With its ZukLOS initiative, the HSZG was a guest at DLR_School_Lab Berlin to gain inspiration for the establishment of the DLR_School_Lab in Zittau.
As part of its committed efforts to promote STEM education and prepare the next generation of scientists and technicians, the HSZG had the opportunity to visit the DLR_School_Lab Berlin and further intensify its cooperation.
As part of the university management's ambitious strategic initiative for the "Future Learning Location Upper Lusatia - ZukLOS for short" the DLR_School_Lab at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, which will open in the Mandauhöfe in Zittau at the beginning of 2025, continues to take shape and is developing into a valuable building block in young people's STEM education. With the establishment of the DLR_School_Lab Hochschule Zittau/Görlitz, not only will exciting experiments be developed to awaken enthusiasm for mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology (STEM), but opportunities will also be created to sensitize young people to the diverse courses of study at the university. In this way, the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences joins the ranks of prestigious science locations that take children and young people on an exciting journey of discovery into the world of scientific phenomena and technical innovations at the DLR_School_Lab.
In this context, Prof. Sophia Keil, Vice-Rector for Education and International Affairs, visited DLR_School_Lab Berlin together with the highly motivated employees Sebastian Riedel and Christian Tiller from September 5 to 6, 2023. The aim of this visit was an intensive exchange of experiences and the opportunity to strengthen the synergies between the locations. DLR_School_Lab Berlin acts as a mentor for the site in Zittau and is available as a reliable partner, especially during the start-up phase.
The head of the DLR East site, Ms. Maria Dalaff, warmly welcomed the guests from Zittau and presented the research priorities of the DLR sites in eastern Germany. Mr. Tobias Bohnhardt, the site manager of DLR_School_Lab Berlin, gave the visitors an individual tour of the fascinating experiments and answered the numerous questions of the guests from Zittau.
During the meeting, in addition to discussing the current status of DLR_School_Lab at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, there was also the opportunity to experience a selection of future student experiments at the Zittau site together with a school class. Under the expert guidance of experienced tutors, the young people were able to become researchers themselves and independently carry out exciting experiments that are directly related to current DLR research topics. Among other things, the students dealt with the effects of weightlessness on the human body, artificial photosynthesis using a Grätzel cell and the efficient storage of heat.
A very special highlight was undoubtedly the opportunity to program the movements and interactive abilities of humanoid robots. This experience impressively illustrated the impressive possibilities in the field of robotics and artificial intelligence.
Various experiments are currently planned at the DLR_School_Lab at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, including:
Thenext step involves procuring the planned experiments and setting up the DLR_School_Lab premises in the Zittau Mandauhöfe. The Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences (HSZG) will of course continue the intensive exchange with the DLR_School_Lab Berlin and maintain this valuable cooperation.
The current status of the development of the Junior Academy was shared with teachers from the schools and supporters of our university at the third workshop meeting on October 19, 2023. In particular, the following focal points were discussed
During these talks, the future experiments were also discussed, which will have an extensive curriculum reference, as well as the design of a practical extracurricular learning location.
The Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences would like to thank all participating teachers, employees and experts for the friendly and practical exchange and looks forward to continuing the cooperation in the future.
The first DLR_School_Lab opened in Göttingen in 2000. The DLR_School_Lab Berlin opened in 2002, and the new school lab at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences is the 17th DLR_School_Lab to open in Germany. These educational facilities are visited by around 40,000 schoolchildren every year, who are able to experience the exciting world of science and technology at first hand.
