High-tech you can touch

The HSZG’s DLR_School_Lab is part of the strategic educational initiative “Zukunftslernort Oberlausitz” (ZukLOS). As an extracurricular learning center, it enables students not only to understand scientific and technical concepts theoretically, but also to explore them on their own and actively shape the learning experience.

“The university sees itself as a bridge between schools, science, and industry,” emphasized Rector Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alexander Kratzsch. “Through hands-on activities and first-hand experimentation, technical topics become tangible. Our mission is to inspire young people with the technologies of tomorrow.”

Working Together to Support the Next Generation of Skilled Workers

Minister of State Conrad Clemens emphasized Saxony’s focus on STEM education.

Dr. jur. Silke Gottschlich, Head of Human Resources at Infineon Technologies AG in Dresden, also emphasized the strategic importance of the partnership: “STEM careers are crucial to Germany’s innovative strength, employment, and international competitiveness. That is why it is important to us to reach young people as early as possible and inspire them to pursue STEM fields. The partnership between Infineon and the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences is strategically valuable in this regard, as both sides share a common goal: to attract young people to technical careers and degree programs.”

Insights into chip production

The practical part of the event began with the symbolic unveiling of the experiment. After an introduction to microchip production and the film "A chip is made - from sand to microchip", the pupils slipped into cleanroom clothing and carried out key production steps themselves.

Andrea Bannert from Infineon supervised the experiment and described it to the interested guests at the event.

Learning Through Direct Interaction

The event demonstrated how beneficial collaboration between various education and industry partners can be. Teachers experience how lesson content comes to life.

Michael Wagner, head of the science department at Geschwister-Scholl-Gymnasium in Löbau, explained: “Extracurricular learning venues like the DLR_School_Lab are very important for schools because they serve as motivators for students. Hands-on, application-oriented learning creates ‘aha’ moments that leave a lasting impression and foster students’ interest in STEM careers.”

The students were also enthusiastic. “I found the experiment very interesting. What I especially like about the natural sciences is that you can see the theory in practice,” said Frieda Schliebitz, a student at the Geschwister-Scholl-Gymnasium. Student Charlotte Selbis was particularly pleased with the hands-on aspect: “I really enjoyed the experiment, especially because I gained insights into new fields that you usually only see on TV. It was exciting to experience this modern technology firsthand, and I could imagine working with such technologies professionally in the future.”

Bjarne Stäbler, an apprentice at Infineon, added: “The semiconductor industry is unique because it operates on a scale that is sometimes so tiny it’s hard to imagine the technological possibilities that can arise from it. Here, the unimaginable actually becomes possible.”

A Boost for the Region

Prof. Dr. rer. pol. Sophia Keil of the HSZG, Vice President for Research, Knowledge Transfer, and International Affairs, emphasized the long-term perspective.

Conclusion

The new cleanroom experiment impressively demonstrates how modern efforts to foster the next generation of talent can succeed: through hands-on experience, a strong practical focus, and robust partnerships between universities, industry, schools, and policymakers. This not only fosters enthusiasm for future technologies but also makes a concrete contribution to securing the next generation of skilled workers in the region.

Text: Christian Tiller
Photos: Carla Schmidt
Video production and editing: Philipp Herfort