By signing the cooperation agreement, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences (HSRW) and Stadtentwicklungsgesellschaft Kalkar mbH (SEG Kalkar mbH) have taken another step towards anchoring the university in the region and bringing it closer to the local economy. Prof. Dr. Oliver Locker-Grütjen, President of HSRW, Dr. Britta Schulz, Mayor of Kalkar and Managing Director of SEG Kalkar mbH, and Dr. Bruno Ketteler, Authorised Signatory of SEG Kalkar mbH, were pleased with the new point of contact between the two university locations in Kleve and Kamp-Lintfort at the signing ceremony.
In various project phases, the DialogPunkt Wirtschaft will identify key challenges and opportunities for the regional economy in workshops and innovation sprints, thereby defining topics for a further programme at the DialogPunkt Wirtschaft in Kalkar. This will result in a tailor-made programme with specific formats such as consultation hours, specialist input and practical research, which is specially tailored to the needs of the local economy. In this way, the DialogPunkt Wirtschaft in Kalkar will create a genuine connection between businesses and the university, emphasised representatives of the university and the Kalkar urban development company. They also stressed that cooperation is not bound by municipal boundaries.
Facilitating access to the university
There was agreement that, despite the HSRW now having been in existence for 16 years, many companies in the region still have high inhibitions about contacting the university to discuss collaboration. The DialogPunkt Wirtschaft is intended to help facilitate access to science and collaboration. This was welcomed by Robert Beinio, managing director of bb med. product GmbH and first chairman of the Förderverein der Hochschule Rhein-Waal – Campus Cleve e. V. . In his role as managing director, he spoke of his company’s good access to the HSRW, also in the context of research projects. However, from his involvement in the association, he knows that there are varying needs among local businesses for cooperation with the university, linked to the question ‘Who do I contact for what?’, as the university offers a wide range of contact points.
The point of contact should be no obstacle
With the DialogPunkt Wirtschaft in Kalkar, the university is sending out a clear message: ‘We are here, we are approachable and we want to engage in dialogue.’ Julia Roelofsen, our Innovation Manager Economy, is leading the way. Under the guiding principle of ‘business meets science,’ she coordinates cooperation between companies and the HSRW and accompanies companies on their way to the university. Her goal: to work with the business community to develop ways in which companies can benefit from the university and the university can benefit from companies.
Technology meets application
Even though the shortage of skilled workers does not stop at the Lower Rhine region, it is the wish of all those involved that cooperation between companies in the region and the HSRW goes beyond the classic collaboration in the form of student internships or theses. ‘As a university of applied sciences, we want to do more than just supply the market with qualified graduates,’ said Dr Gerhard Heusipp, head of the Centre for Research, Innovation and Transfer (ZFIT) and our deputy project manager, summing up the university’s expectations of the DialogPunkt Wirtschaft.
‘Our task is transformation: the exchange of knowledge and insights in all directions between the university, business and society is an important contribution against the backdrop of sustainability goals and the implementation of sustainability in the region. We want to work with companies to answer specific questions – in the university’s laboratories and on site at the companies.’
All participants reaffirmed their intention to establish the DialogPunkt Wirtschaft in Kalkar as a platform for actively and collaboratively shaping a sustainable future for the economy in the Lower Rhine region.
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