KONVENT’A 2017 in Löbau – The HSZG Presents Itself as a Practice- and Future-Oriented Educational Institution
Once again this year, Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences was represented with a comprehensive and diverse booth at KONVENT’A, the Upper Lusatia Trade and Industry Fair. In the Blumenhalle of the Löbau Trade Fair and Event Park, which was themed “Youth—Future—Perspectives,” the HSZG presented itself to the numerous fair visitors as a practice-oriented and multifaceted educational institution. No fewer than eight different stations—run by the STEM faculties, the Student Advisory Service, and ATN Hölzel GmbH from Oppach—as well as two touchscreens featuring games and videos invited visitors to get to know the university better, while at the same time allowing them to explore scientific phenomena and try out modern technology for themselves.
The interactive bike from the Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences —a cleverly repurposed bicycle equipped with a blender—proved extremely popular. Thanks to this, active visitors could make their own smoothies by pedaling a short distance—all in an environmentally friendly way and without using any electricity.
The main attraction at the iTN’s “Sustainable Soil Resource Use – Soil Experiments” station was undoubtedly the sieve tower. It consists of stacked sieves whose mesh becomes progressively finer from top to bottom. When a soil sample is “shaken through” it, the result is a clean separation of the different grain sizes—from coarse gravel to the finest Baltic Sea sand. The particle size distribution then provides insight into the soil’s properties, such as its water permeability and bearing capacity—important information when the soil is to be developed.
The wind tunnel, which the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering presented at KONVENT’A, is capable of visualizing airflows. When various models—such as cuboids, spheres, wings, and model cars—are placed in the airflow, flow processes are illustrated that would otherwise be impossible to discern, or at best only by observing their effects.
The department of computer science introduced itself to visitors with a game that helped them learn how to distinguish between legitimate emails and phishing emails. The department of electrical engineering demonstrated how traffic lights are connected in series to create a “green wave.” Interested visitors had the opportunity to create their own “timing diagrams” and program the traffic light phases of a road intersection model.
Even Saxony’s Minister President Stanislaw Tillich, who visited KONVENT’A on Saturday, couldn’t help but take notice of this colorful array of HSZG offerings. He had the KIA apprentices from the department of electrical engineering—who enriched the university’s presentation with their “Basic Soldering Course” —explain to him in detail exactly how an electrical circuit must be soldered together so that the small lights connected to it actually begin to flash. And Thomas Zenker, the mayor of Zittau, also made sure to stop by the university’s booth to get a closer look at some of the attractions.
ATN Hölzel GmbH from Oppach, a partner company of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences and an expert in automation and bonding technology, used a robot developed for bonding processes as an example to demonstrate where and how research findings are put into practice and where a technical degree at the HSZG can lead.
Anyone who wanted to learn more about the study options at the university could do so at the on-site Student Advisory Service . The staff not only provided visitors with comprehensive information about degree programmes and degrees but also entertained interested attendees with a quiz about the Faculty of Business Administration and Engineering Management.
We would like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks to ATN Hölzel GmbH, the iTN, the university’s custodial staff, and all the volunteers and booth supervisors on site for their support in making this year’s university presentation at KONVENT’A a success. It is only thanks to their involvement that we were able to present the HSZG at such a high level of quality and on such a large scale.
Contact
Center for Knowledge and Technology Transfer
Christiane Matthieu
Phone: 03583 612-4277
Email: christiane.matthieu@hszg.de