Field of action Cooperation & Partnerships

This module will examine partnerships, for example, with government agencies or other public institutions. Collaboration is always beneficial, as shared resources and expertise can often be utilized more efficiently. For a city administration in particular, developing projects with academic involvement is advantageous and can support the decision-making process down the line. In addition, a university is also an economic driver for a city.

By focusing on this module, collaborations with regional and national companies are strengthened. These partnerships are very important for a university, as there are many practical projects, Bachelor’s theses, and Master's theses that are preferably written at companies because of their practical relevance. But companies also benefit, as the academic exploration of certain topics supports management’s work. In addition, many companies rely on graduates and skilled professionals. Through partnerships with a university, students can gain early exposure to the work and processes within companies.

In many areas of a university, in addition to teaching responsibilities, there are also research projects. These projects are often linked to other institutes and funding agencies. Therefore, collaboration with other institutes is beneficial. In the classroom, this results in a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical examples of application.

Networks with other universities and educational institutions are important for exchanging ideas in the areas of organization, teaching, and research, but also for pursuing collaborations aimed at jointly achieving and advancing the goals of sustainable development. The BNC project also emerged from the collaboration between HSZG and TUD. There are many networks with different focuses. This module is intended to enable a university to choose the type and scope of its networks and to focus on relevant ones. In doing so, a university must decide, based on its individual focus, in which areas and to what extent it wishes to network.

Although not directly affiliated with the universities, the Studentenwerk is a public-law institution with legal capacity whose mission is to provide social, economic, health, and cultural support and assistance to students (Section 109 of the Saxon Higher Education Act [SächsHSFG]). Therefore, the Studentenwerk is an important partner for students in all three dimensions of sustainability. Measures to raise awareness—such as reducing energy consumption in student housing or using regional and seasonal products in the student canteens—must be coordinated with the Studentenwerk. The Studentenwerk is not represented at all higher education institutions in Saxony. In such cases, collaborations are established, for example, with the local municipality regarding student housing or with the respective operator of the student canteen.

The state-owned enterprise is one of the most important partners in the management of real estate in the Free State of Saxony. Centralization allows the Free State of Saxony to save costs; however, this results in additional coordination efforts for larger universities. This also affects the implementation of an environmental and sustainability management system. Due to centralization, the ability to influence direct environmental aspects of educational institutions is limited, requiring universities to cooperate with the SIB. For example, energy consumption data must be requested separately, and building maintenance and the upkeep of green spaces must be handled through the SIB. The SIB also manages utility supply and waste disposal for universities in Saxony. To implement a joint strategy for sustainable development at the EHB in collaboration with the SIB, the “SIB” component serves as an important foundation for developing common goals and identifying points of connection with the other components—particularly regarding waste, energy, water, and campus design, and to advance sustainable university operations.