The binational educational project to establish a cross-border teaching network for plastics technology (GreK) between Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences and TU Liberec with the support of the Institute of Engineering Didactics at TU Dresden was presented and discussed at an official kick-off event in Liberec on June 28, 2016. The joint project, which is funded by the EU as part of the "SN-CZ" program with approx. 1 million euros until 2019, allows the participating universities to develop and test new forms of teaching in the field of modern plastics technology, including didactic methods. The aim is to combine the respective specialist core competencies and technical equipment of the project partners in order to significantly increase the quality and attractiveness of teaching on both sides of the border.

 "The cross-border teaching alliance should take particular account of the needs of industrial practice and, in addition to the basics, also familiarize students with the latest plastics technologies in order to prepare them for a successful start in the company as developers or project managers as well as in research. We are therefore delighted with the willingness of numerous innovative plastics processors from Upper Lusatia and the Liberec region to enrich the project, for example through factory tours, lectures and regular exchanges," explains Prof. Scholz, GreK project manager, and emphasizes: "With a total of over 250 companies in the plastics processing industry, the neighbouring regions have a density of companies that is well above average. If we succeed in bringing these numerous competencies closer together across the border, the Upper Lusatia-Liberec region will represent an unmissable economic center of the plastics industry within Europe. The universities with their existing industrial cooperations form an excellent starting point for this." The mayor of Zittau, Mr. Thomas Zenker, also emphasizes the economic, social and cultural added value on both sides by overcoming the border and highlights the growing and fruitful cooperation between the cities of Liberec and Zittau.

 In order to meet the urgent need for young engineers in the region's constantly growing plastics industry, the HSZG launched the "Plastics Technologies" specialization in the winter semester of 2015. "The new subject area at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering is intended to contribute to the needs-based academic education of students," explains Prof. Albrecht, Rector of the HSZG, who also sees the close links between the university and the newly established Fraunhofer Plastics Center Oberlausitz in Zittau as a great added value for the education of students in this subject area. The TU Liberec also sees an increase in the quality and attractiveness of teaching as a result of the joint project. Prof. Nemecek, Pro-Rector of the TU Liberec, assures the project his full support and explains: "The TU Liberec has been training students in plastics technology since 1963 and can look back on a long tradition in this field. However, the rapid progress of today's plastics technologies requires strong networking and permanent adaptation of teaching." Prof. Lenfeld, Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at TU Liberec, adds: "The GreK project significantly enriches teaching by focusing on innovative technologies and construction methods, such as textile-reinforced lightweight structures, function-integrating technologies and 3D printing of plastic components."

In addition to the development of bilingual, technically and didactically adapted lectures, exercises and practicals, GreK's concrete goals include the organization of regular excursions to industrial partners on both sides of the border. The program also includes the development of a joint, English-language workshop for the practical teaching of the entire product development process (PEP) of a highly stressed plastic assembly. The students from Zittau and Liberec will go through the individual development steps, from conception to design, FEM calculation, production and system testing using the example of a small wind turbine. A further aim of GreK is to establish a cross-border plastics technology network in the Upper Lusatia - Liberec region ("Cross-border Plastics Network Upper Lusatia - Liberec" - CroBoPlast). CroBoPlast) to promote the binational networking of companies, universities and students, whereby practical topics are introduced into teaching, graduates are placed with cross-border plastics companies and regular network meetings are held in Zittau and Liberec.