesen, Berlin Institute of Health in der Charité, Zukunft findet Stadt. Hochschulnetzwerk für ein resilientes Berlin, Einstein Foundation Berlin Centre for Early Disease Interception (Preparation Module Phase) and of course our home institution Museum für Naturkunde Berlin. This ecosystem of engagement, transfer, knowledge exchange and participation establishes Berlin as a hub for innovation in open research, and offers all partners the chance to learn and grow together. But of course great things are happening elsewhere too, and we are excited to have the Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, DIPF | Leibniz-Institut für Bildungsforschung und Bildungsinformation, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf and the One Health Research in Greifswald on board too. ➡️ Could your institutions, project or cluster become a partner next year? Get in touch with us to learn more.

If you want to know more about the local group in Graz of "motherhood and science" write us an email ([email protected])!

🤝 Please join us for our upcoming Symposium, “Germany as a Research Powerhouse” ! 🤝 📅 October 30, 2024 🕑 Networking Lunch Reception 12:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m. 🕑 Symposium 2:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. 📍Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany 💻Registration (❕ no later than Oct. 24 ❕) and detailed agenda→https://lnkd.in/eSJUj3QU The afternoon symposium, “Germany as a Research Powerhouse: An Introduction to the German Funding Landscape”, will provide an eye-opening overview of the complex and vibrant system of #researchfunding in Germany. ❓ Did you know... 💡 Germany is a powerhouse in science and the humanities and a leader in research. 💡Worldwide, Germany is one of the only countries that spends more than 3% of their GDP on research and development. 💡The total amount spent in Germany on R&D was 121.4 billion EUR in 2022, putting it at fourth place worldwide. 💡The diversity of the German research and innovation system is the foundation of its success: R&D is carried out at a large number of universities, public research institutions and private companies across the country. 💡Among them are many internationally leading non-university research centers, such as the BMBF, DAAD German Academic Exchange Service, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft / Helmholtz Association, Max Planck Society, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, and Leibniz Association. 🤝With special thanks for the support of the Embassy of Germany in Washington, D.C.

Today, we are celebrating 75 years of innovation. Happy Birthday, Fraunhofer! 🎂 🎈   💡 Founded in 1949 with the mission to drive research and revitalize the economy after World War II, Fraunhofer has grown to be the world's leading applied research organization. Today, with over 30,000 employees operating in 76 research institutes, Fraunhofer is at the forefront of cutting-edge research and development, shaping the future with key technologies.   🌍 In an increasingly interconnected world with challenges facing us globally, Europe's innovation capacities are crucial. That's why Fraunhofer is not only looking at Germany, but closely cooperates with European and international partners in research and industry as stated in our mission.   🤝 In 2000, our EU office was founded, focusing on the European innovation system and strengthening the European research landscape. Since then, the EU office has enabled European cooperation, is participating in joint initiatives with European partners, and is highlighting the impact of excellent Fraunhofer research at EU level. Here's to celebrating our own 25th anniversary next year! 🥂 #Fraunhofer75 #WeKnowHow #Research #Innovation #EU #FraunhoferEU

Our 20 theses on the Digital Zeitenwende in Germany (Dresden Demands 2.0) by the Fachgruppe Verwaltungsinformatik (FG VI) of the German Informatics Society (Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V.) Text: https://lnkd.in/ebbR-srD Presentation: https://lnkd.in/eSs_xtW6 Bonn 21.10.2024. The Digital Zeitenwende is crucial for Germany's future. However, digitalization as a solution approach has not yet been able to fully exploit its potential for modernizing the state. It is therefore time to set new impulses and to understand digitalization as a central answer to the current challenges of our time. The “Dresden Demands 2.0” formulate 20 theses that point the way to a successful digital future while keeping an eye on the current social, economic and ecological crises. These theses are the result of an exchange between a working group within the Administrative Informatics Section of the German Informatics Society. The “Dresden Demands 2.0” focus on five central fields of action: strategy and guiding images, standardization and process management, human resources and qualifications, citizen participation and sustainability as well as technology and infrastructure. They thus take up the “Dresden Demands” already formulated in 2021 and update them with regard to the necessary digital turnaround in Germany, especially with a view to the upcoming elections. #Digitalisation #State #Government #Administration #DigitalbyDefault #Zeitenwende #Turnaround #DigitalZeitenwende #DigitaleZeitenwende #Verwaltungsinformatik #DigitalGipfel Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V., Ahrend Norbert, Gunnar Auth, Tanja Krins, Marianne Mauch, Michael Räckers, Birgit Schenk, Tobias Siebenlist, Jörn von Lucke

🚀 Exciting Updates from Berlin! 🌍 Over the past two days, the CRES team and members gathered in Berlin, hosted by Fachhochschule des Mittelstandes Bielefeld, for the periodical EU seminar, Board Meeting and General Assembly. It was an enriching moment where we delved into crucial topics such as Educational Technology, New Learning & AI - Future Prospects, and the current challenges facing Higher Education Institutions in Europe. With insights from esteemed leaders like Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Volker Wittberg (Vice President - CRES, Vice-Rector - FHM) and Prof. Tim Brüggemann (Vice-Rector - FHM), we explored the latest developments in the higher education market, student behavior, and the transformative power of educational technology. The seminar provided a valuable platform for exchanging experiences and discussing cooperation projects. One of the highlights was the presentation of a partnership opportunity with public vocational schools in Germany, aiming for international outreach among CRES members. Additionally, we had the pleasure of learning about the European Chips Academy project from Imma Miralles, President of ANCCP. Today, we concluded with the CRES Board Meeting and General Assembly, where we outlined our seasonal missions for 2024-2025 and received valuable inputs and proposals from our members. Key discussions included: 🇪🇺 Strategies to increase European cooperation, 📈 Expanding collaboration, 🏫 Strengthening relationships with universities. We also brainstormed on future conferences to continue driving forward our shared vision. Looking forward to a future of enhanced collaboration and innovation among our esteemed members! ✨ #HigherEducation #EdTech #AI #Innovation #Collaboration #FutureOfEducation #CRES #Europe #Erasmus

Robert-Jan Smits Eindhoven University of Technology This is an uninformed statement in Nature Magazine https://lnkd.in/dbdW9UGM about "But the rise of far-right parties focused obsessively on immigration bodes particularly ill for research, says Robert-Jan Smits, president of the executive board of Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands. “These are single-issue parties,” he says. On science, “they don’t really seem to care, and they don’t have a policy”." Illiberal politics is using science policy to discredit and delegitimize critical science. This is happening in Holland, too, and those who think STEM will benefit from this funding restructuring will act as useful idiots. If you want to know more, here are some links: https://lnkd.in/dnhBATrk about illiberal academic authorization: https://lnkd.in/dAhggnPp

🔍 Meet our partner, TU Dresden! 🔍 Technische Universität Dresden is one of Germany's leading universities, known for its strong emphasis on research and innovation. With a rich history and a commitment to excellence, TU Dresden plays a pivotal role in advancing knowledge across various fields, including engineering, natural sciences, and humanities. The university is dedicated to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and translating research into real-world solutions that benefit society. In the MOBILITIES FOR EU project, TU Dresden is a key partner, driving forward innovative approaches to urban mobility. The university is leading efforts to develop and test new concepts in electrification and automation of public transport, including the integration of configurable e-cars and automated buses. TU Dresden’s expertise in mobility research is crucial in helping cities explore sustainable and efficient transport solutions tailored to their unique challenges. Rico Radeke Shangqing Wang Lempe Claudia Hawke #TUDresden #MOBILITIESFORUEU #UrbanMobility #Sustainability #Innovation