The State Secretary in the Saxon State Ministry of Science and the Arts, Ms. Andrea Franke, visited the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences (HSZG) on Friday, 07.08.2020. This was the long-planned inaugural visit, which had to be postponed due to coronavirus. She was accompanied by Dr. Bruno Bartscher, Head of the Department 35 Universities of Applied Sciences and University of Cooperative Education Saxony.

Prof. Dr. Martin Knoll, founding professor of the nursing sciences degree course, kicked off the event by informing the State Secretary about the status of the nursing degree course.

Afterwards, she was keen to discuss specific topics with the Rectorate. In particular, the challenges of a university in transformation were discussed. In addition to the central technical and economic application research, the tasks and projects of the HSZG in the transformation processes were highlighted in particular, such as socio-ecological or sustainability-oriented research (e.g. at the interface of social and socio-scientific and engineering and natural science topics). This also included research on socio-demographic, migration and educational issues (skilled workers, digitalization, integration, inclusion) as well as the research of the HSZG in the field of political education in cooperation with regional institutions, with the State Agency and the Federal Agency for Civic Education, with adult education centres, etc. in the field of Third Mission. In doing so, the HSZG always has  the border triangle and Europe in mind.

The guests also discussed the financial and structural development of the HSZG in depth with the Rectorate.

Ms. Franke then visited the laboratory for high-voltage technology under the guidance of Prof. Kornhuber, Professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Ms. Franke was impressed by the modern equipment and the ongoing research projects.

They then visited the ^LaNDER3 technical center. Cluster Manager Dr. Matthias Kinne explained the ^Lander3 project, the research results already achieved in the start-up phase of the partnership (2017-2020) and projects that are to be implemented in the intensification phase of the partnership from 2021. The discussion also focused on how the partnership can be made permanent from 2025 and how it can support the regional innovation structure. The State Secretary was very interested in the topics within the ^LaNDER3 project on natural fibre composites, decentralized energy generation, raw materials, resources and recycling and discussed them intensively with Dr. Kinne and the research assistants Dr. Maria Schäfer and Annett Kupka.

The visit concluded with the Zittau power plant laboratory. Sebastian Braun, Head of Department at the Institute of Process Engineering, Process Automation and Measurement Technology (IPM), gave a guided tour of the laboratory and explained the large-scale testing facilities installed there. He also presented future research projects. Ms. Franke asked interested questions about processes for increasing energy efficiency and the utilization of research results, the practical application of findings from research projects and cooperation with companies. She showed particular interest in the flexibilization of energy systems with thermal energy storage systems and discussed this topic and new research projects with Sebastian Braun and Prof. Alexander Kratzsch.

In all three laboratories, an interesting discussion arose about the possibilities of integrating existing technologies into engineering education at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, in particular the involvement of students in research topics through practical and final theses and their constantly growing relevance for the companies in which our graduates find their jobs after graduation.