Chronicle

The Upper Lusatian “League of Six Cities” was one of the most important city leagues in Europe during the Middle Ages. Jakob Böhme of Görlitz was the first philosopher to begin publishing his writings in German at the end of the 16th century. One hundred years later, Christian Weise staged school plays in Zittau, thereby breaking new ground in humanistic education and gaining recognition throughout Europe.

As cities grew and prosperity increased during the Middle Ages, education and vocational training reached a remarkable level of quality. With industrialization, “institutions of higher education” emerged, particularly in Mechanical Engineering, the textile industry, and construction.

Educational institutions in Zittau and Görlitz gained a good reputation throughout Germany. The student and alumni association “Zittauer Bauhütte,” for example, played a significant role in shaping the German construction industry well into the 20th century. The “Upper Lusatian Society of Sciences,” founded in 1779, is considered one of the first scientific academies in Europe. In addition to outstanding intellectuals from the region, figures of international recognition such as Wilhelm von Humboldt were also members of this society.

After the world wars, existing functional buildings, course materials, and outstanding experts in Zittau and Görlitz led to the establishment of universities and technical colleges. These institutions became leading educational institutions for entire industrial sectors in the GDR.

Following reunification, the German Science Council decided in 1992 to establish a university of applied sciences, based on the strong practical orientation of the existing institutions, their quality, and the anticipated demand for graduates. A modern educational institution was created at the dual campuses in Zittau and Görlitz.

The accession of Poland and the Czech Republic to the European Union presents a new challenge and an opportunity for growth for the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. Through the “NEISSE UNIVERSITY International Network,” new avenues of educational cooperation were explored with the universities of Liberec (CZ) and Wrocław (PL).

1992

• July 13: Founding of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences (FH)
• Appointment of the first 19 professors
• Enrolment of the first 192 students
• Members of the University Administration: Founding Rector Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Dr. oec. Peter Dierich; Vice Rector for Education: Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Holger Theilig; Vice Rector for Research: Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil. Klaus Meyer; Chancellor: Dr.-Ing. Peter Reinhold
• Founding Deans: Department of Civil Engineering – Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Eberhard Kothe; Department of Electrical Engineering/Computer Science – Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Herbert Kindler; Department of Mechanical Engineering – Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Lischke; Department of Mathematics/Natural Sciences—Prof. Dr. rer. oec. habil. Gerhard Große; Department of Social Work—Prof. Dr. rer. soc. Hermann Heitkamp; Department of Economics—Prof. Dr. sc. oec. Peter Hedrich

1993

• Renamed the Zittau-Görlitz University of Applied Sciences for Technology, Business, and Social Sciences (FH)
• University logo approved by the Founding Senate
• Education for the formation of an independent commission on curriculum reform: development and adoption of a proposal for the future structure of the university’s academic programs
• Enrolment with the first festive start to the semester on the Oybin

1994

• First university newsletter published
• 1st University Day featuring an honorary colloquium to mark the 70th anniversary of the liquid gas company Tyczka GmbH & Co and the establishment of the Dr. Tyczka Energy Prize
• Launch of the amateur radio club station

1995

• Senate resolution to conduct an eco-audit and implement the principles of ecological action at the university
• 1st International Electrical Engineering Olympiad “Neisse-Elektro 2000”
• Senate resolution to establish the IPM, IRE, and IÖU institutes

1996

• First elections to university governing bodies: Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Peter Dierich as Rector, Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Rudolf Förster as Vice Rector for Education, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dietmar Reichel as Vice Rector for Research
• Connection to the broadband research network
• The last graduates of the Zittau University of Applied Sciences leave the university

1997

• Federal President Roman Herzog visits
• The Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science is split into the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
• Establishment of the Department of Languages with a preparatory college and language center
• Introduction of the cooperative engineering program (KIA)
• For the first time, over 3,000 students enrolled at the University of Applied Sciences

1998

• Adoption of the Environmental Policy Statement by the Senate
• Introduction of the multifunctional smart card at the University of Applied Sciences
• Electronic student ID cards issued for the first time at a Saxon university

1999

• First German university to implement an organizational environmental management system in accordance with the European Eco-Audit Regulation.
• Renaming of the university to “Hochschule Zittau/Görlitz – University of Applied Sciences”
• Senior College opens in Zittau
• Completion of construction work on Building VII

2000

• Elections by the Council: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dietmar Reichel as Rector, Prof. Dr. phil. Jutta Blin as Vice President for Education, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Manfred Schmidt as Vice President for Research
• New classrooms inaugurated on the Görlitz campus
• Declaration on the founding of the international Neisse University network

2001

• The university wins the German University of Applied Sciences Women’s Volleyball Championship for the fourth time
• Inauguration of the new “Blue-Box” teaching building for the Department of Social Work
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Rainer Hampel elected Vice President for Research
• 1st Controlling Conference in Görlitz

2002

• 1st CampusOpenAir in Görlitz, organized by students in the culture and management and tourism programs
• Ceremonial meeting of the Council to mark the “10th Anniversary of the University”
• Summer Academy of the Collegium Pontes Görlitz-Zgorzelec-Zhorelec

2003

• Election of Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Rainer Hampel as Rector, Prof. Dr. phil. Erika Steinert as Vice President for Education, and Prof. Dr. oec. Joachim Zielbauer as Vice President for Research
• Handover of the Biotechnology Laboratory
• Admission of the university to the Saxony Environmental Alliance

2004

• Ceremony marking “10 Years of the Institute for Ecology and Environmental Protection”
• Inauguration of the new student canteen and library at the Zittau campus
• Establishment of the Institute for Transformation, Housing, and Social Spatial Development

2005

• Opening of the Kinder Academy in Görlitz—a joint project with the State Museum of Natural History in Görlitz
• New design and new website for the university
• Award for the university in the D21 university competition—“Get the Best”—More Women in Research

2006

• Establishment of the Institutes for Surface Technology and for Peat and Natural Materials Research
• Elections: Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Rainer Hampel as Rector, Prof. Dr. phil. Friedrich Albrecht as Vice Rector for Education, and Prof. Dr. oec. Joachim Zielbauer as Vice Rector for Research
• New campus in Zittau and new student canteen and library at the Görlitz campus inaugurated

2007

• Opening of the Kinder Academy in Zittau
• Ceremonial meeting of the Council to mark the university’s 15th anniversary and the first university ball
• Dipl.-Jur. Karin Hollstein appointed as the university’s new Chancellor
• The Service Sciences degree program cluster, comprising the Tourism and culture and management programs, was successfully accredited

2008

• Energy Technology Center inaugurated
• First part-time preparatory course for prospective students without a high school diploma
• International Scientific Conference WIKO 2008
• Launch of the administrative partnership between IHI Zittau and HSZG
• Center for Knowledge and Technology Transfer (ZWT) established

2009

• New laboratory and research building on the Zittau campus inaugurated with Minister President Stanislaw Tillich
• Establishment of a joint Master's degree programme in “mechatronics” with the Technical University of Liberec
• Restructuring of the 8 departments into 6 faculties
• University Council with seven members appointed

2010

• The International Görlitz Kinder Academy is a winner in the nationwide innovation competition “365 Places in the Land of Ideas”
• Election of Prof. Dr. phil. Friedrich Albrecht as Rector, Prof. Dr. oec. Dr. h.c. Roland Giese as Vice Rector for Education and International Affairs, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Tobias Zschunke as Vice Rector for Research
• 1st Central Graduation Ceremony
• Flooding severely affects both the Zittau and Görlitz campuses

2011

• Establishment of the Center of Excellence for Bioenergy
• Fraunhofer Institute establishes a presence in Zittau
• Relaunch of the corporate design and the university website
• Morlok, Minister of Economic Affairs, Labor, and Transportation, presents grant awards from the Free State totaling €5.75 million for projects to increase energy efficiency

2012

• The 2020 University Development Plan is adopted by the Senate and approved by the University Council
• State Secretary Rackel of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) presents a grant notification for €1.75 million as part of the Quality Pact for Teaching in Görlitz
• Anniversary celebration “20 Years of Zittau/Görlitz University”

2013

• Ceremonial handover of the renovated G II building on the Görlitz campus
• Symbolic groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a new Fraunhofer Technical Center in Zittau

2015

• Adoption of the Quality Management Statement
• HSZG positions itself as a “cosmopolitan university against xenophobia”

2016

• Founding of the “Health, Ageing, Technology (GAT)” Research Institute
• Germany’s first university social worker begins work

2017

• Opening of the “Cybersecurity” learning lab in collaboration with Fraunhofer IOSB in Görlitz
• The comprehensively renovated Building Z l becomes the new headquarters for the university administration
• Celebrations marking “25 Years of HSZG”

2018

• Application for system accreditation of the HSZG is submitted
• HSZG Named Saxony’s Most Popular University According to “StudyCheck”
• “Inclusion 2025” action plan adopted
• University Development Plan 2025 adopted by the Senate and approved by the University Council

2019

• Opening of HSZG’s first international office in Zgorzelec
• Anniversary celebration marking “50 Years Since the Founding of the Zittau University of Applied Sciences” on the Zittau campus
• 1st German-Czech “Erasmus+ Staff Week”