Expansion of cooperation in research with French partner universities resolved

After the 20th anniversary of the Franco-German double degree programs of the Faculty of Civil Engineering of TU Dresden and INSA Strasbourg as well as ESTP Paris had been celebrated in the Martin-Dülfer-Festsaal last summer, the faculty received a high-ranking delegation of the partner university ESTP on July 19, 2022. Director Joël Cuny, who has been steering the fortunes of ESTP for just under two years and was only present by video last year because of Corona, had reiterated the desire to visit Dresden. The Director General of the École Spéciale des Travaux Publics du Bâtiment et de l'Industrie was accompanied by the Director for International Relations, Mrs. Sophie-Caroline Huismann, and the Director for Research, Mr. Eric Croquesel. From Dresden, the Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Stamm, and the Program Officer of the German-French University, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peer Haller, welcomed the French guests.

The subject of the half-day talks was the increase in the number of double degree students, especially on the German side, as well as the expansion of cooperation in research. The number of newly enrolled students is gratifyingly high this year, which is probably due in no small part to the week of excursions to Strasbourg and Paris financed by the Franco-German University. A total of seven students have decided to study in France.

This figure is to be consolidated and further increased in the coming years. Suitable measures were discussed to achieve this. In order to reduce the language barrier, ESTP has recently started offering introductory courses in English. Ultimately, however, the goal is of course for graduates to have a business-fluent command of the language of the partner country and to be familiar with the mentality, culture and history of our neighbor and most important economic partner. In a tour of the laboratories near the von Mises Building, where the talks took place, the French guests gained an insight into Dresden's research.

Professor Mechtcherine explained his visions around building materials, the dean impressed the guests in the modern hydraulic engineering laboratory and Professor Wellner, who was unfortunately prevented, was competently represented by Mr. Bolz, who presented the diverse activities of road construction.

The tours were the introduction to a longer discussion about collaboration in research. ESTP will be devoting more time to this task in the coming period and will be significantly increasing the number of teachers and researchers at its university. A Herculean task. Dresden benefits from ESTP's close network of relationships with French construction groups of distinction, many of which are active in Germany and have a high demand for bilingual engineers with intercultural skills.

At the end, the cooperation agreements, which were brought up to date after the study reforms, were ceremoniously signed by those present. The day ended in a friendly atmosphere at summer temperatures in a restaurant at the river Elbe. Among the guests was also former dean Rainer Schach, who is still active in the advisory board of ESTP after his retirement. Finally, our friends returned to the guesthouse at Weberplatz with positive impressions and many suggestions, combined with the wish to deepen the dialogue with us in Paris.