In early November of this year, the inaugural meeting of the newly established research institute “Health, Ageing, Technology” (GAT) at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences took place at the university’s Görlitz campus.
The goal of this interdisciplinary institute is to generate scientific findings and translate them into practice at the intersection of individual and societal aging processes, healthcare and long-term care systems, and technical and social innovations designed to support older adults, their families, and nursing and medical staff.

The institute builds on successful cross-faculty / trans-faculty research collaborations, such as the VATI project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) — “Trust in Assistive Technologies for the Inclusion of Older Adults,” in the course of which older adults in the Görlitz district were surveyed about their previous experiences with technical aids to support independent living, barriers to accessing such technologies, and their wishes for future development; it also involves the development of an online technology navigator to provide comprehensive and impartial advice on the availability of technical assistance systems in the region.

The institute was established by the University Executive Board of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, in consultation with the Senate and the University Council, on June 20, 2016, as a central research institution. Approximately 25 professors and staff members of the university attended the constituent meeting in early November in Görlitz, including the university leadership represented by the Rector, the Prorector for research, and the Chancellor. Following welcoming remarks by the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Dr. Andreas Hoff, the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Prof. Dr. Jörg Lässig, and the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Managerial and Cultural Studies, Prof. Dr. Yve Stöbel-Richter, Prof. Dr. Hoff presented the goals of the new institute.

The institute’s key areas of focus include research in the subject areas mentioned at the outset, analyses of the current situation, and the identification of areas for action, as well as cooperation with relevant partners in the field. The institute’s interdisciplinary mission also includes the transfer of knowledge to and from partners in business, politics, public administration, and civil society both in Germany and abroad. Following the adoption of the institute’s bylaws, the election of the institute director took place. Prof. Dr. Hoff was unanimously elected as the institute’s director; Prof. Dr. Stöbel-Richter and Prof. Dr. Lässig were likewise unanimously elected as deputy director and deputy director, respectively.

Ten faculty members and five staff members from four faculties (Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Managerial and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Faculty of Economics) decided to become members of GAT during the constituent meeting. The “Health, Ageing, Technology” Institute welcomes collaboration with colleagues from all faculties and institutes at the university, as well as with interested industry partners from Upper Lusatia and beyond, and is always open to discussions with interested individuals. For example, a close research collaboration between the two institutes was agreed upon with the director of the Institute for Process Engineering, Process Automation, and Measurement Technology (IPM), Prof. Dr. Alexander Kratzsch.

In the meantime, the first research proposals have been submitted, including a multidisciplinary project proposal to explore the potential of “Artificial Intelligence as a Key Technology in Nursing Care” and a proposal on the use of assistive technologies to better balance caregiving and work. Additional research proposals are currently in the works.