The kick-off for the development of a new research strategy in December at Dortmund U proved just how strong, active and mobilizing research is at Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts.
Around 50 participants, including more than 30 professors, the entire Rectorate and the research officers from all faculties, accepted the invitation of the Vice-Rector for Research and Transfer, Prof. Jörg Thiem, to start a participatory process towards a new research strategy for our university.
Prof. Dr. Jörg Thiem first illustrated the status quo of research at the UAS, starting with the goals and their degree of achievement of the first research strategy adopted ten years ago, through the development during this period, to the current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks identified. From this, he derived the need for action and initial starting points for a new research strategy for Fachhochschule Dortmund.
Prof. Frank Ziegele, Managing Director of the CHE Center for Higher Education Development, illustrated the range of possibilities for this using typical and real examples from other universities. His core message was that every university must find its own suitable and authentic research profile. A strategy development process can make an important contribution to this. The decisive conditions for research and transfer to thrive at a UAS are "the necessary spirit and adequate anchoring in its culture".
In five working groups, the participants address central topics of the future research strategy: visibility of research, research strength and profile, transdisciplinarity and application orientation, internationalization of research as well as transfer and third mission.
The results of the working groups were then presented to the plenary session and will now be incorporated into the further strategy development process. This process will follow a roadmap presented by the Vice-Rector at the end of the event until the new research strategy comes into force at the end of 2025. The next concrete steps on the way there will now be prepared and communicated and fed back to the various stakeholders of the University of Applied Sciences at the appropriate time.
The closing words of the Rector, Prof. Dr. Tamara Appel, and the subsequent lively discussions among the participants during the informal exchange at the end of the kick-off event made one thing clear: research at Fachhochschule Dortmund is much more than an "add-on" or a mere official task. It is active, present, committed, challenging and sometimes quite controversial and is simply fun. In any case, it is an integral part of the university and an essential factor for its overall future development. With this result, a key overarching goal of the new research strategy has already been achieved.
Prof. Dr. Ute Fischer, lecturer at the Faculty of Applied Social Studies and member of the Dortmund University of Applied Sciences Senate, moderated the event.