On January 25, 2019, Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences opened its first international office.
On January 25, 2019, the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences opened its first international office. It is located in Zgorzelec (PL) in the Tecza school center, which is used by DPFA EUROPRYMUS Sp. z o. o., a company of the DPFA academy group.
The invitation was accepted by members of the Saxon State Parliament Ocavian Ursu, Lothar Bienst and Franziska Schubert, Rafal Gronicz, Mayor of the City of Zgorzelec, Uwe Behnisch, Head of the Saxony Liaison Office in Wrocław, Ireneusz Owsik from the Zgorzelec District Board, Katarzyna Hübner, Director of the DPFA-Europrymus School Center, Frank Seibel, President of Meetingpoint Music Messiaen e. V., among others, Dr. Józef Zaprucki from the Giant Mountains University in Jelenia Góra, Hubert Papaj from the Giant Mountains Agency for Regional Development S.A., Heinrich Dierkes, Director of the German-Polish Association Cottbus e.V. and numerous other guests from Poland and Germany.
In his welcoming address, the Rector explained that it was Rafał Gronicz in particular who had "planted" the idea of establishing a university office in Zgorzelec in his head. Now it has been implemented. In this context, he also thanked the members of the state parliament, as such projects can only be financed from the initiative budget provided.
Ms. Hübner hopes that the establishment of the office will lead to many joint activities with the DPFA-Europrymus School Center.
Mr. Behnisch explained that the opening of the office fits in perfectly with the activities celebrating 20 years of partnership between Saxony and the Lower Silesian Voivodeship and 60 years of twinning between Dresden and Wrocław.
The opening of the international office in Zgorzelec fulfils another objective of the internationalization strategy of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. The first international office has now been opened on the existing foundation of the regional focus on cooperation with institutions in Poland, the Czech Republic and Central and Eastern European countries.
The aim of this office is to recapture the German-Polish and German-Czech potential for studying at the university. Following Poland's accession to the EU, there has been a considerable decline in interest throughout Germany, particularly among young Poles, in studying in Germany. The Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences has responded to this. The geostrategic location enables a considerably better development of the area between Zgorzelec and Wrocław to attract young people to study at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. The International Office now acts as a contact point for study orientation and advice. Individual events can also take place here. The short distance over the bridge to the other bank of the Neisse to the Görlitz university campus offers ideal conditions for this. The degree courses offered at the Görlitz campus, such as Computer Science, Business and Informatics, Information and Communication Management (English), Business and Languages, Culture and Management and many more, will be an initial offer to prospective Polish students.
At the same time, professors at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences have been involved in international research networks and corresponding projects in an impressive manner to date, with EU funding programs also coming into play in particular. The university will continue to support this and integrate international project initiation into its research management. The opening of the international office will also intensify relations with the regions of Wałbrzych, Jelenia Góra and Wrocław. Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences would like to work even more closely than before with companies and institutions in the region beyond the Neisse in order to become even more "visible" as a university in this area in the field of knowledge and technology transfer.
"We hope that the university will be able to play an even more active role in this segment in the future," says Rector Prof. Albrecht.
Finally, the Rector, Prof. Friedrich Albrecht, thanked the Mayor of Zgorzelec, Rafal Gronicz, for his support and guidance of the project, Ms. Katarzyna Hübner, Director of DPFA Europrymus, for her support in the contractual and practical implementation, Mr. Uwe Behnisch for his commitment and support and finally the students of the Europejskie Liceum Ogólnokształcące for the cultural framework of the event.
