Impetus for the region

The Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences is among the ten selected from 80 applications and is expected to receive more than five million euros from the “Strong Universities of Applied Sciences—A Boost for the Region” (FH-Impuls) funding program administered by the BMBF. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research informed the university administration yesterday that Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences had advanced to the final round of the “FH-Impuls” competition and is thus among the ten universities that will receive an average of approximately five million euros in funding.

With this funding, the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences will contribute, through the project“LaNDER³ – Lusatian Natural Fiber Composite Materials: Decentralized Energy, Raw Materials, Resources, Recycling” in cooperation primarily with regional companies and research institutions, such as the Fraunhofer Institute IWU, to contribute to the sustainable and economical use of renewable raw materials. The research activities focus on natural fiber-reinforced plastics (NFK) and their entire product life cycle. The thematically interrelated projects address both the development of efficient technologies and processes for the production, refinement, use, and recycling of natural fiber-reinforced plastics (NFK) as well as energy recovery from biological residues during fiber production and the recycling of plastics. LaNDER³ brings together the university’s existing research priorities of“Energy and Environment” and“Materials, Structures, and Surfaces,” thereby helping to sharpen its research profile.

“With LaNDER³, we now have a strong foundation for working together with companies in the region to develop new, commercially successful, and environmentally friendly products,”

said the rector, Prof. Friedrich Albrecht. Partnership spokesperson Prof. Jens Weber added:

“I am delighted by the success of our project—LaNDER³—in the BMBF competition, where we competed against 80 other universities. This opens up new and expanded opportunities for us. The focus is on integrating the two main research areas at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences: ‘Energy and Environment’ and ‘Materials, Structures, and Surfaces.’ In particular, the focus on materials—which has emerged at the university in recent years—can be substantially strengthened. With the more than €5 million that the BMBF is providing for the project, we can invest in the latest technology. This will enable approximately twelve research staff members to work collaboratively with our partners on application-oriented questions—and we can transfer the findings directly into teaching.”

To date, Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences has secured more than 20 industry partners and eight research partners for the project. The project currently consists of eight individual projects aimed at holistic technology and system development, which are intended to help natural-fiber-reinforced plastics achieve ecological and economic competitiveness.

Natural fibers derived from regionally available biomass, economically processed through the utilization of waste materials, are transformed into high-tech composites—lightweight, durable materials—in an energy-efficient manner into ready-to-use components, coated for specific functions, and made recyclable —with all steps optimally supplied with energy within the process—that is the goal. The partnership is thus revolutionizing the entire product life cycle of natural fiber-reinforced plastics (NFK).

“With FH-Impuls, we want to support research-intensive universities of applied sciences in more effectively tapping into their innovation potential and cooperating even more closely with entrepreneurial small and medium-sized businesses in the region,”

said Federal Minister of Education and Research, Prof. Dr. Johanna Wanka.

“After all, universities of applied sciences are key drivers of development in their regions: They train skilled professionals in close alignment with business needs and are at the same time high-performing research partners for the business community. In this way, they make a significant contribution to turning ideas into innovative products and services more quickly. Through the “FH-Impuls” program, we will in the future fund a total of ten research and innovation partnerships between universities of applied sciences and—primarily—the regional business community for a maximum of eight years, with a total budget of approximately 100 million euros. In doing so, we are sending a clear signal to the university of applied sciences community and strengthening their competitiveness within the scientific system.”

Furthermore, FH-Impuls funding for research-intensive universities of applied sciences—particularly in structurally weaker regions—will have a significant leverage effect and will be able to multiply research potential many times over.