The first meeting between the Rectors of King’s College London and Technische Universität Dresden in late September sealed the merger of research and teaching at the two elite universities. The GWT-TUD is supporting the project with a TransCampus professorship, while pharmaceuticals company Quintiles sponsors the TransCampus Summer School.

It was a meeting at the very highest level. TUD Rector Professor Dr Hans Müller-Steinhagen received his counterpart Professor Dr Edward Byrne of King’s College London in front of a packed auditorium in the Altana Gallery in the Görges Building. The Rectors of the two elite universities had come together for the official signing of the cooperation agreement for TransCampus London-Dresden. This is the first time that two top European universities have come together to form a TransCampus. The project got underway in April this year, with joint research projects and exchange programmes for academics and students. And we have already seen some initial big successes that would not have been possible without the cluster. For example, islet cell, kidney and bone marrow transplantation at the TransCampus London-Dresden is now one of the largest transplant centres in the world. Engineering also has many joint research topics, such as telecommunications, where researchers are working together to achieve a world standard in the development of mobile communications. Further fields of research in physics and the arts will follow.

“Successful, forward-looking science needs close connections, especially at an international level,” says Rector Müller-Steinhagen. “King’s College London and TU Dresden are taking this one step further. The TransCampus we have established together bears witness to a real commitment to collaboration. It represents combined forces and profitable synergies – across national and institutional boundaries. We are really setting an example here.”

In his talk, “Challenges for a modern university in the 21st Century”, Rector Byrne emphasised the importance of international networks if universities are to compete with the best. He also highlighted the fact that, although any elite university brings new jobs, greater economic strength and the arrival of research institutions to the region, the cluster of two elite universities multiplies this positive development and creates ideal conditions for significantly better promotion of top-level research.

TransCampus Dean and Professor of Medicine Stefan R. Bornstein also sees the London-Dresden cluster as much more than simply a doubling of knowledge and skills. “London and Dresden are united by a common spirit, shared values and a passion for research. We want to drive these forward together, for example in research into immunotherapy for cancer and in fighting widespread diseases like diabetes and depression. And – given the large-scale humanitarian crises facing the world, such as the Ebola epidemic and the large number of people being forced to flee their homes – we want to make our own contribution to finding solutions for dealing with the great challenges of our time, for the benefit of all of humanity.”

The TransCampus London-Dresden receives vital support from a TransCampus professorship funded by the GWT-TUD, as well as the TransCampus Summer School sponsored by Quintiles.

Professor Edward Byrne spent two days in Dresden, gaining an insight into the top-level research being carried out in the field of telecommunications at Dresden 5G Lab Germany, Silicon Saxony and TU Dresden. He was also able to dip his toe into Dresden’s culture with a visit to the Alte Meister gallery.