“How do we shape internationalization and technology transfer in the future?”

Wednesday, March 3, 2021, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

The second Future Lab addresses two central fields of action of a globally connected and regionally anchored university. On the one hand, questions of internationalization will be discussed, for example: How can TU Dresden succeed in attracting the brightest international students and outstanding researchers from all over the world? What does it take for international partnerships to last and be successful? On the other hand, we shall debate how to strengthen the technology transfer of TU Dresden. For this reason, we will seek answers to the following questions: How can we improve cooperation with international business enterprises? What needs to be done so that students and researchers are interested in entrepreneurship and embody entrepreneurial thinking and acting?

Please note: In line with the international focus of the event, this Future Lab will be held in English.

Program

Thematic groups

Thematic group 1A - Recruiting (Researchers)

How can we recruit the best international researchers?

TU Dresden has been involved in the competition to attract the brightest minds worldwide for years. Numerous support measures have been created, various scholarships have been granted, e.g., the Marie-Curie-Workshops of the European Project Center (EPC), or the Eleonore-Trefftz-Program that supports the recruitment of female researchers. So, with regard to the best universities what else can be done in order to improve TU Dresden’s competitiveness? What do we have to do to recruit excellent researchers? What can we offer? What makes TU Dresden and our region attractive?

Moderators: Prof. Triantafyllos Chavakis,  Friederieke Noack

Thematic group 1B - Recruiting (Students)

How can we recruit the best international students?

In its internationalization strategy, TU Dresden has set the goal of recruiting the brightest students worldwide and of creating a globalized and diverse campus. Decreasing numbers of applicants from Germany additionally lead to a heightened interest in targeting international applicants. We would like to start the discussion by exploring the reasons as to why prospective students choose Dresden and TU Dresden (and why they don't) and the ways in which we can reach our target groups. What are the "best" candidates for TU Dresden's study programs? Do we really need "more" international applicants or just "different" applicants? And is TU Dresden optimally equipped for a higher number of international students?

Moderators: Julia Paternoster, Laura Jähnert

Thematic group 2 - International Campus Life

How can we create an international campus (life)?

Internationality is not something that only takes place in the outside world, it is also happening right here. How international are we as a university? Do international students, researchers and staff feel welcome at TU Dresden? How can we shape our campus to be even more intercultural and attractive in the future? What is required to transform guests into fellow students and colleagues? For this, a holistic approach coupled with a new attitude and, in concrete terms, innovative processes in all areas of the organization is what is needed. In this session, we intend to generate ideas for a multi-faceted approach that includes all core functions of the university and its social responsibility in order to further develop a highly visible, cosmopolitan university community.

Moderators: Katharina Schmitt, Maria Richter-Babekoff

Thematic group 3 - Mobility

How do we shape the future of mobility of students and researchers (incoming/outgoing)?

Mobility - stays abroad and guest stays by students and scientists - is one of the fundamental pillars of internationalization at TUD and has increased steadily in recent years. The pandemic, but also Brexit and the persisting difficulties regarding the recognition of study achievements from abroad, have proven to be veritable barriers, especially for student mobility. The new ERASMUS generation also requires innovative sustainability measures (green mobility), virtual mobility and inclusion. How can we actively shape and promote mobility under these conditions? What opportunities, for example for new target groups, are in store for new developments? Or are the limits of mobility more likely to become apparent?

Moderators: Prof. Bernhard Schipp, Sandy Eisenlöffel

Thematic group 4 -International Partnerships

How do we address the global challenges with international partnerships?

Last year, we formulated a vision for our university. We strive to be a leading university that contributes to solving global challenges while achieving a high degree of international visibility. Both aspects require sustainable and outstanding international partnerships. This thematic group addresses the objectives and initial conditions of such partnerships. We want to discuss the requirements and corresponding support options in all stages of development. What criteria should guide the selection and promotion of international collaborations? How should these partnerships be supported? What are the priority objectives? How do we network and make the best use of individual collaborations? How can we make a coordinated effort to advance these cooperations both outside TUD as well as within the university community?

Moderators: Dr. Michael Krieg, Danny Klotzsche

Thematic group 5 - internat. sustainable Networks

How can we create sustainable international networks for research and beyond?

TU Dresden is already part of high-performance cooperation networks and has a plethora of contacts, that very often go far beyond mere research collaboration, also involving educational issues and civil society. In many cases, the personal enthusiasm of the researchers is the driving force behind those contacts and activities. However, subject-specific reasons and funding incentives have a decisive relevance. In the future, TU Dresden strives for additional sustainable collaborations with excellent partners as well as the strengthening of existing partnerships. Key questions of this thematic group are: How can we develop and foster Core Consortia and Networks that are particularly strong in research? What is needed in order to make cross-border activities (e.g. within the INTERREG context and development cooperation) more successful? How about scientific perspectives on cooperation? What role does digitalization play? How important are individual relationships and how can these be fostered? How can TU Dresden become more active in cooperating with developing countries or get engaged in Third Mission activities with a high degree of visibility (e.g. within the framework of ERASMUS+)?

Moderators: Prof. Thomas Köhler, Christian Gerhardts

Thematic group 6 - Industry Cooperation

How can we enhance international cooperation with industry in EU-funded projects and beyond?

This thematic group focuses on those collaborations that link researchers of TU Dresden with international companies. On the EU-level such cooperation so far was funded by the research framework program HORIZON 2020 (e.g. Fast Track to Innovation, Joint Undertakings). Under the roof of the European Innovation Council (EIC) the successor program HORIZON Europe earmarks various funding measures for transferring primarily mature, breakthrough technologies, concepts and processes from lab to market. What kind of support do researchers need in developing sustainable cooperation with industry? How can TU Dresden’s funding quote in terms of transfer projects be increased? What role do networks (e.g. CESAER) play in this context?

Moderators: Prof. Regine Gerike, Katja Böttcher

Thematic group 7 - Entrepreneurial thinking

How can we spread entrepreneurial thinking among students and researchers?

Dynamic changes characterize today‘s working life. Established companies, startups and other organizations are therefore focusing on the individual responsibility of their members and their entrepreneurial thinking. Alongside digital and data skills, entrepreneurial skills are becoming increasingly essential for professional life and social participation. What measures should TU Dresden offer for this skill acquisition? How should these skills be integrated into the curricula? How can training be conducted using practical examples? What entrepreneurial skills are we talking about – competencies to plan and judge, sustainability and reflection skills, dealing with uncertainty, willingness to collaborate? And how can entrepreneurship become an integral part of the university culture?

Moderators: Prof. Michael Schefczyk, Dr. Frank Pankotsch

Thematic group 8 - Economic Impact

How can we foster the economic impact of our research?

Research often only generates impact when people, companies and institutions can use its results in concrete products, services or methods. It is one of the tasks of a university to facilitate this path to application. One example is the need for exploitation plans in grant projects. What incentives are available to researchers to actively shape this path? How does TU Dresden support them - which offers are good, which are missing? What role does patent protection play in this process, does it enable or hinder? What structures and processes are needed in larger alliances such as clusters? How do we attract companies as transfer partners and bolster their retention?

Moderators: Prof. Frank Buchholz, Dorit Teichman

The Future Labs 2021 are funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Free State of Saxony as part of the Excellence Strategy of the German Federal and State Governments.