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Foreword Go means forge ahead
In 2020, the university could look back over a 25-year-long journey. Much has happened since the state and federal government founded it on 1 January 1995. Through the commitment of numerous people, we have developed into a dynamic and research-intensive university of applied sciences (UAS). We took this path to becoming a university of outstanding quality and consistent practical relevance in academic teaching, of excellent applied research and successful knowledge transfer combined with strategic proximity to the community and business, early on. Thanks to close networking with regional and international scientific institutions, companies, and other organisations, we facilitate excellent exchange and very good career opportunities for our graduates. H-BRS is a sign of the highest quality! An important target along our journey is ensuring independent doctoral opportunities at UAS. Establishing our Graduate Institute in 2010 and the Graduate Institute NRW in 2016 were the initial steps. In December 2020, the close cooperation of 21 universities of applied sciences made it possible to establish the “NRW Promotionskolleg” as a public-law corporation.
In the future, outstanding Master’s graduates from UAS and universities will be able to earn their doctorates there. This is a significant milestone. The great potential of our universities of applied sciences can thus better unfold, benefitting, not least of all our society, and the science system itself. H-BRS is proud to be a vital player in this process. In 2020, we worked intensively on strategic further development and compiled the University Development Plan 2021-2025 (HEP3) – a process in which the entire university was involved. I am convinced that we will set new impulses through our successful work. Important fields of action – in addition to teaching, research and transfer – are digitalisation, internationalisation and diversity, sustainability and social responsibility as well as governance. A great deal of space for rethinking exists. In the complex field of sustainability, for instance, we do not just focus on important technological issues, but also include social, economic and ethical contexts. With HEP3, H-BRS is expressing its commitment to the social responsibility of science. 2020 was the first year of the Corona pandemic. It will likely continue to shape our everyday life. Thanks to the outstanding commitment of our colleagues and the understanding participation of our students, our university has managed not only to maintain operations in all areas of work, but also to enrich them with new ideas and insights. Therefore, the outcome of this challenging time is not all negative, because it has opened up new perspectives for us, especially in teaching, but also in research and administration.
