Three Brandenburg Universities become 'Innovative Universities'

Success for Brandenburg: The University for Sustainable Development Eberswalde, Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences and the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam have been awarded up to 15 million euros for their cooperation project 'InNoWest - Einfach machen! Gemeinsam nachhaltig und digital in Nord-West-Brandenburg' for up to 15 million euros as part of the 'Innovative University' funding initiative of the Joint Science Conference of the federal and state governments. A total of 29 individual and joint projects across Germany were selected for funding.

Brandenburg's Science Minister Manja Schüle congratulates the three universities: "It's great that three Brandenburg universities have prevailed with their project in a nationwide competition. With their joint project, they are developing exciting digital and sustainable solutions for current challenges – this is how successful transfer 'Made in Brandenburg' works," said Minister Schüle. "Brandenburg was the first state in Germany to launch its own transfer strategy, which focuses equally on universities and non-university research institutions and aims to improve cooperation between science, business, politics and civil society. And with the state-wide establishment and expansion of the presence centres, which is also unique in Germany, we are building bridges between the regional economy and science – and shaping the future." The joint project 'InNoWest - Simply do it! Sustainable and digital together in North-West Brandenburg' by the three universities of applied sciences is aimed at innovation in the North-West Brandenburg region. It focuses thematically on three fields of innovation:

• In the innovation field 'User-centred digitalisation', the project "Municipal strategy platform for data-based planning and decision-making processes" aims to help municipalities develop strategies for digital services of general interest and the use of digital data.
• In the innovation field 'Sustainable remodelling', the project "Sustainable remodelling regionally" records representative building types and implements model solutions with wood and other sustainable building materials such as clay, thereby reducing costs and resource consumption while maintaining a high regional focus.
• In the innovation field 'Shaping society', citizens are developing sustainability solutions in their communities in the project "Citizen Science – Citizens research SDGs (sustainability goals)" in their communities in a two-way dialogue with the scientific community.

What is new here is that the network is introducing cross-university innovation teams as a new transfer instrument to implement and support these projects. The innovation teams are interdisciplinary and consist of academic staff who contribute additional specialist expertise and have methodological, communicative and technical skills.

The 'Innovative University' funding initiative to promote the research-based transfer of ideas, knowledge and technology was adopted by the federal and state governments in 2016 as part of the Joint Science Conference. The funding programme aims to support universities in raising their profile in the field of transfer and innovation and strengthening their strategic role in the regional innovation system. The federal and state governments will provide up to 550 million euros over ten years – 90 per cent of the funding will be provided by the federal government and 10 per cent by the respective states. The winners of the selection round will receive funding for their projects for five years from 2023. A total of 165 universities applied with 101 projects.

The Joint Science Conference (GWK) deals with all issues relating to research funding, science and research policy strategies and the science system that affect both the federal and state governments. The members of the GWK are the federal and state ministers responsible for science and research as well as the ministers responsible for finance.

Further information: www.innovative-hochschule.de

Press release from the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture