Dec 10, 2018
University of Excellence Proposal Submitted – New Image Campaign “OUR UNI“ Begins
208 pages – 105 million euro. Today is the deadline and TU Dresden has submitted its proposal for University of Excellence status to the German Council of Science and Humanities in Cologne. This document will ideally be worth around 105 million euro in funding for the measures it proposes for the period until 2026. More than two years were spent preparing the proposal and approximately 1,000 people were directly involved in work groups, future labs, surveys, meetings and retreats. Many more were involved intermittently or indirectly.
“It was a tremendous effort and we can be proud of this accomplishment” says Prof. Hans Müller-Steinhagen, Rector of TUD, with relief. "It was a remarkable feat to meet the requirements made by the Science Council for this proposal while simultaneously maintaining university operations. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those involved in the proposal as well as to those who shouldered some of the burden for their colleagues and safeguarded the continued operation of our major education and research organisation.”
However, the proposal is only one of many milestones in the overall process. In February 2019, international reviewers will visit TU Dresden for an on-site inspection. Alongside the proposal, the inspection is of paramount importance in the decision as to whether or not TUD will retain its University of Excellence title. “Our status as a University of Excellence has given us significant financial and creative leeway that would not have been possible without this title”, emphasises Prof. Müller-Steinhagen. “Since we want to sustain these opportunities for development, we are once again participating in this demanding Excellence Competition of the Federal and State Governments.” A distinguishing feature of this newest funding round is that it is intended to be permanent. After seven years of funding, the university will not be required to re-apply but will be subject to an evaluation. The prerequisite is that the university has at least two Clusters of Excellence.
To coincide with the submission of the University of Excellence proposal, TU Dresden is launching its promotional campaign "OUR UNI". It will accompany the proposal until the decision is made on the University of Excellence status in July 2019. Students, staff and lecturers are asked to pitch in for the university and encourage other members of TUD and the wider public to show their support for the proposal. Beginning on 10th December, a giant banner at the auditorium centre, the flags in front of the rectorate building and the website created specifically for this campaign are displaying a variety of TUD faces.
With the motto "OUR UNI: Do good – and spread the word”, Prof. Hans Müller-Steinhagen called on all TUD members in mid-October to make a statement for the university and participate in the campaign. 115 students and employees from science, technology and administration responded. 16 were selected for individual portraits and a further eight for group photos. The 17th face of the campaign is Rector Prof. Hans Müller-Steinhagen.
The campaign images will be printed and published online, on illuminated posters throughout Dresden, in newspaper advertisements, on Dresden public transport television and on the internet at various intervals.
The campaign website will introduce the campaign participants in more detail. In addition, the website provides all university members and the public with the opportunity to contribute their own photos and actively support TUD.
“One of the goals of the Excellence Strategy is to make universities more visible”, says the Rector. “We are implementing this goal not only in research and teaching, but also in our public image.”