Mission and profile of research at the HSCG

Why do we do research? What contribution does our research make to the region, to society and to teaching?

Why we do research: Mission & Profile

Research at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences (HSZG) is application-oriented and serves to solve real social and technological tasks. It combines scientific work with regional responsibility in Upper Lusatia and international openness.

Our mission statement

The university acts on the basis of openness, transparency and participation. We see ourselves as an open-minded, regionally anchored and responsible employer.

Our research pursues clear goals:

  • Sustainability: We conduct application-oriented research for a sustainable world.
  • Third mission: In addition to teaching and research, transfer and social responsibility form the third central pillar of our activities.
  • Synergy: We see the cooperation between the two locations Zittau and Görlitz as an opportunity.

Impact & figures

Our consistently high key figures are proof of the performance of our application-oriented research. The HSZG is one of the universities of applied sciences with the most third-party funding. A large number of parallel projects and numerous doctoral procedures underline our research strength and close networking with practice.

To the current key figures

What we research: The main areas of research at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences

The research focuses on three main areas with clear topics.

Research focus on energy and the environment at the HSZG
Research focus: Energy & Environment
Research into energy conversion, optimization of power plant processes, automation, biotechnology and social aspects of the energy transition. The aim is to develop practical solutions for climate protection and resource efficiency.
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Research focus on transformation processes in business and society
Research focus: Transformation processes in the economy and society
Research on demographic change, post-socialism, social ecology, education and regional development. The aim is to understand and shape social change with a view to Upper Lusatia and comparable regions.
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Research focus on materials, structure and surfaces
Research focus: Materials-Structure-Surfaces
Research into lightweight and high-strength materials, energy-efficient manufacturing processes and surface coatings. The aim is to transfer new material and process technologies into industrial applications.
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Where we do research: Places & structures

Our research is organized in institutes, faculties and laboratories.

  • Institutes: Central institutes such as GAT, IPM, TRAWOS and ZIRKON combine expertise, infrastructure and cooperation.
  • Faculties & laboratories: The faculties anchor research in teaching, while modern laboratories provide the equipment for application-oriented projects.
Discover institutes & laboratories

How we promote & network: Transfer & impact

Transfer connects the HSZG with business, local authorities, associations and civil society. We strengthen the innovative power of Upper Lusatia and support structural change.

  • Impact: We create measurable benefits through projects, publications, intellectual property rights and collaborations.
  • Cycle: Our aim is to effectively disseminate findings to the outside world and to bring impulses from practice back into research questions.
More on this under "How we promote & network"