On Thursday evening, January 10, 2019, approximately 150 participants gathered for the 10th annual “Business Meets Science” New Year’s reception.

The Dresden Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), Zittau branch, the Dresden Chamber of Crafts (HWK), and the General Entrepreneurs’ Association of Zittau and Surrounding Areas, Inc., organized the event in collaboration with the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences.

The program looked back at the beginnings of the event series as well as toward the future. The university received high praise from Matthias Schwarzbach (IHK) for its good education and the low barriers to engagement with the regional business community. It is not only the KIA (sandwich-style) degree programmes that contribute to the integration of academic study and professional practice. Companies can continue to approach the HSZG with challenging research tasks in the future. Good examples and current developments at the HSZG were presented on stage in the form of short interviews.

In the foyer of the Peter-Dierich-Building (Z IV), attendees concluded the winter evening by enjoying a buffet and drinks. This gave all participants the opportunity to discuss interesting details regarding plans for future projects involving research, skilled trades, and industry.

To promote the mutual transfer of knowledge and technology between small and medium-sized enterprises and the HSZG, the next “Business Meets Science” event will take place on January 9, 2020.

Program:

• Welcome: Prof. Dr. Friedrich Albrecht (Rector of HSZG)
• New Year’s toast: Bert Handschick (Chairman of the AUV)
• Review: Tom Schneider (Contact Person for the Dresden Chamber of Crafts for the districts of Bautzen and Görlitz), Matthias Schwarzbach (Dresden Chamber of Industry and Commerce [IHK], Branch Manager in Zittau), Prof. Dr. Tobias Zschunke (Prorector for Research at HSZG), Bert Handschick (RTT STEINERT GmbH)
• LaNDER3 Lausitz Natural Fiber Composites: Prof. Dr. Jens Weber (LaNDER3 Project Manager, HSZG), Dr. Matthias Kinne (LaNDER3 Project Coordinator, HSZG), Phillip Kluge (Kluge GmbH), Bert Handschick (RTT STEINERT GmbH)
• Saxony⁵: Martin Kunack (HSZG), Pierre Jaques (Mittweida University of Applied Sciences), Dr. Clemens Schneider (HSZG)
• WIR Lausitz - Life and Technology: Prof. Dr. Tobias Zschunke (HSZG), Prof. Dr. Sebastian Scholz (Fraunhofer IWU/HSZG), Dr. Stefan Jakschick (ULT AG)

• University Development Plan: Prof. Dr. Friedrich Albrecht (Rector of HSZG)
• Project Group on Lightweight Construction and Energy: Prof. Dr. Sebastian Scholz (Fraunhofer IWU/HSZG), Prof. Dr. Alexander Kratzsch (HSZG, Director of the IPM Institute)
• Closing Session: Prof. Dr. Tobias Zschunke (HSZG), Dr. Stephan Meyer (Member of the Committee on Science and University, Culture, and Media, State Parliament), and the speakers on innovation and technology, Steffen Waurick (Dresden Chamber of Industry and Commerce) and Ulrich Goedecke (Dresden Chamber of Crafts).
• Moderators: Sabine Scholz (HSZG) and Matthias Schwarzbach (IHK)

Text: Kristin Wappler, Kristin Sprechert