Deserts, Sunshine Hours, and Environmental Management

In March, a group of young Turkmen students visited the Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences at HSZG. The eleven men, aged 22 to 29, came from a technical university in the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat, which focuses on issues related to transportation—particularly railways—as well as energy supply, computer science, and management in the areas of education, teaching, and research.

The contact was established through the West Saxon University of Applied Sciences Zwickau and the DAAD in Bonn, which provided financial support for the trip. Under the leadership of Dr. h. c. mult. Christian Brauweiler, the West Saxon University of Applied Sciences in Zwickau has established close ties with the Turkmen State Institute for Transport and Communication in Ashgabat in recent years.

The eleven Turkmen students and colleagues were particularly interested in aspects and issues related to environmental and energy management. In an engaging lecture, Prof. Dr. Bernd Delakowitz highlighted the current issues and problems being discussed in Germany with regard to climate change. Drawing on his experience in cooperation with Kazakhstan—a direct neighbor of Turkmenistan with similar economic, political, social, geographical, and climatic conditions—he was able to draw direct parallels to the guests’ home country. A campus tour, including visits to laboratories, rounded out the academic visit and information program.

Communication took place in English and Russian. The students’ proficiency in English varied, with some speaking it very good. The extracurricular program was organized and led by Prof. Dr. Bodo Lochmann, former Rector of the German-Kazakh University of Almaty. This included both a hike in the Zittau Mountains with visits to Oybin and Töpfer, as well as an in-depth city tour. The students’ accommodations were organized by the 'Studentenwerk' (student union) in a straightforward and flexible manner.

Bernd Delakowitz says: “The students were very enthusiastic—for example, about our university’s Environmental Management or the German energy transition—with all its problems and mistakes, but also its successes. They were amazed by both the program and the strong practical focus we have at our university.”

Turkmenistan, it’s important to note, is one of the world’s most gas-rich countries and has access to oil in the Caspian Sea. Nevertheless, it is a very closed-off and isolated country, with vast deserts and a dry, hot climate. This makes visits and contacts like this one at the Zittau campus all the more important: similarities and differences become clear, and cooperation is fostered.

What Germany and Turkmenistan have in common: Turkmenistan, too, is increasingly turning to solar power (the country’s vast desert regions receive more than 3,000 hours of sunshine per year). By comparison, Germany gets fewer than 1,000 hours of sunshine. Turkmenistan is collaborating with Japan on technology for photovoltaics and solar thermal energy—which is surprising, since China, as a neighboring country, would be much closer, and the Chinese are global leaders in solar power systems.

“A return visit to Turkmenistan is not currently planned, but perhaps this contact will lead to deeper cooperation,” hopes Prof. Dr. Bernd Delakowitz. He extends his heartfelt thanks to everyone involved: “We would like to thank all our colleagues who helped make the Turkmen guests’ stay in Zittau an unforgettable experience.”