Nov 04, 2023

Days of Cooperation of the University of Patras and TU Dresden

The "Days of Cooperation" of the Technical University of Dresden (TUD) and the University of Patras (UPAT) on November 2^nd and 3^rd 2023, were a great success. The networking event brought together not only the M2BRIDGE project team in Patras, but also an impressive number of students and PhD students from UPAT interested in exchange opportunities between the two universities.

The students showed great interest in the activities of the TUD, the possibilities for study visits in Dresden and especially for research internships at the ILK, as well as in the M2BRIDGE Summer School on Crash and Impact of Aircraft Structures with Function and Sensor Integration planned for 2024 in Dresden. During the Days of Cooperation, the UPAT students and PhD students not only had the opportunity to listen to lectures on these topics, but also to discuss their individual questions at various round tables during the opened Consulting Hour. The overwhelming interest of the students prompted the organizers to open a call for internships in 2024 at the TUD and for participation in the Dresden M2BRIDGE Summer School during the event. At the end of the Days of Cooperation, Prof. Angelos Filippatos and Prof. Maik Gude were able to nominate ten successful Greek candidates for the participation in the Summer School.

Dr.-Ing. Anja Winkler, TU Dresden, ILK, Head of the Expert Group Function Integration
Dr.-Ing. Andreas Hornig, TU Dresden, ILK, Deputy Head of the Expert Group Calculation Methods and Simulation
Evgenia Madia, TU Dresden, ILK, Expert Group Function Integration, research assistant and phD student | UoP phD student
Maike Heitkamp-Mai, Dipl.-Frank.-Wiss., MBA., TU Dresden, School of Engineering Sciences, International Affairs Advisor
Radka Tomečková, MA, TU Dresden, ILK, International Office Advisor

During the event, key representatives from both universities met to discuss the expansion of existing and other potential areas of cooperation and to develop ideas for future collaborations. An eight-member travel team from Dresden was led by Prof. Maik Gude (TUD, ILK Board Member and Professor of Lightweight Systems Engineering and Multi Material Design): Prof. Thomas Wallmersperger represented the associated M2BRIDGE partner: TUD Institute of Solid Mechanics, Chair for Mechanics of Multifunctional Structures. The ILK was further represented by Dr. Anja Winkler (Expert Group Function Integration), Dr. Andreas Hornig (Expert Group Calculation Methods and Simulation) and Georgios Tzortzinis, PhD (Intelligent Structures Group under Expert Group Function Integration). In addition, Ms. Evgenia Madia, research assistant at the ILK and the first double degree PhD student of TUD and UPAT, traveled to her alma mater to give a first-hand account of her life and studies in Germany during the Days of Cooperation. The team was also accompanied by Ms. Maike Heitkamp-Mai, International Officer of the TUD School of Engineering Sciences, and Ms. Radka Roßner, International Office Advisor of the ILK. From the Greek side, the participation and lectures of renowned Greek experts such as Prof. Pantelis Nikolakopoulos, Prof. Efthymios Polatidis, Prof. Angelos Filippatos, Dr. Dionysios Markatos, Prof. Nikolaos Avouris, Dr. Athanasios Kotzakolios and Prof. Vassilis Kostopoulos contributed to a unique event.

The Days of Cooperation were also an important meeting point for and with the multipliers and stakeholders. Ms. Regina (Vasiliki) Frentzou, head of the DAAD office in Athens, presented the general research and doctoral opportunities at German educational institutions, as well as the DAAD scholarship and funding programs. Special attention was given to the ERA-Green Hydrogen Scholarship. Ms. Frentzou was able to answer the many questions of the participants about the funding opportunities and, in general, about the exchange and mobility between Greece and Germany. Although the German Embassy in Greece could not attend the event in person, they sent a warm greeting at the opening of the event, emphasizing the importance of the M2BRIDGE partnership and similar cooperation projects.

The Days of Cooperation not only led to a fruitful exchange between the two universities, but also opened up promising prospects for future cooperation and educational opportunities. The meeting successfully served as a platform for exploring ways to improve the partnership and ensure its sustainability.

Days of Cooperation. Impressions