"strengthen - for a fair, sustainable, democratic future", Annual Report of H-BRS 2023
for a fair, sustainable, democratic future
Why do we need transformation?
Interview with the Vice Rector of United Nations University, Xiaomeng Shen, and University President Hartmut Ihne
Imprint
PUBLISHED BY:
The President of Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg – University of Applied Sciences
EDITOR (RESPONSIBLE ACCORDING TO GERMAN PRESS LAW AND THE MEDIA):
Dominik Pieper – Head of Communications and Marketing
CONTENT DESIGN AND EDITING:
Daniela Greulich, H-BRS, and Katja Spross, con gressa GmbH, Bonn
AUTHORS:
Jürgen Bode, Lea Brandes, Yorick Fastenrath, Angela Fischer, Gregor Haag, Hartmut Ihne, Elias Kappler, Lara Korte, Remi Maier-Rigaud, Bettina Mittelstraß, Katja Spross, Alexandra Straush, Anna Richter, Marco Winzker, Michaela Wirtz
TRANSLATION: Jennifer Hatherill
LAYOUT AND DESIGN:
Bosse und Meinhard, Wissen und Kommunikation, Bonn
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for a fair, sustainable, democratic future
Esther Hummel Film Editor in the Communications and Marketing Unit
Dr Simon Roth Head
18 research institutes
5 departments
1,308 graduates
2,400 first-year students
approx. 1,160 employees more than 90 partner universities in 43 countries
104 doctoral students
8,886 students
21 Bachelor’s degree programmes
12 languages offered at the Language Centre
60%male
19 Master’s degree programmes
University on tour 2023
GAMESCOM
For the fourth time now, H-BRS presented its current research projects at the world‘s largest video and computer games fair – Gamescom in Cologne. Teaching staff, students and employees jointly welcomed visitors to the stand where they were able to compete against robot Reachy in the board game Tic Tac Toe or immerse themselves virtually in the audiovisual experience of a percussionist on a large stage. Information on related degree programmes such as the Master’s in Visual Computing & Games Technology was also on offer.
LIVING DEMOCRACY
Does digitalisation pose a threat to democracy? Are we ever unobserved in a digital world? How is access to information safeguarded? The Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, Ulrich Kelber, discussed these topics with students at the university. The series of talks, organised by the Bonn International Democracy Prize and the region‘s institutes of higher education, is about awakening a passion for democracy as a form of government and way of life at the place where the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany was established.
b° FUTURE FESTIVAL
Forward-thinking journalism and constructive dialogue – this is what the new b° Future Festival in Bonn stands for. Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg –University of Applied Sciences actively participated with its media degree courses. To this end, students and lecturers set up a mobile TV news studio. Visitors had the opportunity to present a news programme – live and with a teleprompter. In addition, information about studying at H-BRS, such as on degree programmes like the Bachelor’s in Visual Technology Communication and the Master’s in Digital Communication and Media, was provided.
strengthen
Science must take a stand and actively participate
Science should be politically neutral. It should stay out of politics and concentrate on its own work. We occasionally hear this demand in debates about the role of science. Is this rigorous separation necessary? Even a withdrawal into the ivory tower? No.
Of course, science must remain neutral in terms of party politics. But it would be wrong for it to exercise restraint when it comes to socio-political issues. And this is where the major, complex challenges of the future lie – whether climate change or ecological and social transformation, competitiveness or overcoming poverty, processes of social change or migration, digitalisation or technological progress. The highly dynamic development of artificial intelligence alone brings an unprecedented change to our social reality. With the spread of AI, a revolution is taking place that harbours both opportunities and risks. Despite all the progress, we must ultimately preserve our freedom, autonomy and decision-making sovereignty as human beings.
All these challenges lead to change, and change leads to uncertainty. This overwhelms many people. In an increasingly complex world, they long for clarity, order and, more and more often, authoritarian leadership. We are currently experiencing a worrying rise in political extremism. Democracies around the world are under pressure, with competing worldviews dominating debates and politics. Social media platforms – unfiltered, manipulable – are becoming a central source of information, with the result that we are gradually observing a loss of the capacity for truth. What is even true at all anymore? Who sets the reference points in this question?
Socio-political restraint on the part of science is simply irresponsible under these circumstances. Science must fulfil its responsibility. Funded by taxpayers‘ money, its mission is to recognise problems and find solutions. It is equipped with the methods and technologies required for this – especially when it comes to the question of truth. Science is in the best position to judge what is true and what is false in complex contexts.
Its findings are therefore an important basis for policymakers, whose decision-making ability is strengthened by analyses, facts and recommendations for action. Where solutions emerge, trust is created. In this respect, science must take a stand and make its contribution to ensuring that a fair, sustainable and democratic future is possible. It must play an active role, and it must do so in an understandable way, which not least emphasises the growing importance of science communication.
Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg – University of Applied Sciences is working in many ways towards having a strengthening effect. This applies to research and transfer as well as to teaching, where the aim is to equip young people with skills and confidence so that they can help shape the transformation and play an active role in this changing world. How does the famous pop song by the band “Fehlfarben” from the early 80s put it? “History is made.” The word “made” is key here. History is a result of our heads and hands, not a natural law.
This report, entitled “Strengthen”, describes the diverse activities of the university throughout the past year. The result is an impressive overall picture that is fuelled by diversity, optimism, inspiration and innovation, but also by a wide range of challenges that need to be overcome in day-today university life. The report provides exciting insights into the university‘s wide world of topics. It reveals the creative people behind it. And, as always, it offers upto-date facts and figures.
I wish you an inspiring read!
Prof. Dr Hartmut Ihne President of H-BRS
Cheers and flying hats
H-BRS students celebrate their graduation
At the end of the academic year, it is time for the hat toss – and that is exactly what around 600 graduates of Hochschule BonnRhein-Sieg – University of Applied Sciences did on 21 October 2023 at the Telekom Dome in Bonn. Years of intensively studying of mathematics, computer science and technical knowledge, natural sciences and social policy came to a crowning conclusion in the festively decorated Telekom Dome. A total of 3,000 guests filled the arena. In addition to the graduates, their families and friends were also present, as well as prominent figures from politics, business, society and the scientific community. The guest speaker was Thomas Ogilvie, Chief Human Resources Officer at Deutsche Post DHL.
The film of the graduation ceremony:
study
Attractive learning locations and participation strengthen presence
New perspectives broaden the view. I enjoy the dialogue and encounters on campus. At the same time, I realise that living and working in partially hybrid, partially purely digital settings with an overall reduced physical presence has become part of everyday life. In 2023, we focused on the questions resulting from this circumstance from a teaching perspective.
“Where have all the students gone?” was the question up for discussion at the Higher Education Didactic Evening in Bonn‘s Nordstadt district. The students, lecturers and didactics experts concluded: Attendance on campus cannot be taken for granted. Students question whether the time and cost of commuting to the university are worth it.
Participation and interaction in a course can generate the added value that makes physical attendance worthwhile. We have provided targeted impulses for this by offering further training in higher education didactics.
Another important aspect is the quality of campus life. Our libraries in Sankt Augustin and Rheinbach have been redesigned to act as places of learning with a friendly atmosphere conducive to studying. In the new one-button recording studios, teachers and students can create their own professional videos at the touch of a button. This approach has been well received. The library is a popular place to be.
A trip by a delegation to the Netherlands, sponsored by Hochschulforum Digitalisierung, provided additional ideas for an attractive campus. The findings will not only be used in the plans for the new building but also implemented in the remodelling of the existing buildings.
The commute to campus is also a component of “presence”. The student body has sent a clear signal. In an election, the majority voted in favour of retaining the semester public transport ticket. In addition to strengthening democratic decision-making processes, this result is also a statement on sustainability and solidarity as well as a sign that face-to-face, personal encounters are still highly valued.
Prof. Dr Marco Winzker, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Teaching, and Digitalization
EMT becomes IWK
New potential calls for a new name. The former Department of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Technical Journalism (EMT) has officially been known as the “Department of Engineering and Communication”, or IWK for short, since 1 October 2023. The background behind this decision is the ongoing development and refinement of learning content through the expansion of the range of courses on offer, including Sustainable Engineering, Visual Technology Communication and, of course, the new Master’s degree programme in Digital Communication and Media Innovation, which successfully launched in the summer semester of 2024. Even if all the details surrounding implementation are still in the process of being finalised, the new name already represents the department’s broad spectrum of activities in teaching, research and transfer. For students in the interdisciplinary degree programmes, everything will continue as usual. The course content and degrees will remain unchanged.
Cooperation Network internship semester
Tanja Köhler, Professor of Digital Journalism and Audiovisual Media, initiated a strategic partnership in 2023. H-BRS joined forces with media companies – including Deutsche Telekom and the Bauer Media Group – with the idea of providing internships for students in the BSc Technical Journalism and the BSc Visual Technical Communication degree programmes. The Cooperation Network internship semester is steadily growing. Both sides benefit: “The project is super. The opportunities for editors and students are really great,” says Christian Stahl, head of the Rhein-Sieg editorial team at Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger/Kölnische Rundschau, independent daily newspapers.
“A platform for all”
New digital media magazine “Werksgelände” presents outstanding student work
Be it film, radio, photo or text – H-BRS students publish outstanding works from the world of media on the “Werksgelände” platform. Founder, Professor Tanja Köhler, explains what it is all about.
| What is the concept behind “Werksgelände”?
ą Every semester, our media degree programmes produce outstanding pieces of journalistic work and final projects, yet hardly anyone ever comes across any of them. I thought it was quite a shame that we were not able to present this diverse range of films and radio programmes, photographs and texts to a wider audience. At the same time, I wanted to create a platform for all – for all genres of media, for all students and for everyone teaching at the university, regardless of whether they were lecturers or professors.
| What do you hope the platform will achieve?
ą The students can present their accomplishments to a much wider audience and thus also, as samples of their work, to potential employers. Some students have already received small job offers through this channel. In addition to articles by students, we also publish interviews with experts from the media industry. In the interview format “5 questions for ...”, media professionals who have been guests in the lecture series “The Media Makers” provide exciting insights into their professions. This includes representatives from renowned media outlets such as Süddeutsche Zeitung, Zeit Campus, WDR and ZDF. The platform gives us the opportunity to draw attention to the high quality of our entire educational programme.
| Are there any requirements for publishing a contribution?
ą Only excellent journalistic work is published on the platform. This ensures quality assurance as well as the separation of journalism and PR in our educational programme. By selecting only the very best, we also prepare students for the high standards and expectations they will encounter in the media industry.
| How is “Werksgelände” being received?
ą Since the platform went live in May 2023, I have received overwhelmingly positive feedback. The students are enthusiastic. Colleagues from outside our media degree programmes have also praised the initiative. Employers from the region and speakers who participated in our lecture series have also responded positively, and lecturers now actively integrate “Werksgelände” into their courses. I see that as a huge compliment.
Gaming, talking, filming
Plenty of exciting projects for students interested in computer science and media
Zock ’n Friday
Gaming at university? It’s possible at H-BRS! In the Game Studio on the Sankt Augustin campus, not only can students test out the latest video game releases, but they can also design, develop, model and add special sounds and visual effects to their own video games. That is how the idea for “Zock ‘n Friday” (“Gamin’ Friday”) emerged in 2023. On the last Friday of every month, all members of the university who are interested in video games are welcome to come to the Game Studio to game with and against each other. But everyone has the opportunity to present and try out their own projects, too. “Friday is always very well attended. And there’s a lot of interest within the university in organising additional gaming events in the Game Studio. We would like to tap into this potential in the near future,” says Ernst Kruijff, Professor for Human Computer Interaction.
The Game Studio celebrated yet another successful premiere with the “GameJam”. At the beginning of August 2023, a number of game developers met up for the challenge of developing a video game on the overarching theme of “Light and Shadow” within just three days. They submitted a total of eight creative games, with the top three winners receiving an award.
Gaming at H-BRS:
Cyber Security Rumble
Computer science skills were in demand elsewhere, too. The “Cyber Security Rumble” (CSR) is a competition in the field of information security that has been held annually since 2020. The event is organised by the cyber security company NVISO in collaboration with H-BRS students and staff. Nine teams from Germany, Austria and Switzerland registered for the CSR in September 2023. They mastered various hacker challenges in the categories of cryptography, web, mobile, network, reverse engineering, pwning and forensics at BaseCamp Bonn. In the end, the Swiss team “polyflag” was victorious with 6,337 points, just ahead of their German colleagues from “watermelon_chk_fail” with 5,449 points.
Success through gaming: At the Institute of Visual Computing, computer games are part of the strategic research and educational focus. New technologies in the gaming industry often become the industry standard within just a few years
On air: Gain awareness – listen – understand, with exciting features and music for an hour every second Saturday of the month
bluedot FM
Being on the air is the dream of many journalism and media students. At H-BRS, it is a reality: bluedot FM is a radio programme produced entirely at the university, founded and run by students. Sabine Fricke, a freelance journalist, author and format developer with extensive professional experience (including at WDR), has been working as a lecturer at H-BRS since 2012 and as the director of the studio in the Department of Engineering and Communication since 2021. “We had our founding meeting in December 2022 – everyone immediately had an incredible desire to get something going,” says Fricke, looking back. It only took five months to start broadcasting in May 2023, and the project is now growing steadily. The first major milestone is the cooperation with Radio Bonn/RheinSieg, where bluedot FM has been given its own broadcasting slot (every second Saturday of the month from 21:00 to 22:00). Those interested can also tune in to the station on NRWision, a non-commercial media portal.
The team determines the content together during a special weekly conference, after which it is implemented in the modern H-BRS studios. “A lot happens along the way from idea to finished programme. My job is to pass on as much knowledge as possible and show the students how radio works,” says Sabine Fricke. The aspiring radio journalists are close to being self-sufficient in most areas, including editing, presenting and sound recording. The journalist carries out the final review and approval: “I’m proud of the students! Everyone from the original founding team is still on board, and our programme is constantly becoming more refined and better thanks to their ongoing work.” The feedback is positive, reports Jonathan Schmitt, editor and presenter at bluedot FM. “I receive a lot of praise from my circle of friends. And Radio Bonn/Rhein-Sieg is also very pleased with the productions.”
bluedot FM: ȹ https://bluedot-fm.de
From radio to film: During the COVID-19 pandemic, students in the Media Production module expressed a wish. Sabine Fricke reports: “They wanted to see what their fellow students were submitting for their final film project.” Initially, the lecturer and students met virtually in 2020 and watched the best works all together as a large group – this is how the H-BRS Film Festival was born. The first award ceremony followed in February 2022, and in December 2023 the entire event finally took place live on location for the first time. Twenty-one media students from the first to the ninth semesters submitted a total of twelve films, which were judged by a jury in five categories. “The festival was a real pleasure. We were able to see an incredibly broad spectrum of impressive and creative films,” says Fricke. The students are also enthusiastic. “The Film Festival is great. It’s always an exciting evening on which it’s not just about winning awards but also about watching other people’s truly well-produced films,” says Bachelor’s student Daniel Graf, who won first place in the visualisation category in 2023.
Film Festival:
ȹ https://bluedot-tv.de/filmfestival
Film Festival
Let’s get digital
Digitalisation has long been an integral part of teaching –as demonstrated by four successful examples at H-BRS
The digitalised world we live in has a lot to offer. It provides us with access to more information than ever before and makes work processes easier and faster. Implementing digitalisation sensibly is therefore all the more important. This is particularly true in the university context. For the university of tomorrow, there is no alternative to digitalising teaching. At H-BRS, this is already working extremely well, as four examples demonstrate.
Understanding data
Analysing, visualising and interpreting data – DAViD for short. The project, which is funded by the NRW Ministry of Science, has one main aim – to teach Bachelor’s degree students how to deal with data properly. “Data literacy is one of the skills of the future par excellence and an indispensable part of general education,” says Christine Buchholz, Professor for Quantitative and Qualitative Methods. The project implements the Data
Literacy Charter signed by H-BRS. “Data literacy refers to the ability to collect, manage, evaluate and use data in a critical manner,” explains Buchholz. The whole approach takes place in a blended-learning format. Students work on the respective content independently at home and then immerse themselves in it with a view to their own subject of study in the physical classroom. After more than three years of planning and development, the DAViD 2023 project term has come to an end – the content has been finalised. “The current task is to incorporate this content into the various Bachelor’s degree programmes,” says the scientist. And it is already working, explains Master’s degree student Leonie Seynsche: “DAViD is a valuable enrichment to my studies because I can expand my data expertise in a wide range of areas online at any time.”
The course on data ethics with Professor Gert Scobel was particularly interesting. “He uses real-life examples to explain clearly and in detail to us students which aspects are part of data literacy from a data ethics perspective.”
Automated film studio
The One-Button Recording Studio (OBRS) is also fully digital. This completely automated film studio enables students and lecturers to produce all kinds of video and audio recordings at the simple touch of a button. The special feature about it is that no additional equipment or technical support is required since the studio is already fully equipped with lighting, sound and camera and can be adapted to a wide variety of scenarios. Both the Sankt Augustin university library and the Rheinbach campus each have an OBRS. Demand is high, as Tim Trampert,
Part of DAViD: Online course on data ethics with professor and TVpresenter Gert Scobel
Consultant for Media Production at H-BRS, explains. “The studio is particularly popular with students. In addition, we frequently receive requests for guided tours of the OBRS, and many delega tions are interested in it.” Teachers also make use of the studio. “I recorded my video series on ABC-standards there. It was quite fun and very quick and simple,” reports Senior Professor Paul Melcher from the Institute of Technology, Resource and Energy-efficient Engineering.
E-Learning 2.0: H-BRS’s own study and work platform “LEA” has been up and running since 2011 – in 2023 it was thoroughly renovated and underwent the most extensive update in its history. A new look, a more modern design and improved menu navigation are the biggest changes that have been made. The high interest H-BRS members have shown in the library’s e-learning certificate programmes also demonstrates the relevance of digital teaching and learning. Last year, 20 interested university members completed their training to become e-tutors. In addition, 19 lecturers and employees of the university obtained their certificate as e-teacher.
Speaking & (Language-) Learning Lab
Yet another digital learning format revolves around language and speaking. After all, it is not always easy to find the right words during your studies. This is exactly where the Speaking Lab comes in. “We offer digital selfstudy units on topics such as technical language, presenting and study planning. For this purpose, we provide interactive presentations in which users can learn through the use of flashcards, quizzes or virtual dialogues just like in a computer game,” explains Antonio Wojahn, project lead of the Speaking Lab.
Here, too, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many departments expressing an increasing need for language training. “Many students also seek out personal consultation and request to practise tasks related to their self-study units with me,” says Wojahn, pleased with the interest. “In the summer semester, we are launching open (language) learning counselling and workshops on the topic of speaking.”
DAViD:
ȹ www.h-brs.de/de/david
OBRS:
ȹ www.h-brs.de/en/bib/obrs
LEA study and work platform: ȹ www.h-brs.de/en/bib/lea
Video series ABC-standards: ȹ https://youtu.be/jr6gEoE8IbY
Dr Daryoush Daniel Vaziri
heads the research group for the development of AIbased systems, especially generative language models, and ensures that they are applied in teaching
“I have been researching AI systems for around eight years now and regularly apply them in teaching. Our own AI systems enable students to learn in a more modern way. Based upon the teaching materials that are fed into the system, the AI is capable of generating individually tailored summaries or quiz questions, for example. This makes the learning process more interactive and engaging. Then during my teaching, I provide the theoretical input, and we critically analyse various perspectives on new developments in AI together. Students slip into the role of developers, focusing intensively on the underlying training data for the AI systems.
The AI can only process parameters such as diversity adequately and without any bias if the training data is selected carefully. It is important to me that students think beyond the boundaries of their own disciplines from the very outset and recognise their responsibility as the experts of tomorrow. Only by working together at an interdisciplinary level can we develop applicationoriented technologies with high added value for society.”
Learning for life with artificial intelligence
Generative AI, especially ChatGPT, is on everyone‘s lips. At H-BRS, these new tools are already part of the curriculum
AI, and generative AI in particular, such as ChatGPT, has long played an important role in research at H-BRS. Dr Daryoush Daniel Vaziri and his team from the Department of Management Sciences are working on the human-centred development of AI-based systems and business models. The university’s own Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems (A2S) is also concentrating on this field.
Critically questioning and recognising opportunities: AI is considered part of the curriculum at H-BRS
“Since the release of ChatGPT 3.5 in November 2022, generative AI has also been increasingly discussed and used in teaching. The way in which this is carried out varies depending upon the degree programme and ranges from text creation or image editing to programming exercises and personal learning assistance,” explains Sonja Christ-Brendemühl, Professor of Business Administration and Communication. Although many lecturers are still asking themselves how generative AI can be integrated into seminars and exercises in a didactically
meaningful way, others are already putting this into practice. Bachelor’s degree student Sebastian Huhn explains: “AI plays a particularly important role in the creative areas of my degree programme. I mainly use AI for inspiration and generating ideas, such as suggestions for new video or photo projects”. Melanie Garofalo, who is studying in the Master’s programme Technology and Innovation Communications, adds: “AI, especially ChatGPT, has been a very frequent topic in our Master’s programme. On the one hand, we have looked at it critically and familiarised ourselves with the background, and on the other, we have been allowed to apply it strategically in our work”.
Blessing and Curse
The advantages of AI in higher education are obvious. “Many AI tools are accessible free of charge and easy to use. This means they offer those who want it personalised support around the clock for learning, writing texts or preparing a presentation,” says Sonja Christ-Brendemühl. However, the AI expert also sees dangers: “Students could lose confidence in their own abilities if they use AI even for simpler tasks like generating short emails instead of interacting with others themselves.”
Garofalo, a Master’s student, still believes it makes sense to integrate AI into teaching. “We’ll almost certainly be confronted with it in our professional lives. I very much welcome the fact that lecturers are responding to these changes and helping us to develop the relevant skills.”
Global teaching
“Virtual
Mobility for All” enables students in all life situations to acquire international competencies
In our globalised world, international competencies are becoming increasingly important on the job market. As a result, many students take the opportunity to spend a semester or complete an internship abroad. However, this highest level of international experience is by no means open to everyone. Anyone who has to look after children or relatives in need of care, or who has a chronic illness or disability themselves, may not simply be able to relocate their life abroad temporarily. This is where the Virtual Mobility for All (ViMoAll) project comes in, with options such as virtual summer schools in collaboration with H-BRS’s international partner universities. “We want to give all our students – regardless of their situation in life – the opportunity to acquire international experience,” explains project advisor Regina Brautlacht, Presidential Commissioner for Global Digital Learning since 2018.
Supplement but not replacement
H-BRS’s concept of supporting lecturers in every department in designing and implementing collaborative digital courses convinced the Foundation for Higher Education’s “Freiraum” programme and was awarded a one-year grant. The experience gained was documented and made available both in the H-BRS centres responsible for didactics, e-learning, IT and the International Office as well as on the NRW-wide platform ORCA.NRW. “ViMoAll offers all students the opportunity to learn how to work in international contexts, a skill that they can apply in their professional lives after graduation,” emphasises Brautlacht. Virtual mobility is not intended to replace analogue mobility, but to complement it.
Students from the Department of Management Sciences, for instance, gained valuable experience in international teams at the virtual summer school “Codeshare Teaching and Learning”. The summer school was a cooperative project between H-BRS and its partner universities in the USA, China, Ghana and Finland. In addition to group work, the programme also included online seminars with lecturers from all participating universities. “The students gave very positive feedback and benefited from the seminars in many ways. We’ll definitely continue to develop this format in order to continue to strengthen the international competencies of our students,” emphasises Brautlacht.
Working in international teams: Students from the Department of Management Sciences
Successful knowledge transfer: Installing the ventilation system in a classroom
Fresh air
Students install ventilation systems in schools – “KLUGER Transfer”
To many people, science seems quite abstract – because what researchers actually do and find out remains unknown to the majority of society. A project at H-BRS aims to change this – KLUGER Transfer (Climate-Environment-Health Transfer), based at the International Centre for Sustainable Development (IZNE). “The transfer of knowledge is extremely important and a major task for science. How can we make our research activities in the fields of climate, environment and health transparent to society? That is the central question,” explains Stefanie Meilinger, Professor for Sustainable Technologies. But students should come into even closer contact with researchers, too.
Better air quality
In summer semester 2023, twelve students from the Mechanical Engineering and Sustainable Engineering degree programmes were able to do just that. During the project weeks, they conducted their own research into aerosols and air purification and constructed ventilation systems. “The basis for this was window fan ventilation systems developed for schools by the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz (MPIC) during the COVID-19 pandemic. They represent a cost-effective alternative to conventional air purification devices,” reports Meilinger. The aim of the systems is to remove potential viruses in the air, improve air quality and regulate the room temperature in summer. After the MPIC researchers were in contact with the
students, they gave them the task of replicating the tested ventilation system, then installing it in classrooms themselves and measuring its effects on air quality.
Goal achieved
The locations of the activity? A system was installed in one classroom each at Rhein-Sieg-Gymnasium and Fritz-Bauer-Gesamtschule in Sankt Augustin. The students carried out aerosol, temperature and CO2 measurements and then also surveyed the pupils on noise pollution and well-being. The results are impressive. “The implementation of our exhaust air system led to a noticeable improvement in air quality,” says Florian Bahl, who supervised the project as a student assistant. The goal of KLUGER Transfer was also achieved, as Bahl reports: “The practical work with measuring equipment was informative and helpful, and it provided us with real insights into scientific work”.
Link: ȹ https://www.h-brs.de/en/kluger-transfer
research
Research Day and successes with the German Research Foundation (DFG)
In June 2023, our researchers presented their strengths to their colleagues, cooperation partners, students and the public in an extensive exhibition and open labs on Research Day. A common feature of many research activities is that they aim to contribute to making the world a fairer and more sustainable place. This applies to the diverse doctoral projects at H-BRS, too, which are also heralding in a new era. For it is only since the introduction of the right to confer PhDs at the Graduate School for Applied Research NRW (PK NRW) that a direct track to a doctoral degree has opened up with enrolment at H-BRS.
To better reflect the diversity of our research in the future, the university has joined the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA). Within this framework, we are participating in a revision of the common practice of evaluating research through mostly quantitative metrics in favour of establishing more qualitative indicators.
H-BRS also experienced positive developments in the context of the German Research Foundation (DFG). For the first time, the university established its own electoral office for the DFG review board election. At around 52 per cent, voter turnout at H-BRS was well above the national average of 37 per cent. This shows that H-BRS
not only values the basic democratic principles of independent, self-administration of research, but also acts accordingly to achieve them. In order to make our high standards in research ethics binding, we have introduced the guidelines for safeguarding good scientific practice at H-BRS, which are based upon the DFG Code of Conduct.
Last but not least, in an interdisciplinary, cross-institutional and cross-departmental collaboration effort, researchers at the university submitted a major proposal to DFG’s “Research Impulses” funding programme and succeeded. In April 2024, the establishment of an interdisciplinary life science centre began. This represents not only a strong motivation for creating a new research focus, but also acts as an important signal to the Rheinbach campus, which was severely damaged by the 2021 floods – a new centre for cutting-edge research will be based here!
Developments in 2023 once again confirm the strength of H-BRS in applied and increasingly also in knowledge-oriented research.
Prof. Dr Remi Maier-Rigaud, Vice President for Research and Young Academics
A slice of democracy for Pakistan
The province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is one of the poorest regions in Pakistan. It is severely affected by the consequences of the 2022 flood disaster and by political instability. In collaboration with Khyber Medical University and FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg, H-BRS is investigating whether free health insurance has an impact on how healthcare services are being used. The measure is part of the Social Health Protection Initiative (SHPI) – an important step towards improving the health of the population and achieving social justice. “For the first time, the state is also promising benefits to the poorest of the poor,” says project head Professor Simona Helmsmüller, “to me, this is a slice of democracy”. The impact evaluation of free health insurance in northern Pakistan is being financed by the German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval) and will run for two and a half years, ending in September 2025.
Protection against cyberattacks
They are particularly insidious and remain inconspicuous – we are referring to sidechannel attacks, a tricky strategy employed during cyberattacks. Hackers look for unnoticed side channels to bypass the protective mechanisms of an IT system. These types of cyberattacks are rarely noticed, in part due to a lack of expertise in many companies. H-BRS is tackling this problem together with affiliated partners in a BMBF research project. As part of Developer-centric Tools for Side-Channel Analysis (DevToSCA), new test procedures are being developed that will enable software developers to automatically check their own products for side-channel resistance, thus reducing the security risk. Then expert knowledge is no longer required in the application.
“This benefits the entire economy,” says Professor Kerstin Lemke-Rust. Together with Professor Luigi Lo Iacono, she coordinates the DevToSCA research association.
Expanding biomedical research
It consists of four special devices and significantly expands the biomedical analysis possibilities at H-BRS – the new analysis platform for molecular mechanisms and cellular functions. The largescale equipment project enables detailed research into molecular relationships in congenital metabolic disorders and leukaemias, for instance. “With this equipment and thanks to the associated staff funding, my fellow professors Matthias Preller, Mike Althaus and I can intensively investigate molecular mechanisms of disease development and further advance internationally networked biomedical research in Rheinbach,” says project head Professor Jörn Oliver Sass. The project has been funded since August 2023 by a large-scale equipment initiative of the German Research Foundation (DFG) that is aimed at supplementing and expanding knowledge-oriented research at universities of applied sciences. The new analysis platform allows researchers at H-BRS to carry out measurements that were previously not possible in this form. In addition, the technology and the newly recruited technical employee, who looks after the equipment and coordinates its use, mean that significantly more analyses can be carried out in parallel.
Ten years of the TREE Institute
A retreat on a special occasion – together with numerous professors, research associates and invited guests, the Institute of Technology, Resource and Energy-efficient Engineering (TREE) celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2023. This is how long the institute has been standing for future-oriented research. Key projects include the optimisation of renewable energies and the development of sustainable plastics. The success of the TREE Institute cannot be overlooked. The team now comprises 30 professors and 50 research associates.
Networking and cooperation have been greatly expanded both within the university itself and externally. At the retreat, the participants spent two days discussing research field development, newcomer success stories, and the balancing of teaching and research. The retreat agenda also included poster pitch presentations by the 25 doctoral students at the institute. The three best contributions were awarded cash prizes by a professorial jury.
Science first-hand
Research Day presents solutions for the future
Packaging material made from rhubarb and drones for reforestation projects – on Research Day in June 2023, visitors learned about ongoing research work at Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg – University of Applied Sciences. The climate crisis and its consequences formed the thematic focus. “Our research is primarily intended to support the socio-ecological transformation. Especially since the flood disaster in 2021, which severely affected the university itself, making a contribution on the part of science is a personal concern of ours,” says Professor Remi Maier-Rigaud, Vice President for Research and Young Academics.
for instance. In Professor Tanja Clees’ hydrogen laboratory, they were able to find out more about the energy source of the future. “I give tours of our hydrogen laboratory on Research Day. I show the guests our hydrogen storage tanks and the inside of the systems, and I explain the functions of the devices,” reports Clees. “It’s great to see how interested people are in the topic of hydrogen and the exciting questions they ask. I once calculated for a visitor how much water would be needed to produce enough hydrogen to supply his business with hydrogen-based electricity for a year.”
Motivating young talent
Touching and trying: Research Day offers plenty of inspiration
For the first time in four years, Research Day was once again held in person. Researchers provided insights into their work at 13 stands and in 10 laboratories on the Sankt Augustin campus – touching and trying things out were finally part of the programme again. Visitors could view molecules through VR glasses and observe threadworms through microscopes,
“The audience was a colourful mix,” says doctoral student Usha Singh, who presented her experimental study on breaks during shift work as part of a poster exhibition. “I particularly like the fact that I was approached by students who were interested in pursuing a PhD themselves and had questions about the doctoral procedures. “I’m pleased to be in contact with prospective young researchers and to be able to exchange honest advice with them.” The doctoral student from the Department of Management Sciences also emphasises the importance of contact with researchers from other departments. “Unfortunately, you rarely encounter people outside your own department. The interdisciplinary exchange with colleagues was therefore a valuable part of Research Day for me,” says Singh.
“Palpable spirit of optimism”
As one of only ten universities of applied sciences, H-BRS has been awarded one of the first DFG research grants. Professor Remi Maier-Rigaud, Vice President for Research and Young Academics, explains the funding programme.
| What does this structural funding from the DFG mean for the research profile of H-BRS?
ą This research impulse is a great success for us. It is proof of our very strong research profile, also in basic research, as we were competing with 68 other institutes of higher education. The fact that we were one of only ten universities of applied sciences to be awarded funding is an incentive for us. With the DFG funding, we will be able to systematically develop our focus on life sciences and health over the next five years and position ourselves as an important research partner in biomedicine. The spirit of optimism at H-BRS is palpable.
| CytoTransport first had to gain recognition within the university – why was this project in particular so convincing?
ą Three aspects were decisive. Firstly, the concept of CytoTransport – researching the underlying causes of diseases of the metabolic and immune systems, for instance – is highly relevant to society and was presented very clearly by the
researchers. Secondly, we attach great importance to knowledge-oriented research in this project, which is a decisive funding criterion for the DFG. And thirdly, researchers from three institutes and departments are involved, which promotes interdisciplinary collaboration at H-BRS in the long term and creates synergies that enable a special added scientific value.
| What opportunities does this DFG research impulse offer young researchers?
ą We are setting up a junior research group and will be able to employ nine doctoral students and two postdocs in the CytoTransport project. The funding programme thus sends out a strong impulse that creates a new, crossuniversity spirit of research with plenty of room for fresh ideas. The timing couldn‘t be any better, as we can benefit from the new right to award doctorates through the Graduate School for Applied Research NRW and further strengthen our research profile.
Knowledge-oriented, cutting-edge research
German Research Foundation funds the establishment of an interdisciplinary life science centre at H-BRS
In the end, only ten out of the 69 universities of applied sciences in the competition succeeded in winning funding from the prestigious new “Research Impulses” programme of the German Research Foundation (DFG) – among them H-BRS. The idea of an interdisciplinary research centre that investigates the causes of high blood pressure or diseases of the metabolic and immune systems convinced Germany’s largest research funding organisation across the board.
More scope for future-oriented research
Starting in April 2024, the joint project CytoTransport will receive funding of around six million euros for five years to research transport mechanisms in cells and their molecular interactions in health and disease. The focus is on the transport of vital substances across cell membranes, a process that ensures the functioning of the human organism. Faulty transport mechanisms can be linked to serious diseases. “Modulating the activity of transport proteins plays an important role in the development of new therapeutic strategies,” explains CytoTransport spokesperson Professor Mike Althaus. “Among other topics, we will now conduct targeted research into the molecular mechanisms that control transport processes, such as how active ingredients affect transport proteins and what is needed for them to have the best possible effect.”
Scientists from two H-BRS institutes – the Institute for Functional Gene Analytics (IFGA) and the Institute for Technology, Resource and Energy-efficient Engineering (TREE) are involved in the project. Althaus is pleased that DFG funding creates more scope for interdisciplinary, knowledge-oriented research.
“With the help of computer-aided predictions and artificial intelligence, we can formulate new hypotheses and carry out more targeted experiments, such as on the question of whether new materials made from renewable raw materials can be used as transport-components in order to optimise the transport of active ingredients in the body. That is a great win.” Young scientists will also benefit. Nine doctoral students and two postdocs will work on the project. The researchers are also collaborating with other institutes in Germany, the USA, Denmark, the UK and Israel.
Through CytoTransport, H-BRS is making an important contribution to personalised medicine. In the future, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases will focus more on the individual person with their specific characteristics and traits. Fundamental research into the effect of individual gene variants on the use of certain drugs is an important component of this. This is precisely what the CytoTransport team is focusing on: “We want to establish a centre of excellence that works with partners from biomedical research and clinical practice to develop scientific solutions to individual problems”.
Taking a closer look for personalised medicine: Which molecular mechanisms control the transport processes in the cells?
Prof. Dr Margit Schulze
researches the transformation of the chemical industry with a focus on industrial organic chemistry and polymers and has been Special Professor for Sustainable Technologies since 2023
“The transformation of the chemistry sector into a greenhouse gas-free industry is a huge challenge that will only succeed if many individual building blocks are interlinked. At H-BRS, we conduct research into the use and re-use of renewable raw materials, especially residual and waste materials, which can be used to produce products, such as paper or films and sheeting. We work closely with long-standing interdisciplinary partners from the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Bonn and the Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology at FH Aachen – University of Applied Sciences with the long-term goal of developing bio-based components for packaging and biomedical applications. Cooperation across disciplinary boundaries is absolutely beneficial to research because we can only solve the major challenges together. But research also requires freedom in order to unlock its potential. If the transformation towards a regenerative global economy is to succeed and be realised in a socially fair manner, then we need strong democratic structures that leave scope for social discourse.”
“I have plenty of flexibility”
In September 2023, computer scientist Jascha Knack enrolled at H-BRS as the first doctoral student under the new regulations governing the conferral of PhDs
| Why did you decide to earn a doctorate at H-BRS?
ą I completed my Bachelor‘s degree in Computer Science at H-BRS and never completely lost contact. After finishing my Master‘s degree at Trier University, I began working freelance for large companies, which is how I came up with the idea for the subject of my PhD – how to use machine learning to break down complex, self-contained software into smaller, coordinated modules (known as microservices), to enable us to speed up and improve their further development? This topic brought my current doctoral supervisor and H-BRS professor, Martin Müller, who researches AI, to mind. We had an intensive professional exchange and just at that moment, the new regulations surrounding the right to award doctorates were rolled out. All the framework conditions suited me, so I decided to pursue a doctorate at H-BRS.
| What advantages does earning a doctorate at H-BRS offer you?
ą I appreciate the special blend of very specialised technical expertise, a strong focus on application and the family atmosphere here at H-BRS. I feel well supported in every respect. I also have plenty of flexibility. In addition to earning my doctorate, I work full-time as a research associate at the Institute for the Protection of Terrestrial Infrastructures at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). Because everyone involved is working towards the same goal – I found my second supervisor, Professor Alexander Popp from the University of the Bundeswehr in Munich, through DLR, for instance – it is much easier for me to balance working towards my doctorate with my job. I am very happy with this arrangement.
| What role does the Graduate School for Applied Research NRW (PK NRW) play?
ą PK NRW will officially award me my doctorate at the conclusion of my studies. In the course of earning my doctorate, I am also completing an interesting qualification programme there. In addition to research colloquia, there are also courses such as “Good Scientific Practice and Ethics”. In the scope of these workshops, I come into contact with doctoral students from a variety of disciplines from all over NRW. This kind of mutual exchange is not available everywhere. I find it very enriching to be able to discuss ideas on these topics with doctoral students from other contexts. This strengthens our self-image as scientists in a democratic society.
Dawning of a new era
Since 2023, H-BRS has been overseeing doctorates independently through the Graduate School for Applied
Research NRW
Since autumn 2023, up-and-coming researchers at research-intensive universities of applied sciences (UAS) in NRW have been able to enrol in doctoral programmes at the Graduate School for Applied Research NRW (PK NRW) without the need for cooperation with a conventional university. The NRW Ministry of Culture and Science cleared the way in 2022 by granting PK NRW the independent right to award doctorates. In doing so, the ministry is recognising the strength of the research conducted at universities of applied sciences in a way that the leadership of Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, in particular, has long fought for. “This is a very special and important step in the history of North Rhine-Westphalia’s universities of applied sciences,” emphasises University President Hartmut Ihne. He has been involved in the topic at the federal state level on the board of PK NRW since it was founded and was confirmed in office in November 2023.
Strong research of our own
PK NRW pools the research capacities of 21 universities of applied sciences in NRW. Professors with strong research skills from the member UAEs are now authorised to oversee doctorates independently as primary supervisors. There are currently around 300 university lecturers, including more than 30 from H-BRS. Doctoral students have been able to enrol here since the beginning of September 2023 under the new doctoral degree regulations – a milestone. By the end of 2023, the number of newly enrolled doctoral students had hit double figures. “This greatly reduces the need for our young
researchers to coordinate their studies, which was necessary in the past for cooperative doctorates with universities,” says Professor Rainer Herpers, director of the Graduate Institute at H-BRS and founding director of the Department of Informatics and Data Science at PK NRW.
H-BRS wins out across the board. The independent right to award doctorates is not only attractive for students, research associates and professors, it also strengthens research activities as a whole. As President Ihne of H-BRS explains: “We should not conceal the fact that it is also a question of resources. As an institution authorised to award doctorates, we now have access to research funding that was previously closed to us”.
Digital assistant supports people with visual impairments while shopping: ARGUS research project
A quick stop at the supermarket on the way home – for many it is part of everyday life, but it is often a major challenge for people who are blind or visually impaired. Grocery shops are rarely barrier-free. Narrow aisles, special offers that change weekly and products with very similar packaging make orientation difficult. In the worst-case scenario, these barriers can lead people who are blind or visually impaired to avoid the daily grocery shopping experience altogether if possible. “Shopping is more than just an item on the to-do list, it’s also social participation, and we want to strengthen this through our research project,” explains Margarita Esau-Held, research associate at the Institute for Digital Consumption (IVI) and part of the ARGUS project team. With its focus on social participation, the project fits in perfectly with the profile of the IVI, whose director, Professor Alexander Boden, has also held a special professorship in economical and social sustainability at H-BRS since 2023.
Focus on people
The aim of the ARGUS research project, which is being funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) for three years, is to develop a smart digital “agent” that helps people navigate the supermarket and provides shopping advice at each product shelf. To implement this concept, special augmented reality glasses equipped with a microdisplay and an integrated camera are being customised to work perfectly together with a smartphone voice assistant. For the project, H-BRS is working together with Bonn-based Petanux GmbH and the two start-ups Sonic View and VAGO Solutions – the latter founded by H-BRS alumni Dr Daryoush Vaziri and David Golchinfar.
The IVI is responsible for the scientific support and the development of its own module for product advice at the shopping shelves. The researchers are closely following the user-centred design approach. In workshops and observation studies with people from the target group, they can precisely identify wishes and behaviour. Based on this data, the researchers develop appropriate recommendations for the design of the end product. “The user-centred design approach ensures that the assistant will actually be used by the target group in the end, because it will provide people with visual impairments and blindness the support they want exactly when and where they require it,” explains Esau-Held.
Quality of life despite visual impairment thanks to ARGUS: The shop shelf should no longer represent a challenge
Human perspective at the centre
H-BRS establishes new Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems (A2S)
Research into humanrobot interaction: Task for Master’s students in the degree programme
Autonomous Systems
Research into artificial intelligence (AI) has been an integral part of H-BRS’s DNA for years. To consolidate this expertise across the university, a further step was taken in March 2023 – the establishment of the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems (A2S). The institute unites research, teaching and transfer and strengthens interdisciplinary exchange. “The new institute not only enables us to bundle
research disciplines internally, but also to communicate our strong expertise in AI more effectively to the outside world,” says Teena Chakkalayil Hassan, director of the institute. In September 2023, the professor took over from the founding director, Professor Nico Hochgeschwender, who followed a call to the University of Bremen.
Focus on personalisation and adaptability
Teena Chakkalayil Hassan is an expert in human-robot interaction and wants to expand this field of research at the A2S. “Researching the social acceptance of AI systems is key if we want to make people’s lives easier in the future with services such as assistance robots,” she emphasises. “Many people in Germany are critical of the use of AI. So we need to understand exactly what hurdles they see and what they need in order to accept useful AI-based support services.” One approach is to personalise the systems more. For instance, AI algorithms that are programmed for human interactions will have to adapt even more dynamically to the specific needs of the individuals with whom they interact.
A good example is the MigrAVE research project, which ended in 2023. Researchers at H-BRS developed a robotic learning assistant for children with autism spectrum disorder. This multilingual and culturally sensitive complementary technology is designed to support both therapists and parents. “The software used in MigrAVE has been refined so that it adapts to the user. It repeats the task, for instance, or changes the speed if this is helpful for learning success. We want to build
on these results in new research projects,” explains Hassan.
The A2S’s research focuses include hospital logistics and AI for healthcare and environmental perception. The researchers are working on intelligent modular platforms that can transport particularly bulky objects, such as hospital beds, and thus relieve the burden on healthcare staff, for example.
For the future, Institute Director Hassan hopes to become even more firmly positioned in the region and expand into additional fields of research. She is currently working with three other professors and eight research associates at the A2S. The researchers are already cooperating intensively with small- and medium-sized enterprises in the region. Ever since ChatGPT and similar applications have begun dominating the social discourse, the institute has received more and more enquiries. “We are very pleased about the high level of interest in our research and want to establish ourselves as a strong partner for local authorities and industry in the region in the long term. Our students and doctoral candidates also benefit from this. They can put their theoretical knowledge into practice in exciting application-related projects,” says Hassan.
In the spotlight
Prof. Dr Teena
Chakkalayil Hassan
More:
ȹ www.h-brs.de/en/ia2s
Teena Chakkalayil Hassan came to Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg –University of Applied Sciences from Kerala, India over ten years ago to earn her Master’s degree in Autonomous Systems. After successfully completing her degree, she worked at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS and at the universities of Bamberg (where she earned her doctorate), Bielefeld and Bremen. In March 2023, Teena Chakkalayil Hassan returned as a professor. In September of that year, she also took over as head of the new Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems (K2S). The computer scientist specialises in research in the field of “Mathematical Foundations of Autonomous Systems”. “I’m delighted to be back in my favourite city, Bonn, and at H-BRS,” says Hassan. There, where a strongly research-oriented Master’s programme motivated her to go into science, she now wants to interest and inspire the next generations in science and research. Growing up with a mathematician for a mother, she is particularly keen to promote women in her field of research – in her home country of India, women are much more strongly represented in STEM professions than they are in Germany.
More:
ȹ https://enershelf.de
The EnerSHelF partners
• International Centre for Sustainable Development (IZNE) of Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg –University of Applied Sciences
• Technische Hochschule Köln – University of Applied Sciences
• University of Augsburg
• Reiner Lemoine Institute
• West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use
• University for Development Studies, Ghana
• Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
• SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, Ghana
• WestfalenWIND GmbH
• European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes
Photovoltaic energy promotes good health
Interdisciplinary research project improves energy security in Ghana‘s healthcare sector
From medical equipment to lifts – hospitals require a stable power supply around the clock. Power outages jeopardise the medical care of patients. According to the WHO, however, more than one billion people worldwide do not have unrestricted access to healthcare – particularly affected are countries in the Global South, where blackouts are frequent. For this reason, professors Stefanie Meilinger and Katja Bender from the International Centre for Sustainable Development (IZNE) are researching the potential solutions offered by photovoltaic systems at Ghanaian healthcare institutions in the Energy Self-Sufficiency for Health Facilities (EnerSHelF) project.
“The EnerSHelF consortium conducts interdisciplinary research into the relationship between health and energy. We combine perspectives from engineering, meteorological and development economics perspectives,” explains Katja Bender, Professor of Economics. The researchers conducted surveys to determine both the status quo and the willingness of hospitals to secure their energy supply through the use of photovoltaic systems. Political and economic framework conditions were also analysed. “We analysed all of these interrelationships in order to understand where we need to start in order to make the transition to clean solar energy a success,” emphasises Bender.
From a technical perspective, there are special challenges in a country like Ghana, explains Stefanie Meilinger, Professor for Sustainable Technologies. “When implementing PV systems, we need to think about storage from the outset so that longer grid outages can be
It’s not always sunny: Weather conditions must also be taken into account if photovoltaic systems are to ensure energy security in Ghana
bridged and the use of diesel engines can be avoided during the next blackout.”
EnerSHelF was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) from 2019 to 2023. The high social relevance of the topic is demonstrated not least by the fact that Meilinger and Bender were invited to present their research findings at the 2023 COP28 World Climate Conference. “The resilience of hospitals’ energy supply is a global issue. We’re staying on top of it,” says Meilinger.
strengthen
for a fair, sustainable, democratic future
Transformation requires good stories
Generating knowledge to ensure human survival – the United Nations University (UNU) in Bonn is making a key contribution under the leadership of Professor Dr Xiaomeng Shen. In the following interview, Xiaomeng Shen talks with University President Hartmut Ihne about climate risks, transformation and the tasks of science communication. Further topics on the table include the role students and institutes of higher education play in the transformation process and the opportunities that lie beyond the concept of economic growth.
|
“Knowledge to Transform the World” is the motto on the website of United Nations University. How do you interpret this?
ą Prof. Dr Xiaomeng Shen: Behind this motto lies a major mandate. The UNU Charter states that we shall generate knowledge for human survival. We are committed to this goal in three areas: climate, energy and the environment; peace and security; and social change and economic development. Our 13 UNU institutes around the world each have their own focus in these areas. In Bonn, we conduct research on climate risks and transformation.
| Could you explain that in more concrete terms? What do you understand by transformation, and what exactly do you see as your task?
ą Shen: A vivid example of this is the German governmentfunded International Climate Initiative, in which we are participating with an extensive research project. We have set
up five “urban labs” in marginal and informal settlements in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico to find out how we can make these settlements more sustainable and climatefriendly without repeating the mistakes of traditional urban development. Transformation must be supported and lived by the people; it cannot be imposed on them from above. In our case, we often find that the inhabitants of marginalised and informal settlements do not take an active interest in climate change and its consequences due to other pressing problems. Their top priority is often basic necessities, such as securing enough food for the family. That is why we take a few steps back and ask what people actually require and how policy can help them get it. Only afterwards do we bring the stakeholders in the urban labs together and focus on how they can make their neighbourhoods more sustainable and climate-friendly. Our plan is to share our findings from the urban labs with the rest of the world.
|Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg – University of Applied Sciences is also looking closely at the topic of transformation. How do you understand the term and what is important to you, Professor Ihne?
ą Prof. Dr Hartmut Ihne: Transformation encompasses the whole of reality. The idea behind this is that we need to transform economies in the face of the ecological challenges of climate change in order to make them environmentally sustainable. As early as 1992, the UN conference in Rio developed the sustainability triangle, which comprises ecological, economic and social aspects. And today, digital transformation has been added to the mix. Digitalisation has created an eighth continent on which we live, in which we communicate, do business and change our identities. We need to shape this young continent in such a way that it promotes sustainability and respects human dignity, in terms of legal issues, for instance. Thinking about harmonising sustainability and digitalisation is a major task. I am therefore very pleased that we have made this topic a central concern in Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg’s development plan. Among other measures, all degree programmes are required to address sustainability issues in this context.
| In addition to transformation, you mentioned climate risks as a focus of your work, Ms Shen. In your current UNU report on the risk tipping points, you show how all factors in climate change are inherently interconnected. Many people feel overwhelmed by this complexity. How do you still manage to reach them?
ą Shen: As a UN university, we conduct policy-relevant research. Our mandate states that we must communicate our research findings to the public. So, for the report on the risk tipping points, we followed a new approach and attempted to communicate science through art. This allows us to appeal directly to people‘s emotions – anyone who sees the pictures in the report becomes curious. We also work together with the Bundeskunsthalle Bonn to communicate science through formats such as talk shows in the studio there with guests from the field of art. And, of course, we also publish our research on various social media channels. It is very important to us to communicate science both rationally and emotionally.
ą Ihne: Science communication is an immensely important joint task that we should begin in the school years or even earlier. Of course, this is not easy because science is the most radical space of rationality. But it is also the only space that
is able to decode reality, to break it down into its component parts in order to see how they interact with each other and how a reality might need to be reconfigured for the future. Unfortunately, science is not sufficiently present in the public sphere. Research results and the researchers themselves are not visible enough and are allotted too little time in news programmes, for instance. Our task is to make science accessible without trivialising it.
ą Shen: I agree that science needs more space in the public perception. I recently read that less than ten per cent of all scientific findings are reported on by the media. Most of the time, the findings that are reported on stem from the natural sciences; social research is rarely presented. That is a problem because transformation primarily requires social change.
ą Ihne: A good example of the dominance of the natural sciences is the theory of ecological tipping points developed by climate researcher Hans-Joachim Schellnhuber at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. The theory concerns the point at which natural systems “tip” and can no longer be controlled. What did not play a role in these considerations were socio-economic tipping points. A perspective that is fundamentally based on the natural system fails to recognise the importance of social systems. A misguided environmental policy can lead to the destruction of the economic livelihoods of entire population groups. Whether a civil war breaks out because of social injustice or because of ecological consequences is irrelevant to those who are affected by it. It is now generally accepted that the climate debate must be addressed holistically – a realisation that must also be credited to the humanities and social sciences. Ultimately, it is essential that people support a reasonable environmental policy. Unfortunately, we also experience the opposite. The complex sustainability debate leads to certain groups not wanting to participate, whereby the rejection of environmental policy and participation is partially politically motivated.
| How can science contribute to creating a willingness on the part of people to change?
ą Shen: First of all, we need to recognise that many people fear change in general. So the first step is to alleviate this fear and encourage them to be able to imagine a better future. In our report on the risk tipping points, we show that there is still a lot we can all do. It is not too late yet.
ą Ihne: What do you think about increasing the use of role models? Science is theoretical, rational. A lot of talking is done in our field. Arguments are discussed, resolutions drawn up. People read them and then start talking again. The same people always meet each other in these discussions. But there are over eight billion people out there who are not even involved in this dialogue. And their participation is a prerequisite for transformation. We should develop motivating role models and create a fun, engaging approach to scientific knowledge.
ą Shen: I completely agree. We absolutely need role models, courageous journalists, courageous scientists who encourage others with their stories. After all, telling stories is part of the human experience. We live in the era of the “attention economy” – everyone is competing for our attention. But our attention spans are limited. That is why we
should no longer tell stories about doomsday scenarios, but instead create hope and show what is possible. To accomplish this, we require role models.
| Is it more about individual role models or also about the big picture in the form of utopias?
ą Ihne: Utopias play a major role in the social and political sciences. They are blueprints of a possible future, and it is important to talk about them. I agree with the assessment that we talk far too little about what we have accomplished. If we look back just 50 or 100 years, we can see very clearly how many social and technological achievements have improved our lives since then. If we want to motivate people to change and transform, our stories must also be about what we have achieved and take a positive view of the future.
ą Shen: In my opinion, we should not even shy away from taking a lesson from advertising. Good marketing appeals to us and strikes a chord in us so that we buy the advertised products. We also want to connect with people through science.
| Are students a good link to society? What do you give your students so that they can shape a sustainable future themselves?
ą
Ihne: All students are potential “agents of change”, young people who will help shape reality. But they not only help to shape society, but also contribute their questions and ideas and thus provide important new impulses for science. This reciprocity is essential. Here at the university, we have committed ourselves to providing students with another dimension in addition to specialised knowledge. We discuss ethics with them, entrust them with responsibility and allow them to participate in the transformation process. Antoine de SaintExupéry said that if you want to train good shipbuilders, teach them to yearn for the sea. That is a very clever image – because good technology is important, but longing for the sea raises the question of meaning. Why are we doing all this? This mixture of pragmatic professionalism and idealistic morality is our goal. With our ethics courses, we want to achieve what I refer to as “activating ethics”.
| What does that mean exactly?
ą Ihne: I understand that to mean dealing with ethical issues that affect us directly and prompt us to take action. That is why we established the university‘s Centre for Ethics and Responsibility. At our most recent
retreat, the university administration decided to redistribute the curricular content of our degree programmes in the future: 90 per cent of the content is subject-related; ten per cent is interdisciplinary. This is where narratives, participation and a sense of responsibility are developed. It is about questions like: What does democracy mean? How endangered is democracy? What does freedom mean? What is transformation? Are we obliged to participate? What does it mean to be a free citizen in a state? Ethics is a form of self-commitment on the part of the individual. It resonates with me, and I have to learn to commit myself to it rather than expecting others to do so. This is the principle of well-founded ethics. Each of us must commit ourselves to doing certain things and to leaving certain things as they are – voluntarily. All of this plays a role in interdisciplinary work, and I am very happy that we have succeeded in establishing this throughout the university.
ą Shen: We only supervise 24 to 25 students in our Geography of Environmental Risks degree programme. Those who opt for this Master‘s programme are fundamentally idealistic and dedicate two years of their lives to making the world a little safer and protecting it from catastrophes. I tell our
students from the first moment they are welcomed here that UNU is not just about getting a degree, but about making a real contribution. If they want to achieve this, they have to think very boldly, globally and “outside the box”.
| How do you approach politics and the economy?
ą Shen: As UNU, we are part of global UN processes and the UN Climate Change Conference (COP). The SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) are the result of a very large participatory UN process, which we are helping to achieve through scientific research. Our work is continuous because in between the actual conferences we are asked for input on specific issues, such as the discussion on damage and loss or the Global Goals on Adaptation. At the climate conferences themselves, we organise onsite events to share our knowledge with decision-makers. At the same time, we do a lot of listening – how the negotiations are going, what the member states want and what knowledge they lack. This is precisely the knowledge that we produce through our research. This is how our policy consultation works.
| Do you have a concrete example that illustrates your work?
ą Shen: My institute was one of the first to examine the phenomenon of climate migration. We introduced the term into the process of the world climate conferences, which has resulted in long-lasting implications for science and politics. This term gives visibility to the people who have to migrate due to the consequences of climate change. This is just one example, but it has raised awareness of the people and the problem itself.
| What role do the universities of applied sciences play?
ą Ihne: To be able to advise companies and large organisations from a scientific perspective, we have to do two things. On the one hand, we need to understand the interests of the stakeholders and include them in the context of the consultation. On the other hand, we have to help create certain atmospheres. For example, profit-orientated companies have developed an increased interest in manufacturing sustainable products in recent years. Why is that so? Because society as a whole has been discussing the need for a sustainability transformation for a long time. Without this atmosphere,
the transformation would not succeed. This connection to the “outside world” is anchored in the mindset of universities of applied sciences. We want to make our findings accessible to the broader public.
ą Shen: I find the aspect of atmosphere very interesting – it creates a resonance chamber. If we, the scientific community, only talk to each other, then we have a limited resonance chamber. In today‘s world, however, we absolutely need the largest possible resonance chamber because the task is so enormous. This means that we have to talk to politicians, the private sector, NGOs and everyone else so that the resonance is as large as possible.
| Can we make progress towards a sustainable transformation if our economic system continues to focus on growth?
ą Shen: I recently had the opportunity to speak about innovation at the Future Cleantech Festival in Remscheid. This made me think of the economist Ernst Schumacher, who wrote the book Small is Beautiful. A Study of Economics as if People Mattered. Although this book is over 50 years old, it is highly relevant to the situation today. We often focus too much on innovation without deriving any benefit
from it. The crucial question is: How can companies innovate in a way that serves the good of humanity? The idea that economic growth is the only path to a good life is firmly entrenched in our minds. We should free ourselves from that thought. What is the good life? We humans are part of nature. But we see ourselves as existing outside of it, and this perception is problematic – because if we do not look after the well-being of all species, humanity will perish. In this respect, the question should be changed. Instead of asking ourselves the question “Is economic growth good or bad?”, we should think about how we want to live. What do we need to lead a good life? It does not necessarily have to be economic growth – although growth in and of itself is not wrong. The problem is that if I take something, be it from nature or from other people, then I also have to give something back. I think we have been skipping the giving back half of the equation the entire time. We know that certain resources are limited, yet we consume them and do not think about what we can and must give back.
ą Ihne: We must not deprive nature of what it needs to exist.
ą Shen: “Being” is a key concept. I always say that we are not “human beings” but rather “human doings”. We do not allow ourselves to just be, to just sit. We first have to re-learn how to do that. This so-called idle time is precisely the space in which creativity and innovation emerge. But we think we always have to do more, get more, earn more, buy more, consume more.
ą Ihne: Two cultural imprints seem to be particularly characterised by the high pressure to perform: Confucianism and Protestantism. Max Weber described this very impressively in his famous book The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Protestantism gave rise to an ethic of doing, of the will to work in order to obtain God‘s grace. Confucianism also embraces an ethic of high willingness to achieve. Cultures in which people are required to have a strong will to achieve are economic drivers on the planet.
ą Shen: People say that in a healthy society, different types of culture exist in parallel. Society requires a balance, but we are currently dominated by one side.
Prof. Dr Xiaomeng Shen
researches sustainability, the relationship between humans and nature, and risk perception and communication. Since 2020, she has been Vice Rector of the United Nations University (UNU) in Europe and Director of the UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security in Bonn. The institute deals with the risks and vulnerability of people in connection with environmental hazards and global change. Founded in 2003, its research is aimed at better understanding the cause-and-effect relationship of climate change in order to enable humankind to protect ourselves from complex natural hazards in the future. Hochschule Bonn-RheinSieg – University of Applied Sciences appointed the Doctor of Geography as an honorary professor at the International Centre for Sustainable Development (IZNE) in 2021.
“Language courses are lively, democratic places”
From German courses to language tandem programmes – the H-BRS Language Centre opens up intercultural spaces for dynamic interaction. Jeannette Bergmann, director of the Language Centre since 2017, explains why language learning is worthwhile despite AI translation tools.
What tasks does the H-BRS Language Centre fulfil?
Is it still worth learning a foreign language in the age of AI translation tools?
Around 75 to 80 per cent of our work is made up of curriculum-based language courses in the various degree programmes. If you are interested in learning languages beyond the compulsory programme, you can take one of our many foreign language courses, such as Japanese, or join the language tandem programme. For international students, we offer German courses to accompany their studies, and they are very well received. We also offer a Writing Centre and a Speaking (and Language-) Learning Lab where students can get training in academic writing and presenting in German and English, among other skills.
Absolutely! AI translation tools are undoubtedly practical, and when used alongside other AI tools, they are quite beneficial for language learning and teaching. But learning a language offers a different kind of value. Engaging with language and negotiating meaning make equitable communication possible, and this in turn is a prerequisite for participating in society. The focus is not on mastering the language flawlessly, but rather on being aware of the special features of other cultures and being capable of responding to them.
You mentioned equitable communication. What else do you pass on to students apart from foreign language skills?
Students acquire skills here that will not only benefit them during their studies, but also in their future lives. Learning and speaking foreign languages opens up diverse perspectives on new cultural and intellectual spaces. This promotes intercultural understanding – a valuable asset in our globalised world. Language courses are communicative and lively, democratic places where people interact with respect and tolerance.
Change of perspective: Internship semesters enrich students and companies
Many students at Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg – University of Applied Sciences complete an internship semester in business and industry during their studies. This provides them with valuable experience for their future careers. But the companies benefit from the exchange, too.
“During my internship semester at Deutsche Telekom, I worked in B2B segment marketing for the largest business clients. I have a good understanding of operational processes thanks to my application-oriented international business studies, so I could contribute immediately. I was able to work independently on many creative projects from day one. Within the first three months of my internship, I had already designed numerous flyers, adverts, banners and other products that were used in national and sometimes international advertising campaigns. I supported the sales division with customer presentations, the organisation and promotion of salesboosting webinars, and the preparation of our largest customer event, Digital X in Cologne.”
Patrick Reuber is studying in the Bachelor’s programme International Business and has completed a practical semester with Deutsche Telekom AG in B2B segment marketing
“Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg – University of Applied Sciences is one of our most important strategic education partners in the Bonn region. No other higher education institute in Germany regularly sends us so many interns. A large number of H-BRS alumni also work for us. This speaks for the high quality of the skilled professionals who come from the university. With them, we are gaining talented people with a practical and solution-orientated mindset who are very familiar with the current trends that affect us. This is not something that we can simply take for granted and is largely thanks to the dedicated professors who regularly integrate current economic topics into their teaching. We also benefit directly from this because, thanks to their practical training, students can profitably contribute to our company right from the start during their practical semester, internship or dissertation phase.”
Markus Lecke is responsible for skills management at Deutsche Telekom AG and is a member of the advisory board of the Department of Management Sciences at H-BRS
“My internship semester at Haribo offered me many different new impressions. Interacting with the factory employees, accompanying job interviews and projects, but also creating and writing presentations enriched my experience. I was able to complete many tasks independently and support my colleagues. Working for a company whose products I was very familiar with was particularly interesting. Now I know Haribo not only as a consumer, but also from the perspective of the corporate world in which I was allowed to immerse myself. Getting a taste of the working world and being able to deepen my understanding and apply course content in practice was extremely beneficial.”
Franziska Haidt is studying business psychology at the Rheinbach campus and gained insight into HARIBO GmbH during her internship semester
“H-BRS’s internship semester is particularly valuable for Haribo, as it gives us the opportunity to get to know talented, potential future employees at an early stage. As a company, we benefit from the new ideas, approaches and insights that the interns bring with them from their studies at H-BRS. At the same time, students are given the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in practice, acquire their first professional experience and gain insight into the operational processes of an international market leader. We were also recently able to give 30 H-BRS students insight into the colourful world of Haribo as part of our Practice Day.”
Angela Knauber is Head of Talent Acquisition – Employer Branding at HARIBO GmbH
From Ukraine to Afghanistan
International perspectives on democracy, sustainability and a fair society
The global community is facing major challenges in the struggle for a fair, sustainable and democratic future. How do international students interpret these principles? How do they experience their implementation in daily (university) life? Three international students describe their perspectives.
“To me, democracy means actively shaping society”
“Democracy and sustainability are not just hollow words at H-BRS but values that are lived. This can be seen in courses such as the degree programme Sustainable Social Policy. But the principles are also put into practice. That is important to me because, to me, democracy not only means freedom of choice, but also means I can play a role in actively shaping society. There are initiatives at H-BRS, such as the Student Parliament and the Green Office, which are committed to a fair and sustainable society. An international student body is both a great enrichment and an obligation. As an institution open to the world, H-BRS fosters diversity and tolerance and combats discrimination.”
Maryna Yatsola is originally from Ukraine. She is studying business psychology in the Department of Management Sciences
“Democratic values are lived through students’ opportunities for co-determination”
“Fairness, democracy and sustainability are the pillars of a sustainable society, and H-BRS is contributing towards shaping this. Sustainable initiatives such as recycling programmes and energyefficient buildings reflect the university’s environmental awareness. At the same time, the diversity and inclusion policies promote equal opportunities and fair access to resources. Democratic values are lived through students’ opportunities for co-determination in committees and boards. To me, this is an important cornerstone of democracy. In order to strengthen social interaction even more, I would like to see more intensive networking between German and international students.
Jawid Shoja is originally from Afghan istan. He is studying biomedical sciences in the Department of Natural Sciences
“Democracy means cohesion”
“To me, sustainability is closely linked to renewable energies. No one should be adversely impacted by the production of energy. We should focus on technologies that neither pollute the environment nor jeopardise health. Instead, we must work together to create a sustainable society in which people have equal opportunities and no one is disadvantaged. Democracy is crucial for this because democracy means cohesion. The defence of democratic values is particularly important in times of a shift to the right. It is good that H-BRS is actively addressing these issues. Sustainability and democracy are lived and discussed in the degree programmes and university policy.”
Mike Stein is originally from Luxembourg. He is studying sustainable engineering in the Department of Engineering and Communication
Social Media is … not at fault for everything
The narrative that social media is at fault for all of society’s ills misses the mark. Of course, there are correlations between social media use and certain political attitudes that are worrying. But whether we like it or not, in view of the surplus of information available today, traditional news media often lose out. Instagram, TikTok and the like are important sources of information for young people. While this poses a danger, it is also a big chance to reach this age group at a low threshold. This opportunity must not be left to the political extremes. Democratic forces must also use new platforms, maintain a presence there and communicate their content. In this way, social media can represent real added value for a pluralistic democracy.
AI is …
a huge opportunity
AI per se is not a problem but an opportunity. The actual problem lies in its lack of transparency – because to most of us, AI is a black box. We know that it functions, but we cannot understand how it comes up with its answers. That is why we need a large-scale AI campaign that imparts knowledge and skills. Why does ChatGPT spit out this or that result? Which existing biases might be reinforced by the responses of AI chatbots? To be able to assess results correctly, we need to understand the underlying processes. As a university, it is our task to empower the younger generation to critically assess new developments and use AI-powered tools strategically and wisely. Then AI offers us valuable opportunities to shape the future of work and education. As a source of inspiration and a learning assistant, AI tools that are transparent and accessible to all can democratise knowledge and contribute to greater educational equality.
Derya Gür-Şeker has been Professor for Communication and Society at H-BRS since October 2023. The discourse researcher and media scientist specialises in social media communication and marketing, discourses on migration, and cultural studies approaches to artificial intelligence.
liveSustainable action and participatory decisions
In the midst of both local and global challenges, we as a university of applied sciences have been working hard in 2023 to make our contribution to a fair, sustainable and democratic future. We have established innovative programmes that both reflect the diversity of our employees and our student body and promote an inclusive working and learning culture. The renovation of the libraries in Sankt Augustin and Rheinbach is a shining example of this.
By not only creating and imparting knowledge but also applying it in practice, we are actively shaping a sustainable future – with measures such as incorporating new energy concepts and flood protection in the reconstruction of our campus in Rheinbach and the remodelling of our buildings in Sankt Augustin.
In addition, the university‘s sustainability strategy commits us to integrating sustainability into research, teaching, transfer, digitalisation, governance and the campus. We offer five degree programmes in sustainability, covering engineering, chemistry and materials, and social policy. The
supplementary study programme “Responsibility” enables students to intensively engage with ethics, responsibility and sustainability. Special professorships and research projects cover a variety of sustainability topics, including green hydrogen, sustainable mobility and biodiversity. We encourage and foster the exchange of knowledge with business and industry and the local communities in addition to technology transfer.
Democracy and participatory decision-making are cornerstones of our university culture. We have therefore developed new communication formats to actively involve both employees and students in decision-making processes. We must continue to work on this in the future. The aim is to create a broad understanding of university policy and to strengthen trust in our institution through transparency and fact-based communication.
We look back with pride on what we have achieved and have ambitious goals for the future that are based on fairness, sustainability and democracy. With this in mind, we look forward to taking the next steps together.
Angela Fischer, Chancellor
Literary encounters Philosophising together about our recent reads and immersing ourselves in the world of literature – that is the concept behind the new event format “Literaturklatsch’” (“Literary Klatch”). Since November 2023, the library team has been presenting beloved books on selected topics every month and invites anyone interested to bring along their treasured titles and talk about them. The focus is on informal discussions on literary topics and favourite books – to put it simply, a literary klatch.
The “Guests on the Sofa” series also led to exciting encounters in 2023. Twelve readings – including many by prominent authors such as Hanns-Josef Ortheil, Ronja von Rönne, Adriana Altaras and Ulrich Schnabel – attracted numerous visitors to H-BRS.
What is the best way to support the recruitment and further development of professors at H-BRS? What do postdocs need on their path to a professorship? To answer these questions, H-BRS launched the project “Future-Oriented Personnel Recruitment and Development for Professorial Staff at H-BRS” (PeP@H-BRS) in 2023. This initiative is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Ministry of Culture and Science (MKW) in North Rhine-Westphalia as part of the federal/state programme “FH-Personnel”.
ȹ www.h-brs.de/de/vp2/pep
Children’s Uni “World Workshop”
Discover, participate and experiment hands-on – these are the ingredients of the Children‘s University at H-BRS. “We want to convey complex research topics in a way that is relevant to everyday life and suitable for children, thus awakening their interest in getting to the bottom of things,” says project head Caroline Jahn. For the ninth time, from September to March, schoolchildren aged eight to twelve were invited to discover “News from the World Workshop” together with scientists from H-BRS. Whether it was “Making powerful films – the secret of storytelling” or “On the trail of coffee roasting” – there was something for everyone at the events. The children not only explored the TV and video studio or coffee laboratory, but also learned about the importance of education in the fight against poverty based on the example of Kenya, the home country of their lecturer.
Fairtrade University again
The success of H-BRS‘s commitment to sustainability and fair trade was reflected in its recertification as a Fairtrade University by Fairtrade Germany for a further two years in 2023. Among other criteria, the award takes a critical look at campus catering and evaluates campaigns and information events on fair trade. H-BRS also gained recognition for its campus garden and received the environmental prize for Sankt Augustin awarded by the Association for the Protection of Species, Environmental Protection and Nature Conservation (FAUNA). “We were recognised for our initiative to teach students about the importance of a garden for microclimate, biodiversity and health,” says Martina Grein, project head at the Centre for Teaching Development and Innovation (ZIEL) at H-BRS. Talks and guided tours for employees and students are available in the campus garden during the annual Sustainability Week. This special week is organised by the city of Sankt Augustin in cooperation with H-BRS and offers an extensive programme on the topics of ecology, climate change, diversity and social sustainability.
Normality returns to Rheinbach
Renovated library and cafeteria reopen
In the summer of 2021, the university’s Rheinbach campus was impacted by the flood disaster and suffered extensive damage. All of the cellars were flooded and had to be completely renovated. The restoration of buildings E and F has been completed for some time now, and the seminar and office rooms in building G and part of building A are also back in use. The plans for the further reconstruction of buildings A, B and C are being carried out by the university with the support of a general planner and are now in full swing. Parallel to these measures, H-BRS is working on a flood protection concept in order to be better prepared for heavy rainfall events in the future.
The opening of the remodelled Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University and District Library in January 2024 is a real ray of hope for normal campus life in Rheinbach. The cafeteria on the Rheinbach campus has also been reopen since spring 2024 – an important meeting place for students and teaching staff, not only for eating together, but also for socialising. “The university hopes to be back to normal operations in 2025/26,” says Ute Schmitz, Head of Facility Management, Building and Safety.
Looking to the future
At the same time, the university is working on its future at the Sankt Augustin location. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia approved the space allocation plan and provided the corresponding funding for a Learning Centre focused on digitalising teaching as well as an institute and research building for interdisciplinary use. On the neighbouring property, the former sports ground of the Rhein-Sieg-Gymnasium, which has already been acquired, teaching and research facilities covering almost 6,000 square metres will be constructed.
The declared aim of the construction project is to promote digital transformation. That is why a delegation from H-BRS travelled to the Netherlands in November 2023 to view innovative university buildings and gain inspiration for their own planning. Both students and employees from teaching, research and administration took part in the trip to Delft, Utrecht, Wageningen and Rotterdam, which was funded by the Hochschulverband Digitalisierung.
“As with all innovative ideas, we always want to keep the practical side in mind. That’s the first important insight from the discussions. Adjustable tables are a good idea for alternating between frontal teaching and group phases, for instance. But in day-to-day use, conventional tables in combination with swivel chairs are much more practical,” says Professor Marco Winzker, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Teaching, and Digitalization at H-BRS.
Personalised advice, long opening hours, attractive learning environment: The renovated University and District Library at the Rheinbach campus
Reunions for tomorrow
Alumni work supports the future-oriented path of H-BRS
It was the first alumni meeting of the Forensic Sciences degree programme from the Department of Natural Sciences. “On the one hand, we wanted to give the very first graduates of the programme the opportunity to meet up again, and on the other hand, we wanted to network them more closely with us and with each other,” explains Professor Richard Jäger, head of the degree programme and Dean of the Department of Natural Sciences.
The class cohort that met at the Rheinbach campus in early July 2023 had enrolled in the then brand new Bachelor’s degree programme 15 years ago. “In that sense, the alumni meeting was also a kind of test of success for us,” says Jäger. “At the time, the department had taken the risk of setting up a degree programme that would qualify students both for the field of criminology and for industry.”
The Alumni Meeting, organised by the university’s Alumni Office, confirmed the concept in every respect. Some of the graduates who travelled to the event had gone into industry, others had completed a Master’s degree, and three people had chosen to join the police service. “We have since continued to refine the programme, but the idea worked well from the very first year,” says Jäger happily. An important realisation for the department, which is planning a larger meeting after the campus is reconstructed. “Then we’ll also invite students so they can see the colourful spectrum of career opportunities. And maybe we can even convince one of our alumni to teach?”
Reunion at the Rheinbach campus: Alumni return to their place of study
Degree programmes celebrate anniversary
Five years older than Forensic Sciences is the Master’s degree programme in Biomedical Sciences, which also celebrated its anniversary with an alumni reunion in September 2023. Every year there are ten times as many applications for the well-established degree programme as there are places available. For the first time in 20 years, the graduates met at the Rheinbach campus to share ideas and network. They were invited by Professor Harald Illges, head of the degree programme and of the university’s Alumni Office. “We invited graduates from all the years. It was particularly interesting for everyone to see what a broad range of professions our alumni work in today,” says Illges. “Statistically, around half of them go into industry after graduation, the other half go to research institutes for a doctorate and then the majority go into research-based industry.” There was so much interest in the alumni meeting that it is planned to take place again on a larger scale as soon as the Rheinbach campus has been fully rebuilt. “We hope to strengthen H-BRS’s contacts in industry and research in this way too.”
Alumni Workshop in Tanzania
A highlight of the 2023 alumni activities was the first workshop for graduates of the Master’s degree programme Social Protection in the Department of Social Policy and Social Security Studies. Thanks to funding from an alumni programme of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the meeting could take place in Tanzania. “In the English-language Master’s degree programme launched in 2015, we train national and international leaders, mainly from the sub-Saharan Africa region,” explains Abdelrahman Fatoum, research associate in the department. “To date, we have over 100 alumni working in key positions around the world, at international organisations such as the United Nations, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Bank, in ministries and in local communities.”
In the course of the reaccreditation process for the degree programme, a graduate survey revealed that alumni consider international subject-related seminars and further training to be an important contribution towards improving networking and future international development cooperation. “Now, we have proactively initiated this with the first alumni meeting,” says Fatoum.
The workshop held in Dar es Salaam in August 2023 and entitled “Advancing Social Protection in Sub-Saharan Africa – Smart Solutions for the Insurance Sector Developed by H-BRS Alumni” will include a corresponding event in autumn
2024 when the participants are invited to Germany. “This also means that some of the guests will be visiting the university of applied sciences from which they graduated for the very first time,” emphasises Fatoum. During the COVID-19 pandemic, an entire class cohort of students had only met and worked together virtually. The first face-to-face meeting in Tanzania was already especially important for sustainable networking and maintaining the graduates’ ties to Germany. The department also successfully applied for renewed DAAD funding until 2026, and the next meeting will take place in Ghana in summer 2024, according to Fatoum. “We are working strategically and want to expand the workshop into a series of events on social security that will take place in various regions with established partner institutions.”
A number of other alumni events also shaped 2023 – such as a visit with H-BRS alum Dr Christina Pakusch to the Innovation Centre of logistics giant DHL, which focused on future trends in the logistics industry.
Meeting in the metropolis of Dar es Salaam: alumni appreciate the international specialist seminar
“What is my contribution?”
Vanessa Marín completed a dual study programme in Business Administration at H-BRS in 2011. Since 2014, the alum has been working for the DHL Group and carries a lot of responsibility as Head of Project Steering & Methodology.
| Ms Marín, when you think back today on your studies at H-BRS – what goals did you start with and how did the university help you to achieve them?
ą I wanted to get involved in business and industry, take on responsibility and make a difference. During my dual study programme in Business Administration at H-BRS, I met very dedicated lecturers who were passionate about their subjects – whether in law or commerce. They motivated and strengthened me along my career path. I was also soon supported by the Programme for Excellence in the Department of Management Sciences, where I learned competencies such as how to improve my presentation skills. I also thank the study abroad and internship semester at H-BRS for my very formative stay in Changsha, China.
| How did the internship semester in China come about and what impact did it have on you?
ą The connection came about thanks to a very recent cooperation agreement between H-BRS and Hunan University. The semesters abroad in the metropolis with millions of inhabitants set the course for my later decisions – such as my Master’s degree in logistics in Singapore at the TU Munich’s international campus. The language skills I acquired during that time are particularly useful in my current role at the DHL Group, especially when dealing with the international teams.
| What other experiences were you able to gain during your studies?
ą The company where I completed training during my dual study programme was what has now become GIZ, a state organisation for development cooperation. That is where I first learned how a company functions internally. But above all, I gained experience in working with different cultures right from the start. I also learned self-discipline. I went to my internship during the week, attended university on Saturdays and studied on Sundays. After completing my internship, I continued to work part-time at the company alongside my studies.
| What did you do after completing your studies?
ą After starting out in the public sector, I wanted a change of perspective upon completing my Master’s degree. In the private sector, I was looking for a position in which I could make decisions and have a positive influence on economic events. At DHL, I have found an environment that promotes the diversity that I learned to appreciate during my studies. The company’s ambitious GoGreen sustainability targets are also important to me. I work as a project manager on one of DHL’s largest projects – the conversion of the financial system in DHL’s 320 international organisations. I am responsible for holding the internal and external project teams together and ensuring that we are steadily working towards the common goal using the same methodology. This planned standardisation of financial reporting will also help to make it easier to visualise the carbon footprint of the entire company in the future.
| What career advice do you have for young students today?
ą It is not the position you are striving for that is important, but rather the focus on what you want to achieve. Start reflecting on the question: What is my contribution? I recommend being open-minded and courageous along your career path, trying out completely different areas of work and always questioning and rethinking your own plans. More on the Programme for Excellence: ȹ www.h-brs.de/pfe
The end of a logistical dinosaur
The digital transformation of the university administration is picking up speed
“We’re talking about digital transformation, not just the digitalisation of familiar work processes.” The distinction that Dr Thomas Richter emphasises is fundamental and groundbreaking at H-BRS. It is about the work processes themselves, which are changing, and people at H-BRS are actively supporting this. Thomas Richter is coordinator for the implementation of the Online Access Act (OZG) and the E-Government Act (EGovG. NRW) in the administrative unit for Planning, Organisation and Controlling at H-BRS. In adopting these two laws, Germany and North Rhine-Westphalia are advancing the digitalisation of public administration as decided upon by the European Commission for all member states. At H-BRS, the following applies: “We need to rethink the way we work overall, which is why we are communicating everything regarding the digital transformation transparently within the university and working together in a spirit of trust across departments on all projects.”
Transparency and co-determination
Transparency is treated as one of the central tasks at H-BRS since digital transformation also creates apprehension among employees, says Richter. In 2023, his colleague Rainer Ofer completed the development of the Digital Transformation Information Portal (IDT). The portal has been used for the internal communication of digitalisation projects since the end of that year. “We use it to inform our entire workforce about digitalisation projects in the administration,” says Richter. “In the future, we also want to create opportunities for a degree of co-determination.”
The e-file is the future. “But electronic file management is also the most monumental task we have on the table,” says the coordinator. In 2023, H-BRS took a big step forward in this area. With the support of the administrative unit for Finance and Purchasing and the Institute for IT Service (ITS), the appropriate software was procured and installed for the future digital document management of H-BRS. On this basis, electronic files will be implemented in student-, third-party funding- and personnel-administration over the next few years. The digital transformation affects almost every organisational unit that has anything to do with teaching or administration at H-BRS – be that in the area of studies, examinations, personnel, tenders, third-party funding, finance or contracts.
“We also got rid of a logistical dinosaur in 2023,” says Richter happily. Up to now, many documents had to be printed out several times, signed by hand, scanned in again and sent on to the next person for a signature – a process that wasted both time and paper. “Now we receive the document as a PDF, sign it electronically at a much higher level of security than we were ever able to do analogue, and with this key technology, we will also be able to organise business travel expenses and floating files completely digitally in the future – a step in the right direction towards paperless administration.” Last but not least, software that supports collaborative work within the university administration was rolled out in 2023, as was another software program for organising online university elections.
“We have big plans!”
The Human Resources unit will also benefit from the digital transformation – but that is by no means the only change. Three questions for Elke Kitzelmann, H-BRS’s new Head of Human Resources since winter 2023
| What tasks are you especially looking forward to?
ą First of all, my administrative unit and I are looking forward to a very efficient system that allows us to organise our standard processes digitally. But we want to position ourselves quite well in every respect for the challenges of the future. One keyword is the shortage of skilled labour. As a university of applied sciences, we are also receiving fewer applications. We are reorganising our recruiting process to attract and acquire new employees more effectively. We are developing strategic concepts for personnel development for the first time, including those for induction and integration, i.e. for onboarding, and we are also presenting H-BRS on the market as an attractive employer.
| What were you able to implement or initiate in 2023?
ą My first highlight in 2023 was H-BRS participating for the first time as an employer at our own university’s Company Day, which has been taking place for many years now. The Human Resources unit offered training
for job interviews and presented the “Healthy University” project – our health-promoting measures. There was a high level of interest. We basically want to create the best and most modern framework conditions for our leadership and our entire staff. This includes mobile working, annual working hours and sabbaticals – a service agreement on the latter has been in place since 2023.
| What impact do you hope these changes will have?
ą I think that by empowering the entire H-BRS staff, we will strengthen ourselves as a university of applied sciences as a whole. I focus on promoting personal development and personal competencies as well as on H-BRS as a learning organisation. The first step in 2023 was to prepare a survey in the administration to find out more about supporting and also stressful factors in the workplace. This project is underway and will be implemented in 2024.
“Diversity is Reality”
From “Respekt! Day” to the special commission: H-BRS is a strong advocate for diversity
Workshops on cultural diversity, talks on neurodiversity, racism and climate justice, an information stand on interfaith dialogue, a queer poetry slam – these are all part of Diversity Day, organised by the initiative “Respekt! Time for Diversity, Time for Sustainability”. In 2023 for the first time, Diversity Day took on the nature of a conference and is to be continued in this format in the future.
“We invite all members of the university to experience the many different aspects of diversity and sustainability and to raise awareness of diversity in the university community,” says Sarah Friedrichs, Head of Diversity Management at H-BRS and Presidential Commissioner for Anti-Discrimination and AntiRacism since 2023. Diversity refers to the variety of and differences between people in terms of their characteristics and backgrounds, such as ethnic origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion and cultural identity. It involves recognising and valuing these differences and fostering an inclusive environment in which all people experience equal opportunities and respect. As diversity and equal opportunities have always been
part of H-BRS’s identity, there are numerous programmes for all members of the university throughout the year. Sarah Friedrichs is pleased about the increasing awareness of the topic. “At H-BRS, we not only offer students a technical education, but also contribute to their personal development,” she reports. The various diversity programmes prepare students for life because “diversity is reality”. The diversity work of H-BRS is also essential in terms of social responsibility. “Diversity is important for preserving democracy and is an integral component of social sustainability,” emphasises Friedrichs.
Special Anti-Discrimination Commission
In June 2023, the university set up the “Special Anti-Discrimination Commission” with the aim of investigating the current status of allegations of discrimination and developing proposals for improving the diversity system. By setting up the commission, the President’s Office is sending the signal that discrimination can have no place at the university. In addition to Sarah Friedrichs, the 14 members of the commission include people from various units and departments of the university, including the student body, as well as an external expert on anti-racism, Professor Karim Fereidooni from Ruhr University Bochum. Professor Jürgen Bode, Vice President for International Affairs and Diversity at H-BRS, chairs the commission.
Presidential Commissioner for Anti-Discrimination and AntiRacism
Since summer 2023, Sarah Friedrichs has held the newly established position of Presidential Commissioner for Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Racism in addition to her role as Head of Diversity Management at the university. The trained ethnologist sees her new responsibility as an opportunity: “The position enables me to play a key role in shaping the university as a non-discriminatory space, and it shows H-BRS‘s commitment to this important topic.” Her tasks include strengthening diversity and anti-discrimination efforts at the university and developing a process to improve the way allegations of discrimination are handled. The Presidential Commissioner is in close dialogue with the President’s Office, committees and legal representatives. They work together to constantly optimise the university‘s anti-discrimination measures.
Peer Space Inklusiv
The inclusive peer space is a unique feature of H-BRS. “Our inclusion activities go far beyond legal requirements. In this context, neurodiversity is also an extremely relevant topic for us,” explains Sarah Friedrichs. She sees H-BRS as a pioneer among institutes of higher education. For example, first-year students with a chronic illness or disability can indicate at the time of enrolment whether and what kind of support they need. “It’s important to us to pay attention to the needs of the students and take their ideas on board,” emphasises Friedrichs. The Peer Space Inklusiv fulfils the students‘ wish for a protected space where students with disabilities, chronic or mental illnesses can exchange experiences. Additionally, there is a Peer Space Autismus, which was organised for autistic students. The meetings take place in hybrid form to enable everyone to participate.
Equality and diversity are strategic goals
H-BRS adopts new Gender Equality Concept for parity at the university till 2027
Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg − University of Applied Sciences was founded in 1995 with the aim of promoting gender equality and diversity − coupled with the ambition of becoming a particularly women-friendly university. Since then, it has developed from a women-friendly to a family-friendly and diversity-sensitive institution and is certified accordingly. Equality and diversity are still included as strategic goals in the current 2021-2025 development plan. The Gender Equality Concept 2023-2027 goes into greater depth, evaluates progress and identifies challenges. “We are currently experiencing an exciting, multifaceted transformation process at the university in which we are trying to simultaneously provide answers to the challenges of climate change and deal with demographic change and a shortage of skilled workers,” explains Dr Barbara Hillen-Haas, Central Equal Opportunity Officer. “We didn’t just write the equality concept because we are obliged to do so, but also because it is a great opportunity to shape the university in line with the challenges,” she emphasises.
Vision of a gender-equitable university
The Gender Equality Concept was developed in collaboration with various equal opportunities stakeholders and in coordination with the committees. The tasks include recruiting and retaining staff as well as ensuring a work-life balance in the face of increasing tasks and limited financial resources. “We have the vision of a gender-equitable university and want to achieve it with the goals agreed upon in the concept,” explains Dr Hillen-Haas. Current priorities include reducing unconscious bias and stopping the brain drain. “By brain drain, we mean that very well-educated women are often unable to realise their full potential due to disadvantageous structures − which ultimately harms both the individual and all of us.”
The university aims to become even more attractive to women. It already has high employee satisfaction ratings and is one of the best employers in the region. The “family-friendly university” programmes in particular contribute to this. “Supporting students with children and family carers is important to us,” emphasises the Central Equal Opportunity Officer.
Dr. Barbara Hillen-Haas is the Central Equal Opportunity Officer at H-BRS
film editor in the Communications and Marketing unit, focuses on the dynamic communication of universityrelevant topics
“The world of media is changing rapidly; video clips and films have become indispensable forms of communication – especially on social media. As a university, we have to keep up if we don’t want to fall behind. In order to remain attractive to students and skilled personnel, we have been focusing on high-quality video productions for quite some time now. Videos provide a low-threshold introduction for interested parties and achieve wide reach. Our portfolio is diverse. From the promotional film showcasing the Institute for Functional Genetic Analysis through portraying the University Development Plan as a motion picture, to the cinema spot for prospective students – everything is included. Authenticity takes centre stage in all of the productions. From students to professors, everyone involved is a member of the university who puts their heart into their work and contributes their own creative ideas. This is very important to me, as it is the only way we can convey a realistic image of our university. We are a colourful, vibrant university of applied sciences where people from very different backgrounds come together to research, teach and study.”
Entertaining entrance
First-semester welcome with a new concept
Always an open ear:
An expression of anticipation on many new faces, a last excited whisper – this is how it looked on 25 September 2023 a few seconds before the start of the first-semester welcome in the Audimax on the Sankt Augustin campus. But the event was not only a premiere for the prospective first-semester students. For the start of the winter semester, the Communication and Marketing Office at Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg – University of Applied Sciences had developed an innovative concept to welcome the newly enrolled students. A colourful mix of activities, presentations, talks and information stands awaited them.
Informative and varied
University President Hartmut Ihne encouraged the new students to be open-minded and to help shape a sustainable and fair future, a central concern of H-BRS. Participation in decision-making processes within the university – this concern of H-BRS shaped the remainder of the programme. With PhD student Patrycja Muc acting as presenter, the new students gained valuable insight into the activities of the AStA and the student parliament and learned what diversity management and interactive teaching are all about.
In a veritable market of opportunities, they were able to explore further initiatives based on their own interests. The options ranged from the “Finance Club” to the digital game development group “GameDev Team” and the student motorsport team. The lively hustle and bustle provided the ideal opportunity for the newcomers to get to know the student represent atives and their fellow students in a relaxed atmosphere.
University President Hartmut Ihne welcomes the firstsemester students
b-it-bots are world champions for the second time
The students‘ RoboCup@Work team wins the world championship title at the 2023 RoboCup in Bordeaux, France
The RoboCup is a global robotics competition that is held every year in several disciplines. RoboCup@Work is all about industrial applications in which robots work directly with humans. In the competition, the robots receive a transport order. This defines the locations of objects, such as screws or tools, within an arena as well as the place to which they are to be transported. The competition arena is a room with low side walls and markings on the floor in which the robots orientate themselves and carry out their work independently. “In a competition, the robot only has one chance to complete the task,” emphasises Santosh Thoduka, a member of the b-itbots team. “If the robot collides with a wall or the software gets stuck in a loop, it can’t try again without racking up a lot of penalty points.” Therefore, one of the most important challenges for the team is to develop the software in such a way that the robot is always able to recover from errors itself. “In 2023, we had to find a solution for new objects such as Allen keys and motors. We were able to gain an advantage by adapting the design of the gripper and performed better than the other teams in the task of recognising and gripping these new objects,” he says proudly.
After the title is before the next competition
The b-it-bots team is mainly made up of students from the Master’s degree programme Autonomous Systems, so the team is continually changing as students graduate and new members join. The collaboration gives students the interesting opportunity to apply the knowledge they have acquired in their courses to a robotic system that has to solve a real task. That’s why the b-it-bots team has been taking part in RoboCup for more than 15 years now. In 2019 in Sydney, the H-BRS students won the world championship for RoboCup@Work for the first time. “Participating and winning in 2023 was something very special because we worked hard for over a year and a half,” explains Santosh. “Finishing first on the podium feels really good and motivates us all to come back and help the new team members prepare for the competition this year.”
The b-it-bots@Work 2023 team (back row from left to right): Kevin Patel, Vivek Mannava, Gokul Chenchani, Santosh Thoduka, Shubham Shinde; (front from left to right): Vamsi Kalagaturu and Ravisankar Selvarajub
Sustainability – unpacked and on track
One year after its adoption, the implementation of H-BRS’s sustainability strategy is in full swing
Campus garden: Initiated by students with the aim of raising awareness of sustainable nutrition and purchasing behaviour
“With the Sustainability Strategy, we as a university commit to a joint, reflective sustainability process. The aim is to continue to identify the key levers and potential in sustainability for our university and to align our joint actions accordingly,” reports Stephanie Lorek, the first Sustainability Manager at Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg – University of Applied Sciences. Lorek took up the post in summer 2023 to coordinate – in close collaboration with the Vice President for Transfer, Innovation and Sustainability, Professor Michaela Wirtz – the implementation of the sustainability strategy, which had been adopted a year earlier. Angelika Fiedler, project manager for sustainability communication, is flanking the implementation of the strategy.
Launch of the Sustainability Strategy Team
Lorek brought experts from H-BRS on board at an early stage for the preparatory work. They are now developing an implementation plan together that covers the various fields of action such as research, teaching, transfer, infrastructure, governance, campus life and digitalisation. “This is the beginning of the process in which we are gradually involving the entire university community,” says Vice President Wirtz. “In addition, a regular exchange of experience takes place via the Network for Sustainability and Climate Protection Management at universities in NRW (NaKliMa NRW), as well as with the sustainability offices of higher education institutes and science organisations and within the German Society for Sustainability at Universities,” explains Lorek. The first results of the sustainability strategy can already be seen in activities and
The sustainability team: Stephanie Lorek, Michaela Wirtz and Angelika Fiedler (from left)
initiatives such as the sustainability degree programmes, the continuing development of the “Study Programme Responsibility”, the new transfer formats, and in the fact that aspects of sustainable architecture and design are being taken into account in the remodelling of the Sankt Augustin campus and the reconstruction work in Rheinbach.
Professorships with a focus on sustainability
The strategic focus on sustainability includes strengthening the commitment of teaching staff. So, for the winter semester 2023, as part of the PeP@H-BRS funding project, H-BRS established four special professorships: “Sustainable Technologies”, “Economical and Social Sustainability”, “Sustainable
Social Policy” and “Social Sustainability and Gender”. Each special professorship runs for five years and is connected with a reduction in teaching duties. “This creates space for research and the supervision of doctoral students,” says Professor Remi Maier-Rigaud, Vice President for Research and Young Academics and head of the PeP@H-BRS project.
The instrument of the transfer professorship, which was established in 2021 and allows lecturers to dedicate up to three years to the transfer of knowledge to business and industry as well as the public, was also focused on sustainability topics in 2023, emphasises Vice President Wirtz. “So much is happening. For instance, one of our transfer professors from the Department of Engineering and Communication is involved in the “Green Mine” research centre and recycling park, which has been under construction since 2023.”
Public lecture series
What is initiated within the university also has an impact outside the university. With its involvement in the Sustainability Alliance for Applied Sciences NRW, H-BRS took charge of organising the public lecture series GEMEINSAM NACHHALTIG (SUSTAINABLE TOGETHER). The series took place with the participation of numerous universities in presence format for the first time in 2023 at various locations and, at the same time, as an online event. “The lecture series started with a double session at H-BRS – together with the Catholic University of Applied Sciences of North Rhine-Westphalia – and addressed the challenges and opportunities of the transformation to a more sustainable way of life from various specialist perspectives,” explains Wirtz. The remarkable spectrum of topics ranged from the textile and clothing industry to space travel, energy supply, climate change, social sustainability and building for the future. The successful format will be continued in 2024.
From sustainable idea to company
“The importance of social entrepreneurship and the interest in social issues is constantly growing among students,” says Kerstin Schickendanz, lecturer for entrepreneurship from the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and SMEs (CENTIM) at H-BRS. In summer 2023, she organised the Start-up Summer School in collaboration with the University of Bonn with a focus on sustainable entrepreneurship. “How can you solve social problems and be financially self-sufficient and successful at the same time? That’s what students worked on with their business ideas at the summer school.” In a five-day programme, the 27 participants went through a fast-track start-up process – from idea through market analysis to pitch. Schickendanz sees this as strengthening the next generation. “The workshop expands their room to manoeuvre in terms of how they can tackle certain problems. Not everyone will found a start-up, but the skills they learn with us can also be used in their profession or in an organisation.”
Lab on the roof: Researchers measure temperature, precipitation and global radiation in order to analyse and evaluate the weather’s impact on energy generation with renewable energies
450 children‘s wishes for a happy Christmas
A Christmas tree that makes wishes come true? That is exactly what H-BRS makes possible with its Wishing Tree campaign
For many of us, presents are simply part of Christmas. Especially for children, the festive season is filled with eager anticipation. “Unfortunately, this is by no means true for all families; even small gifts often represent a financial burden,” says Esther Hummel, organiser of the Wishing Tree campaign. That is why the university put up two trees this year –one in Sankt Augustin for the third time, in cooperation with the city and the Sankt Augustiner Tafel, and another wishing tree in Rheinbach. On 1st December, the cards with the children’s wishes adorned the branches. Students, university employees and other members of the public set out to make these wishes come true. The somewhat unconventional holiday ornaments showed that the true magic of Christmas lies in bringing joy to others.
Esther Hummel is overwhelmed by the helpfulness of the gift-givers. “It’s great that so many people got involved as Christmas angels. When we handed out the presents, we could see how happy the children were.” University President Hartmut Ihne emphasises the social solidarity of the campaign. “We who are doing well financially should regularly focus on those who need our support. And when we give gifts, everyone benefits because it brings joy to both the giver and the receiver.” Thanks to the commitment of all the donors, the wishes of over 450 children were fulfilled: books, colouring materials, a basketball, make-up utensils and, at least for a few moments, peace. Ludger Banken, mayor of the town of Rheinbach, where the gifts were given to refugee children, looks beyond the moment and into the future. “With the gift campaign, we are showing the children and their parents that they are welcome here.”
collaborate
Strengthening democracy in times of transformation
As a university of applied sciences with an open attitude towards the world, we are convinced that we can bring about social sustainability with fairness, respect and diversity, thus creating a constructive working environment and successful cooperation. This is how we contribute to a democratic future.
We plan to establish a new affiliated institute for democracy research with the German Economic Institute (IW) – for a fair, sustainable future. The results gleaned there will help to strengthen democracy in times of transformation. The key question is how we can strengthen democracy in times of crisis or economic difficulties and in areas undergoing structural change so that it cannot be undermined. How do we strengthen political participation, civil rights, electoral systems and even the power of government so that our democracy remains intact and can overcome challenges of all kinds?
Democracy research, interdisciplinary and application-oriented, can provide important impulses for policy consultation, especially in the process of historic change in which we currently find ourselves. It can lay the foundations for science, the economy and society in order to preserve trust in democracy.
Germany‘s model of liberal democracy, academic freedom and diversified economy attract many international students. In our new project “H-BRS Bridge to Success” (B2S), we accompany our talented internationals into the German labour market. In doing so, H-BRS is actively addressing the shortage of skilled labour in the country and the region. A special anti-discrimination commission in conjunction with Sarah Friedrichs, the newly appointed Presidential Commissioner for Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Racism, is preparing recommendations that are important for the university‘s welcoming culture. Experts agree: We need more international professionals who enjoy working here. H-BRS is making its contribution to this.
Prof. Dr Michaela Wirtz, Vice President for Transfer, Innovation and Sustainability
Prof. Dr Jürgen Bode, Vice President for International Affairs and Diversity
Finding the solution at hackathons
The challenge: to avert the shortage of skilled labour in climate-related professions in order to secure the transformation to a sustainable future. Six teams worked on digital solutions to this challenge in May 2023 at the GreenBonn Hackathon, organised by DIGITALHUB.DE, Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg – University of Applied Sciences and the University of Bonn, together with utility company Stadtwerke Bonn as partner. The winning team impressed the jury with its digital platform “Future Heroes”. It offers individualised career-entry opportunities into the world of climate professions. Following the successful launch, the partners organised another hackathon on cyber security in November 2023. Within 40 hours, the teams presented their proposals to private sector partner KPMG, which had set IT security issues as the focus of the competition. The international team “Lighthouse” proved convincing with a crowd-based early attack warning system and emerged as the winner of the competition. The winning teams of the hackathons received prize money of 3,000 euros each.
TARR for structural change
The Rhenish brown coal mining region covers an area of 2,500 square kilometres, making it roughly three times the size of Berlin. The phasing out of coal has led to far-reaching structural change, which is being supported by six universities of applied sciences. To this end, H-BRS, together with FH Aachen, HS Niederrhein, RFH Köln, the Catholic University of Applied Sciences NRW and TH Köln, founded the Transfer Alliance for the Rhenish Mining Region (TARR) in 2021. The preparatory work from 2022 and 2023 has now resulted in an agreement, which all universities ratified in 2024. The network will work closely with companies, nongovernmental organisations and the community to ensure the transfer of science and technology and assume joint responsibility. “The region undergoing structural change will benefit greatly from the regional networks of the participating universities and the bundled expertise of this alliance,” says H-BRS vice president, Michaela Wirtz, co-spokesperson of TARR.
Practice Day at Telekom
Out of the lecture hall and into real-world practice – thanks to the partnership with Deutsche Telekom, H-BRS Bachelor’s degree students from the Department of Management Sciences were able to gain insight into the global corporation‘s headquarters in Bonn in May 2023. Just how does the telecommunications giant tick when it comes to the opportunities and limitations of artificial intelligence? How will the new technology be used strategically and integrated into Deutsche Telekom‘s business processes and services? These questions were answered by Friederike Michaelis, Corporate Strategy Manager for AI. This was followed by a workshop and exchange of ideas on future skills for the profession, i.e. which abilities and competencies will become more relevant from an economic and ethical perspective. Finally, the students specialising in B2B marketing visited the T-Gallery, where over 200 practical examples stimulated discussion on how digitalisation can support people and companies in a meaningful way.
“An incredible amount of freedom”
At the 2023 scholarship ceremony, exactly 100 H-BRS students received a Deutschlandstipendium (Germany Scholarship) – 17 more than in the previous year.
The monthly grant of 300 euros is funded equally by the federal government and private sponsors. “The Germany Scholarship gives me financial security and an incredible amount of freedom. It allows me to concentrate on my studies and even do voluntary work on the side,” says scholarship holder Klara Golubovic. The companies also benefit from their relationship with the university and its students. “Our sponsorship programme supports individual potential and enables us to discover talented specialists,” says Stephanie Kniesel from the SER Group, a global software vendor. Alongside the Ließem Foundation and the WiCAM Foundation, SER is one of the three premium partners of H-BRS – together they provide 39 scholarships. A total of 36 companies are actively involved in the university‘s education fund.
Hack your School
Secondary school girls develop creative ideas to improve their daily school life
Let’s do it: Secondary school girls experiment with technical solutions
Would the schoolyard be cleaner if there were recycling bins that monitored who threw things in them? Or if pupils were rewarded with points in the school cafeteria when they collected rubbish? Forty girls from nine secondary schools addressed these questions and more during the “Hackdays” at Hochschule BonnRhein-Sieg – University of Applied Sciences. The event in October 2023 was part of the project “Let’s do it! – Creative ideas for the future plan – develop - realise” by the Rhein-Sieg district in collaboration with the university’s Equal Opportunity Office. The aim was to use a game-like approach to inspire girls to experiment with solving specific technical problems.
“Girls are more open to the topic of technology if it is linked to other topics such as communication or sustainability in an interdisciplinary way,” says Gesche Neusel from the Equal Opportunities Office at H-BRS who brought the project to the university and supervised it. “Then technology is seen as a necessary means to an end and is enthusiastically embraced by girls” – when brainstorming ideas for the “Blubba” water dispenser, for instance, which plays music to enliven the waiting time while filling drinking bottles.
Programming with the modular system
The pupils were asked to figure out how this could be realised technically by experimenting with a construction kit of electronic parts that had to be combined with one another and also programmed. Trained coaches from the “Make Your School” project by the “Science in Dialogue” organisation provided support so that the young developers could all demonstrate functioning prototypes by the end of the event.
The fact that most of them had never programmed a computer before was no obstacle. “I think it’s fascinating how much information is contained in a single code,” says Yannika, one of the pupils who designed the musical water dispenser with her group. Whether the girls decide to study a STEM subject or pursue a technical career after leaving school is still up in the air. “That’s not what the initiative is about,” explains Gesche Neusel. “The point is to give them the opportunity to engage with technical and scientific topics and gain access to them. Based on experiences like this, the girls can then make an informed decision.”
Technology as experience
Strong interest in “Technology Night”
Making a Neanderthal smile? It’s possible thanks to computer technology that scans a person’s facial expressions point by point and transfers them to the face of a virtual figure. The Neanderthal avatar was just one of the attractions at the third “Technology Night”, which took place on 20 October. As one of a total of 49 partners in the region, H-BRS presented what its laboratories, institutes and studios have to offer to visitors under the motto “See, understand and experience technology”. Professors and students explained current research projects and invited guests to join in.
The university impressed visitors with its wide variety of technical applications. “We had a bit of everything,” says mechanical engineering professor and dean, Iris Groß, who organised the event on behalf of the university. In the Department of Computer Science, for instance, the student robotics team b-it bots, world champions at the RoboCup 2023, demonstrated how well they have robot helpers under control. Meanwhile, the Formula Student team from the Department of Engineering and Communication presented their self-developed, fully electric racing car. A model of a smart factory was set up in the automation technology lab. Here, guests were able to see how an order in the web shop is processed from customised production to delivery. In the materials science laboratory, the secret of the hardness of mediaeval swords could be discovered. And automated border control systems and fingerprint scanners were in focus at the Biometrics Evaluation Centre (BEZ).
Big crowds in the Game Studio
“Our colleagues were overwhelmed by the high level of interest,” says Iris Groß. “They answered questions all evening long, and some of them stayed at the university until one o’clock in the morning.” Long queues of visitors formed in front of the Game Studio. This is where visitors could meet the virtual Neanderthal man as well as try out new hardware or a retro-style video arcade machine. H-BRS also presented “Honu”, an in-house developed 3D adventure game in which players explore a mystical island. It was designed and programmed by the 13-member GameDev team at the Institute of Visual Computing (IVC). The vivid graphics of the computer apps were particularly successful at attracting families with children. “That makes us very happy,” says Iris Groß, “because after all, they are our future”.
More:
ȹ https://nacht-der-technik.de/bonn-rhein-sieg
Close encounter with young guests: The little robot is well received
Partners with potential
Strategic partnerships worldwide and exchange with Balkan countries
Six partner higher education institutes proved to be suitable in a preliminary process. The DAAD-funded Take-Off4Internationalisation (TOFI) project will determine which ones have the greatest potential. To this end, the programme provides funding for reciprocal visits and exploratory talks for the years 2023 and 2024. At the end of this process, strategic cross-university partnerships will be established “in which internationalisation permeates teaching and research as well as administration,” says Janina-Domenica Wörmann, who coordinates the project at the International Office.
Various meetings were held in 2023 to build these close relationships. Delegations from H-BRS visited the German Jordanian University (GJU) in Jordan and the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in Ghana. The rectors and vice-rectors of GJU, UCC and the Institute of Finance Management (IFM) from Tanzania were also guests in Sankt Augustin. In addition, colleagues from all departments welcomed their TOFI partners to H-BRS for discussions and jointly planned courses. Researchers from H-BRS also paid a visit to the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Norway in order to intensify cooperation in the natural sciences.
All partners already cooperate with H-BRS. This cooperation is now to be expanded to include more disciplines and departments, for instance, or intensified through measures such as the joint supervision of doctorates or the development of joint Master’s programmes. After evaluating the results of the exploratory talks, says Janina-Domenica Wörmann, “we will enter into this process with two to three of the institutes of higher education.”
Focus region Western Balkans
Another building block in the university’s internationalisation concept is the Western Balkans project. Long-standing partnerships exist with this focus region, and a large amount of Erasmus funding is available for the exchange of teaching staff and students. The University of Montenegro and the Kolegji Heimerer in Kosovo are among the partners, as is the University of Prishtina in Kosovo since December 2023. “Even if our students are not yet focusing on the region, I am sure that they will benefit and be well looked after there – be that during their semester abroad or their internship semester,” says Janina-Domenica Wörmann.
“Conducting high-level research requires exchange”
Robert Grüter, Professor for Logistics and Supply Chain Management, on his delegation trip to Jordan
| What concrete expectations did you have for your trip?
ą Each department at Hochschule Bonn-RheinSieg – University of Applied Sciences sent a delegate, and I represented the Department of Management Sciences. My aim was to find shared areas of research interest on site, establish contacts for potential online guest lectures, and clarify opportunities for postgraduate student exchange between the universities.
| Why are international contacts important for your research?
ą The more specialised you are as a researcher, the smaller the field of research is. Often there are only ten other colleagues who read what you publish, and many of them are scattered across the globe. But conducting high-level research requires exchange and discussion with experts in your own discipline, which is why international contacts are so important. I was lucky, for example. Shortly before I travelled to Jordan, I
read an interesting article on my topic of supply chain management. In the article, I stumbled across the name of Yarmouk University, the very university I wanted to visit in addition to the potential TOFI partner, the German-Jordanian University. This enabled me to arrange a personal meeting in advance with the professor concerned.
| How were you received in the country?
ą All the members of the university were very open and struck up spontaneous conversations with me. Germans have it relatively easy at the German-Jordanian University. The people there love the car brand Mercedes, for instance, and I had to answer a lot of questions about the FC Bayern München football team. The country is very hospitable towards guests in general. While being shown around the university, I was offered a delicious coffee in every office. At some point, I had to start declining this offer to avoid getting caffeine shock.
Dr Simon Roth
is driving cooperation with business, industry and society forward as the new head of the Centre for Science and Technology Transfer (ZWT)
“Science and technology transfer is particularly important for a university of applied sciences because we define ourselves through the high relevance our research and teaching has to practical application. In this way, we are making an important contribution to value creation, future viability and the sustainability of our country. Our innovative strength is the last “raw material” of our own on which we can base our prosperity and thus the stability of our economy and society.
To me, successful transfer means that the results, expertise and innovations of our researchers reach the economy and society and make an impact when applied there. At the same time, I understand this in a bidirectional sense – that we stay close to the issues and innovation needs of real-world practice and take these into account in our research.
My team and I support our researchers in expanding the scope and possibilities of their research. We network them with partners in business and industry and assist them in benefiting from research results in the form of patents and licences.”
Record number of visitors and registrations
Careers fair “Company Day” at the university is attracting ever more participants
With more than 4,400 visitors, Company Day is one of the largest events organised by Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg –University of Applied Sciences. On 8 and 9 November 2023, 156 exhibitors took the opportunity to make contact with students and graduates on the Sankt Augustin campus. The number of exhibitors who were interested in participating in the event was even higher, setting a new record for registrations.
Broad spectrum of exhibitors
The careers fair is characterised by the broad spectrum of companies represented. From all sectors, from young startups to global corporations, based in the region or elsewhere in Germany – Birgit Jendrock from the Centre for Science and Technology Transfer (ZWT) ensures a balanced mix when organising the event. “What I find impressive about the event is the positive atmosphere,” she says. “Direct encounters and dialogue in a world that is often dominated by digital contacts – that is particularly valuable for all participants.”
Exhibiting employers came looking for more than just dialogue. They also made very concrete offers, bringing over 500 job adverts with them. Potential applicants were able to browse these in advance on the Company Day website and approach the companies with specific questions. During the event, the professionals of tomorrow also had the opportunity to prepare for their career entry through career coaching sessions, specialist presentations and CV checks.
New business contacts for H-BRS
Many companies, such as Bonn-based Eaton Industries GmbH, have been involved since the first Company Day in 2001. “We are delighted to be able to present ourselves here,” says HR Manager Pia Müller. “The discussions with the students are refreshing, and the interest shown by the professors and university administration is also remarkably positive.” After all, Company Day often leads to projects or long-term partnerships. This year, H-BRS made use of its own careers fair for the first time to present itself as an attractive employer. And Eaton Industries GmbH, according to Pia Müller, is looking forward to joining again in 2024.
The Sankt Augustin Economic Development Corporation (WFG) also presents itself on Company Day
Social expertise for the region
Open University and social conference address municipal problems
In a rapidly changing society, municipalities have to overcome a growing number of social challenges. That is why Professor Michael Sauer from the Department of Social Policy and Social Security Studies at Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg – University of Applied Sciences is working with regional partners in various event formats to make university expertise accessible.
| How did this collaboration between the university and local authorities come about?
ą Our programme in Sustainable Social Policy makes us the only university in Germany to date to offer an interdisciplinary, broadly based Bachelor’s degree programme on this topic. We are recognising that there is a great need for expertise in our immediate regional environment. We can gauge this from where our alumni are employed – many of them work in local politics and administration. That’s why I specifically contacted local stakeholders.
| What concrete projects have arisen from this?
ą Since I live in Hennef myself, it seemed natural for me to contact the mayor there, Mario Dahm. I invited him to speak in my “Social Innovation” course, where he reported on specific challenges in connection with the issue of poverty. After all, one in six people in our country is at risk of poverty. The students had the task of coming up with solutions. This gave rise to the idea of organising the city of Hennef’s first social conference on 10 May 2023. Various stakeholders from
the social sector were invited to spend an evening discussing the topic of poverty. The city of Hennef presented its needs and services, a discussion round was held, and ten posters were hung in the foyer by student groups who introduced their innovative ideas and explained them to the attendees.
| What approaches did the students present?
ą One example they came up with was the idea of organising a tutoring system from the university for pupils whose families could not afford private after-school tutoring sessions. A second suggestion was a football event for groups that would otherwise have no access to sports clubs. Cafés for the elderly was another approach. Older people who are lonely and bored could connect with young families who need childcare there. We understand poverty as more than just a financial issue; a great deal of social poverty also exists.
| How were these proposals received?
ą Positively overall. Some of the suggestions are being reviewed for feasibility by the social committee of the town of Hennef. The social conference itself was also well received. The aim is to hold it regularly on an annual or biennial basis in the future.
| Do you also seek contact with citizens as a university lecturer?
ą Yes, it’s good to talk to people directly and question their subjective perception of problems. For example, as part of the 14th European Film Festival of Generations in Hennef,
the film Frosch im Schnabel – 40 Tage Wut und Mut – Über Armut und Würde (Frog in the Beak – 40 Days of Anger and Courage – On Poverty and Dignity) was shown. I was invited to take part in the subsequent panel discussion as an expert. It became clear that many of the predominantly elderly visitors perceived poverty as a problem of old age. As a scientist, I try to convey a more differentiated picture. Although poverty rates among the elderly are rising, the statistics also show that younger people are more often affected by considerable material and social deprivation than older people are. I consider it an important task of universities to set the facts straight.
| But you didn’t only address the issue of poverty?
ą No, the shortage of skilled labour is another key problem that threatens prosperity in Germany. We urgently need solutions in this area too. That is why we offered an open university event on 9 November 2023 entitled “Immigration of skilled workers and skills partnerships – relevance and competence for action for municipal stakeholders” at the university. It was called “Open University” because anyone who was interested could come – students and citizens or people involved in politics, business and administration.
| What were you specifically able to contribute to this topic?
ą Let’s take the district of Euskirchen as an example. The head of the social services department there is considering recruiting trainees from India in order to meet the long-term demand for nursing staff. Immigration of skilled labour has a concrete practical impact in municipalities. The topic is complex, and there are many pitfalls if you want to provide good support. As part of the Open University, we can help with such problems by providing expertise – from supra-regional partners with whom we cooperate in research and transfer projects, for instance, such as the Bertelsmann Foundation or the Thüringer Agentur Für Fachkräftegewinnung (Thuringian Agency for Skilled Labour Recruitment). This enables me to bring the topics that I work on in the lecture hall and in research, directly into the municipalities.
Michael Sauer is a professor of social policy at H-BRS
Five minutes for an idea
Creative founders pitch at the Start-up Cup
Five strong founder teams compete for prizes at the Startup Cup
Running a care service does not only mean looking after people in need of help, it also involves a great deal of paperwork, mainly invoicing health insurance companies. “That’s time that carers should be investing in other ways,” says Pascal Eßer, a management sciences student at H-BRS who has worked in senior care himself. That is why he developed CareDoc together with three fellow students. The app creates timesheets in just 20 to 60 seconds. These can then be emailed to the health insurance providers as a PDF, including an automated invoice. With this idea, the founding team convinced the jury of the third Start-up Cup ideas competition.
At the event, held in October 2023, five teams consisting of students, alumni and employees of the university had exactly
five minutes each to present their business ideas convincingly. “The competition was very tough,” says Pascal Eßer. The jury’s second prize went to DrofoTech, a project to reforest destroyed woodland areas with the assistance of drones and artificial intelligence. Third place was awarded to the start-up Vlight with its customised construction method for the installation of special solar modules. The favourite of the audience, who were able to vote by mobile phone, was the founding team of “Trink doch ene mit” (“Drink one with me”) with a tablet for de-alcoholising wine.
Valuable jury prizes
The prizes awarded by the jury were 2,500, 1,500 and 1,000 euros, sponsored by the University Society Bonn-Rhein-Sieg and the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and SMEs (Centim). The particularly valuable special prize went to DrofoTech team member Maximilian Johenneken. He was awarded a scholarship for the Start-up Development (MBA) programme at H-BRS worth 15,600 euros.
The CareDoc founders have already planned how to use their prize money. They are going to hire a working student for four months to help them develop the app’s graphical user interface. The app is already available on the market, says Pascal Eßer, but it still needs to be improved. They have plans such as forwarding digital timesheets automatically in machine-readable language, so that human labour is no longer required for the transfer.
report
Facts and figures
Number of students
winter semester 2023/2024
First-semester students to academic year 2023/24
Graduates to academic year 2022/2023
Degree programmes
Bachelor’s programmes
• Business Management Rheinbach
• Business Management Sankt Augustin
• Business Psychology
• International Business
• Business Information Systems
• Computer Science
Master’s programmes
• Business Psychology
• CSR & NGO Management
• Innovation and Information Management
• Management Accounting and Management Control
• Marketing
Doctorates
• Computer Science dual
• Cyber Security & Privacy
• Electrical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering – Cooperative Study
• Mechanical Engineering
• Start-up Development
• Autonomous Systems
• Computer Science
• Cyber Security & Privacy
• Visual Computing & Games Technology
• Mechanical Engineering –Cooperative Study
• Sustainable Engineering
• Sustainable Engineering –Cooperative Study
• Technical Journalism
• Visual Technical Communication
• Applied Biology
• Chemistry with Materials Science
• Forensic Sciences
• Sustainable Chemistry and Materials
• Social Security Management –Accident Insurance
• Sustainable Social Policy
• Electrical Engineering
• International Media Studies
• Mechanical Engineering
• Sustainable Engineering
• Technology and Innovation Communications
• Analytical Chemistry and Quality Assurance
• Biomedical Sciences
• Materials Science and Sustainability Methods
• Social Protection
• PhD programme at H-BRS Graduate Institute: 104 doctoral candidates, of these 22 doctoral candidates according to new right to award doctorates at PK NRW
Students by department and gender
Percentage of international students by department
The University Council
The current University Council was appointed in September 2022 by Ina Brandes, Minister of Culture and Science in North RhineWestphalia. The University Council is responsible for all strategic matters relating to the university. It advises the President’s Office and monitors the way business is conducted. It also appoints the President of Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg – University of Applied Sciences and acts as a supervisory body. The council’s board consists of four external members and four members from the university. Half of these are men and half women.
The eight voting members of the council are:
• Sylvie Hambloch-Gesinn, Solicitor (Chair)
• Prof. Dr Jakob Rhyner, University of Bonn (Vice Chair)
• Prof. Dr Simone Bürsner, Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg
• Prof. Dr Klaus Deimel, Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg
• Prof. Dr Karin Hummel, Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg
• Prof. Dr Peter Kaul, Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg
• Dr Andrea Niehaus, Director of the Deutsches Museum Bonn
• Rainer Otto, former Commercial Managing Director Wirtgen Group Holding GmbH
Ina Brandes, Minister of Culture and Science in NRW (3rd from right), with six members of the University Council, from left: Rainer Otto, Simone Bürsner, Andrea Niehaus, Jakob Rhyner, Sylvie HamblochGesinn and Peter Kaul
Partner universities around the world
Prizes and awards 2023
University
• “Fairtrade University” certificate from Transfair e.V./Fairtrade Germany
H-BRS has once again been recognised as a Fairtrade University for two years by Fairtrade Germany.
Graduate Institute, doctorates awarded in 2023
• Dr Dennis Lawo, Department of Management Sciences
• Dr Markus Witzler, Department of Natural Sciences
• Dr Aleksandar Mitrevski, Department of Computer Science
• Dr Stephan Wiefling, Department of Computer Science
• Dr Alexander Marquardt, Department of Computer Science
• Dr Dominik Wilde, Department of Natural Sciences
• Dr Melanie Ludwig, Department of Computer Science
• Dr Daniel Klein, Institute for Safety and Security Research
• Dr Christof Hammer, Department of Computer Science
• Dr Jessica Rumpf, Department of Natural Sciences
• Dr Christine Kawa, Department of Management Sciences
• Dr David Dreistadt, Department of Engineering and Communication
• Dr Katharina Walbrück, Department of Natural Sciences
• Dr Veronika Krauß, Department of Management Sciences
Advancement Awards from H-BRS Donors
Advancement Awards for Bachelor’s Thesis:
• Nicole Schräder, Department of Natural Sciences
• Zhang Wan-Ting, Department of Natural Sciences
• Nora Kappelhoff, Department of Natural Sciences
• Leonie Seynsche, Department of Management Sciences
• Konstantin Strupp, Department of Management Sciences
• Ron Autenrieb, Department of Computer Science
• Christian Hörath, Department of Computer Science
• Christian Manuel Peuker, Department of Engineering and Communication
• Lilli Franke, Department of Engineering and Communication
• Sophia Ute Damm, Department of Engineering and Communication
• Amirhosein Rahbari, Department of Social Policy and Social Security Studies
• Jana Walter, Department of Social Policy and Social Security Studies
• Julian Voltz, Department of Social Policy and Social Security Studies
Advancement Awards for Master’s Thesis:
• Laura Stadler, Department of Natural Sciences
• Jana Ludwig, Department of Management Sciences
• Sophie Grünewald, Department of Management Sciences
• Richard Clauß, Department of Computer Science
• Ahmed Faisal Abdelrahman, Department of Computer Science
• Philipp Spelten, Department of Engineering and Communication
• Paul Rohleder, Department of Social Policy and Social Security Studies
Award for PhD:
• Dr Dominik Wilde, Department of Natural Sciences / Institute of Technology, Resource and Energy-efficient Engineering (TREE)
Persons and Teams
DAAD Prize 2023
• Alradi Hassan Abdalla, Department of Social Policy and Social Security Studies
Professor of the Year 2023 UNICUM Foundation
• 3rd place for Prof. Dr Tanja Köhler in the category “Humanities, Social and Cultural Sciences”
Doctoral Scholarships 2023:
• Bastian Stahl, scholarship from the Institute for Safety and Security Research (ISF)
• Michal Mikolaj Stolarz, scholarship from the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Master of Autonomous Systems
• Michelle Walther, scholarship from the Equal Opportunities Commission
• Martin Pluisch, scholarship from the Department of Computer Science
• Hannah Rohde, scholarship from the Department of Natural Sciences
• Friederike Windhofer, scholarship from the Department of Social Policy and Social Security Studies
• Karen Lizet Luján López, Reiner-Clement Scholarship of the Graduate Institute in cooperation with PK NRW
• Jonas Bergrath, scholarship from the Graduate Institute in cooperation with PK NRW
Equal Opportunities Award 2023
• Bachelor’s thesis: Lea Elaine Hermes, Department of Management Sciences
• Master’s thesis: Manuel Ernst, Department of Engineering and Communication
VDI Advancement Award 2023
• 1st prize for Bachelor’s thesis, Jannik Brockerhoff (Department of Computer Science)
Rio Branco 2023
• Prof. Dr Claudia Warning has been awarded the Brazilian Order of Rio Branco for her services to German-Brazilian relations
Start-up Cup 2023
• 1st place for Team CareDoc: Pascal Eßer and Robert Gerber, Department of Management Sciences
Early Career Research Award
• Rene Lawong (Working Group Professor Althaus, Department of Natural Sciences)
IHK Award Ceremony
• Delia Radisch (Department of Natural Sciences)
Best PhD Poster Award 2023
• 1st prize: Alexander Busch, Department of Engineering and Communication
• 2nd prize: Usha Singh, Department of Management Sciences
• 3rd prize: Malte Pfennig, Department of Engineering and Communication
Best Paper Award 2023
• Prof. Dr Irene Rothe (Department of Engineering and Communication) and André Kless (Department of Computer Science) at the IEEE EDUCON 2023
• Minh Nguyen (Department of Computer Science), Prof. Hochgeschwender (Department of Computer Science) and Prof. Wrede (Bielefeld University) at the 5th international workshop on Robotic Software Engineering
Hack-a-Sat-4 competition
• 5th place for Team Krautsat
ERL Smart City competition 2023
• The b-it-bots team won the “Through the Door” and “Socially Acceptable Item Delivery” episodes as well as a joint prize for the best overall team.
RoboCup 2023
• World champion title for the robotics team “b-it-bots Team”, Department of Computer Science
AFCEA Study Award 2023
• 1st place: Ahmed Faisal Abdelrahman, Department of Computer Science
• 2nd place: Sushant Vijay Chavan, Department of Computer Science
DFG Funding Programme “Research Impulses”
• Establishment of a centre for biomedical research at Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg –University of Applied Sciences
Newly appointed professors
Department of Computer Science
• Prof. Dr Petra Haferkorn (IT-Security Management)
• Prof. Dr Teena Chakkalayil Hassan (Autonomous Systems)
• Prof. Dr Michael Rademacher (Embedded Systems and Networks)
• Prof. Dr Andreas Hackelöer (Software Engineering)
Department of Natural Sciences
• Prof. Dr Oskar Schnappauf (Human Genetics and Gene Technology)
Department of Management Sciences
• Prof. Dr Thomas Deckers (Economics and Statistics)
Department of Engineering and Communication
• Prof. Dr Sebastian Drumm (Fluid Power Systems and Actuators)
Department of Social Policy and Social Security Studies
• Prof. Dr Derya Gür-Şeker (Communication and Society with a focus on social media)
Honorary Professorships
• Prof. Dr Oliver Locker-Grütjen, Centre for Ethics and Responsibility (ZEV)
• Prof. Dr Janina Loh, Centre for Ethics and Responsibility (ZEV)
• Prof. Dr Markus Loewe, Social Policy and Social Security Studies
Guest Professorships
• Dr Masauso Simon Chirwa
Special Professorships
Sustainable Technologies
• Prof. Dr Margit Schulze (until WS 2025/26)
• Prof. Dr Marc Williams (FB05/TREE) (from SS 2026)
Economic and Social Sustainability
• Prof. Dr Alexander Boden (FB01/IVI)
Sustainable Social Policy
• Prof. Dr Simona Helmsmüller (FB06)
Social Sustainability and Gender
• Prof. Dr Susanne Keil (FB03/TREE) SUSTAINABILITY
Staff announcements
Senate
• Professor Andreas Gadatsch is the new Senate Chair at H-BRS, Nadja Geldmacher is Vice Chair
Centre for Science and Technology Transfer (ZWT)
• New head of centre, Dr Simon Roth
Executive Unit Law and Compliance
• New officer, Diana Strasser
Language Centre
• James Chamberlain retires after 25 years of service
Department of Natural Sciences
• Margit Geißler elected to the board of the Analytical Chemistry Division of the German Chemical Society (GDCH)
• Michael Heinzelmann, Professor of Engineering Design, Applied Mechanics and Mechanics of Materials in the Department of Natural Sciences, celebrated 25 years in public service
Department of Social Policy and Social Security Studies
• Prof. Dr Walter Eichendorf becomes new President of the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC)
Department of Engineering and Communication
• Dean Johannes Geilen was bid farewell at the departmental Study Day after 13 years in office. He will remain with the department as Professor of Engineering Mechanics. Iris Groß takes over as the new dean of the department; Tanja Köhler is elected vice dean
• Ursula Konrads, who was appointed as the first female professor in the department in 1998 and is now going into well-deserved retirement, was also bid farewell
Department of Computer Science
• Professors Manfred Kaul and Paul Plöger retire
• Professor Sascha Alda, Dean of the Department of Computer Science, becomes the new Scientific Director of the Bonn-Aachen International Center for Information Technology (b-it)
Professor Simona Helmsmüller
has been a professor in the Department of Social Policy and Social Security Studies since September 2022 and has held a special professorship for Sustainable Social Policy since winter semester 2023. She heads the Master’s degree programme Social Protection, which was reaccredited for winter semester 2022/23. The expert in development economics and evidence-based policy decisions initially worked in the field of development cooperation before joining academia after completing her doctorate. She is committed to making a difference in society with her research and passing her findings on to students.
“I achieve the greatest impact through teaching,” she says and is certain that H-BRS graduates will later apply her teaching content in practice. “It’s an incredibly meaningful activity.”
Manfred Kaul: Former Vice President retires
Computer science professor and evaluation commissioner bids farewell
Manfred Kaul, Professor of System Development and Database Systems, came to the university in 1999. There he joined the Department of Computer Science and after a short time became Evaluation Commissioner. From 2009 to 2014, he served as Vice President for Teaching, Learning and Further Education.
For Manfred Kaul, the students and their education took top priority. He was involved in the field of e-learning and provided pioneering impulses for the department. A shining example is the “Digital Makerspace” project. This provides students and teachers with free digital tools that they can use to create or adapt interactive applications without programming knowledge. In 2017, the tool was honoured by the Donors’ Association with the Fellowship for Innovations in Digital University Teaching. Manfred Kaul was also involved in the joint project Work & Study.
The computer scientist has a positive outlook on retirement. He will miss the dialogue with students but is looking forward to stress-free breakfasts and hikes with his dog. He will remain true to computer science, as it inspires him even outside the scope of his professional life.
New officer for executive unit Law and Compliance
The Law and Compliance Office acts as an advisor in all legal matters. With Diana Strasser, this internal university unit has had a dynamic new officer since November. Since taking up her post, the jurist has already played a leading role in the development of a centralised whistleblowing system. The system allows unlawful incidents to be reported confidentially and thus promotes legally compliant and transparent university operations.
Diana Strasser passed her state examination in law at the University of Cologne and subsequently worked in the HR department of H-BRS, among other positions.
Diana Strasser: The woman for legal matters
General information: Data are adjusted each year. Persons in two employment groups or divisions are counted in each employment group/division.
