Good networking with neighboring countries

On December 5, 2022, a delegation from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, consisting of Prof. Karel Frana (Department of Fluid Mechanics & Fluid Power Machines), Franz Thiele (research assistant), and Felix Rothe (laboratory engineer), traveled to Jan Evangelista Purkyně University (UJEP) in Ústí nad Labem (Czech Republic). There, they met with Doc. Ing. Jaromír Cais, Doc. Ing. Jan Novotný, and Ing. Michal Lattner, who represented the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, the “Institute of Machinery and Energy Technology,” and the “Institute of Technology and Materials.”

The purpose of the trip was to prepare for future student exchange programs and to develop joint, cross-border project ideas in the heart of Europe. After mutual introductions of the respective higher education institutions, a tour of the modern laboratories in the new building followed. In addition to interesting experiments in fluid mechanics, the interactive cobot, various hydrogen applications, and the diverse possibilities for investigating materials and surfaces were particularly noteworthy. After lunch together, the group discussed existing research areas and the synergies that could be derived from them. A number of potential areas of overlap were identified during this discussion.

Establishing cross-border, interdisciplinary collaboration within this tri-border region should be viewed as a crucial and urgently needed development. The next step is to plan a meeting at the Zittau campus to establish initial contacts with local faculty and institutes and to strengthen networking. In the medium term, this will certainly create new opportunities, both for HSZG and for the entire region.