The Department of Digitalisation and Innovative Teaching at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) will present the university's new English-language degree programmes in Artificial Intelligence (AI) at its next DigiCamp on 19 May. The DigiCamps are a virtual series of events at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology on the topic of digitalisation. Under the title "Artificial Intelligence - Create (y)our future", the people responsible for the AI degree programmes are addressing prospective students, company representatives and the interested public with this DigiCamp.

Several short lectures are planned during the English-language event. Prof. Dr. Cezar Ionescu will talk about the broad field of AI and provide a basic understanding. Afterwards, the programme directors Prof. Dr. Patrick Glauner and Prof. Jürgen Wittmann will present the new Bachelor's programme "Artificial Intelligence" and the Master's programmes "Artificial Intelligence and Data Science" and "Artificial Intelligence for Smart Sensors and Actuators" in detail. Participants will also receive input on dual study options, cooperation opportunities for and with companies, the application process at DIT and other useful information and dates for both prospective students and company representatives. The programme for the DigiCamp "Artificial Intelligence - Create (y)our future" can be found on the DIT website at https://th-deg.de/en/business/digitalisation-in-dialogue. Participation is free of charge, access data will be sent after registration.

With over 300 square metres of new space in the ITC2 in Deggendorf, the Startup Campus of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is creating room for innovative minds who want to start their own business. An official inauguration of the Startup Lab took place digitally on 28 April. Here, all network partners of the Startup Campus as well as DIT employees had the opportunity to virtually visit the premises.

Among the invited guests was Minister of Science Bernd Sibler. He emphasised in the video conference: “With the Startup Campus, the Deggendorf Institute of Technology is further expanding its excellent environment for the start-ups of its graduates. As a central contact point closely networked with the region, it will bring young, creative and imaginative people together with attractive partners. Their founding spirit and courage are needed for our progress. The Startup Campus at DIT will also promote both and thus pave the way for promising technologies of tomorrow. On the part of the Free State, we are providing the optimal framework with the innovation offensive Hightech Agenda Bayern.”

Together with the Startup Lab, the Startup Campus is a central contact point for all those interested in starting a business at the university. Through the rented space, the Startup Campus provides founders with a creative working environment. Teams that are currently being mentored and supported are allowed to use the office space, the co-working space and the seminar room. The Startup Lab is open for everyone to visit and exchange ideas.

The event also served as the first networking meeting with all companies, institutions and politicians involved in strengthening the start-up culture regionally. Special attention was paid to the network partners learning more about the Startup Campus and their current projects. Of course, the start-up teams are also part of this. A few young founders had the chance to present their start-up ideas to the audience. After all, the innovative teams in particular are the ones that really bring the Startup Lab to life.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is once again receiving funding to intensify its start-up work. As part of the funding priority "regional networking", a sustainable, regionally anchored start-up culture is to be established through networking in the rural region in the area of Eastern Bavaria. Austria and the Czech Republic are also a focus of the project. Almost one million euros are available to the DIT Start-Up Campus team from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

The university wants to create more start-ups and thus more jobs for the region. The DIT Start-Up Campus team is not the only one advising the founders. Professors and academic staff at the university make themselves available as mentors and DIT alumni from the field are arranged as contacts for exchanging experiences. Companies, politicians, business associations, start-ups and government institutions in the rural region are also asked to participate in the regional network. A major challenge at present is to hold all events virtually. Nevertheless, the best possible effort is being made, because regular network meetings, the transfer of know-how and the exchange of ideas among the founders are enormously important. For example, the monthly information events on the topic of start-up financing or the start-up regulars' table take place via Zoom. There is a range of digital seminars especially for women, such as Female Empowerment. A female founder, who herself studied at DIT, also reports on her self-employment in the virtual alumni founder talk. Those interested in founding a company with an exciting idea are invited to contact the DIT Start-Up Campus. Particular attention is paid to innovative or high-tech start-ups. The Start-Up Campus team advises not only students, but also alumni and staff of the university.

Since 2002, the university has gradually built up its profile as a start-up university. Over the years, numerous successful start-ups, activities and qualification offers have resulted, so that in 2017 the Start-Up Campus team was finally formed from DIT's Institute for Start-ups as a central point of contact. The university can further strengthen its activities through the funding measure "regional networking - establishing a sustainable, regionally anchored start-up culture" Exist V Potentiale of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

Following the success of the first DigiHealthDay (DHD) at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) last year, the Campus is now continuing the international symposium as an annual event. The DHD-2021 will take place virtually on November 12. A series of pre-event workshops will be held in the run-up to the DHD-2021. The first workshop will take place next week, on April 26. Registration for the workshops and the event is now open.

The DHD-2021 offers a comprehensive programme on modern Digital Health and its role in tackling global health problems from a uniquely international perspective, with a special focus on Digital Health Education. It will include Keynote Talks by top German and international experts, an extremely interesting Panel Discussion on the “Future of Digital Health Data”, as well as oral and poster scientific presentations, student thesis and project presentations, and (virtual) networking possibilities.

The DHD-2021 is preceded by a series of virtual workshops, which will take place in spring and summer. The extensive programme with a total of eight workshops has something in store for everyone interested in Digital Health and related issues. Topics range from Data Integration and Interoperablity, Human-Computer Interaction in Digital Health, Digitalisation of Healthcare in Germany and in the US to Digital Imaging and Artifical Intelligence in Radiology, to name but a few.

Everyone with an interest in Digital Health such as researchers, healthcare professionals, businesses and start-ups, authorities or students is invited to participate in ECRI’s DigiHealthDay-2021. For further information about the event and workshops, please visit the homepage www.th-deg.de/digihealthday.

The first DHD last autumn was attended by 348 participants from 59 countries. Due to the great success, the event will be held annually from now on. The event series is organised and conducted by Prof. Dr. Georgi Chaltikyan.

On Monday, 12 April, around 40 participants met virtually for the Interreg workshop "Cross-border Health Care" and achieved a very good success on this day, which will contribute to research work in the field of cross-border digital health in the future.

The workshop was organised by Prof. Dr. Thomas Spittler and Anna Schmaus-Klughammer, LLB (hons.) from the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) in cooperation with Thomas Kern from the FH Oberösterreich. They invited experts from health institutions, business and science to develop ideas for joint projects.

At the beginning of the workshop, the approximately 40 participants were introduced to the topic of cross-border health through the presentation of the Interreg project INDEED, which has set itself the goal of advancing and improving the medical care of dementia patients in the European area. INDEED was kindly presented by Prof. Dr. Alexander Kurz and Lea Pfäffel, both from the Technical University of Munich.

This was followed by three workshops in which the participants delved deeper into the topic. Digital processes - the path to better health or the transparent human being?" dealt with digital health and digital processes in the healthcare system and the question of how a patient summary file can be implemented across borders. Then the topic of health and AI was combined and the question was asked whether bioinformatics and medical informatics, explainable artificial intelligence and core clinical processes can be the solution for a better life. Finally, it was about sensor technology for medical applications and whether these can be used as a source for innovative therapy and prevention.

This was followed by the creative part of the day with brainstorming and finalising the research question. The participants from companies and clinics worked in a highly concentrated manner and also networked between the workshop topics, which gave the process further momentum. In the end, eight concrete research questions emerged, which is an above-average success for a workshop of this kind. These research questions now need to be translated into project proposals in order to advance cross-border health care.

For almost 40 years, the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) has been in demand when it comes to proving job-related English. It serves both employees and educational institutions worldwide as a standard for reliable proof of English skills. Because by "good" English, applicants and personnel managers often understand two different things. DIT offers the next examination date in May, also for external candidates.

The TOEIC Listening & Reading Online covers the two areas of listening comprehension and reading comprehension. The two-hour pure multiple choice test is taken on the computer. Each candidate is placed exactly in his or her respective language level and always receives a result - there is no failure. The next TOEIC Listening & Reading Test Online will take place at DIT on Friday, 21 May at 1.30 pm. The test date on Wednesday, 12 May, also at 1.30 p.m., is obligatory. Registration is possible until 1 May at sprachenzentrum@th-deg.de. The examination fee is € 130, or € 150 if a certificate is desired. The number of participants for exams is limited.

More information at: https://th-deg.de/de/studierende/sprachkurse-awp-faecher#accordion-toeic

The application period for the winter semester at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI), the international faculty of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT), starts on 15 April. In addition to the existing degree programmes, prospective students can also apply for the new Master's programme in Global Public Health.

Especially in times of a global pandemic, it has become clear how important health is worldwide. The Global Public Health programme takes these requirements into account. As a joint degree together with Savonia University in Finland, the programme is internationally structured and addresses the challenges of global public health.

Students learn during the Master's programme Global Public Health how health can be managed and promoted in the global health system. The programme focuses on health care in industrialised countries as well as in developing regions worldwide. It also looks at the connections between health problems and culture, politics, human rights and ethical values. These topics are explored in greater depth in the Winter School at ECRI and in the Summer School at Savonia University in Finland. The students benefit from the expertise and intensive research on digitalisation in healthcare of Prof. Dr. Thomas Spittler, the head of the programme, and his team.

With the Master's degree, graduates of the Global Public Health programme have a wide range of career opportunities open to them. They can either join governments, non-governmental organisations, international organisations such as the WHO or consultancies. But also positions in health management, health promotion, human resource management, administration, marketing and controlling or occupational health care are possible for students of this degree programme after successful completion.

With a joint degree and the division between Germany and Finland, the Master's programme is a unique joint degree that has not existed in this form at DIT before. This is an absolute added value, especially for an internationally oriented degree programme that has set itself the goal of taking on global challenges and improving the health system worldwide.

In addition to the Master's programme in Global Public Health, the Master of Digital Health will also start in the coming winter semester. Those who want to do a Bachelor's first have the choice between Health Informatics, Industrial Engineering, International Tourism Management / Health & Medical Tourism and Energy Systems Engineering. Information on the degree programmes is available on the ECRI website at https://th-deg.de/ecri.

With English as the language of instruction, ECRI is the only completely English-speaking campus in the whole of Bavaria. This makes studying at ECRI in Pfarrkirchen particularly attractive for internationally oriented prospective students, for whom all doors are open after successful completion.

The year 2020 has drawn a great deal of attention to the topic of health and created new political and legal framework conditions for digitalisation in the health sector. How these can be used as quickly as possible for the benefit of all involved and how Germany can catch up in the area of digitalisation in healthcare is the subject of Prof Dr Dominik Böhler’s research. He is a new professor at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT).

In his field of expertise, “Management in Digital Healthcare”, Böhler deals with the digitalisation of processes and digital business models in the healthcare sector. It is therefore not surprising that the past year was also a particularly formative one for Prof Böhler in professional terms. For him, the pandemic has shown that health is a valuable commodity and that the obvious “under-digitalisation” in the health sector creates many points of friction for all involved. However, in his eyes, this also offers immense opportunities for young talent with new ideas. Seeing how start-ups in the health sector bring new technologies to a supposedly highly regulated market and how the confidence of individuals with a strong vision can positively change the reality of many people fascinates him every time.

When it comes to start-ups and new ideas, Böhler knows what he is talking about. After studying business administration and earning his doctorate in business informatics on the topic of “What influence does AI have on organisations?”, he took over as head of entrepreneurship education at UnternehmenTUM. There he dealt with the question of how project-based learning can work in large numbers and high quality and accompanied over 2,000 project teams and over 150 start-ups. He was also involved in setting up the Digital Health Summit in Munich.

At DIT, he wants to advance applied research in the health sector quickly and pragmatically and make healthcare in rural areas and the global south more digital and better. He has also set himself the goal of developing new business models in the health sector with established companies. For Böhler, there are too many hurdles, especially in higher education and health care, and too few who really break them down. We need more courageous people like Bertha Benz, who led the way at the beginning of the last great transformation: get on and go. Because especially in a time of transformation, as is currently the case, holding on to the tires and tested is, in his opinion, a bad strategy.

As a pragmatic, performance-oriented idealist, Prof Böhler finds it a sense of achievement to achieve goals together with little resources and a lot of enthusiasm. He should thus easily succeed in inspiring, challenging and encouraging his students. His wife and two sons provide the necessary grounding for all these ideas.

Artificial intelligence, tourism, civil engineering, media technology or something completely different – with more than 60 different Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes, there is something for everyone at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). Those who want to get hold of one of the study places for the winter semester 2021 for start in October can apply for it from 15 April until 15 July.

Since 1994, DIT has developed into one of the most successful new universities of applied sciences founded in the 1990s. Today, more than 8,000 students study at the campuses in Deggendorf and Pfarrkirchen. The range of courses is constantly being expanded. New in the winter semester 2021, for example, are the English-language Bachelor’s programme Artificial Intelligence, the part-time German-language Master’s programme Digital Business Engineering, the Bachelor’s programme Interdisciplinary Engineering Sciences and the Master’s programme Applied Sports Sciences. Because there are more and more degree programmes at DIT, undecided students will be able to try out various subjects and also studying in general for the first time from the winter semester 2021 in form of an orientation study programme. In one to two semesters, young students will have the opportunity to get a taste of various degree programmes. Prerequisites for the orientation study at DIT are a university entrance qualification, e.g. the Abitur, and a letter of motivation. Interested students can apply via DIT’s applicant portal. Even if it is not currently possible to come to the campus in person, the university offers a wide range of online services to provide information about the degree programmes and campus life in Deggendorf. Prospective students can take part in webinars on degree programmes or on student finance. The Centre for Student Advise also provides support on individual degree programmes via phone, WhatsApp or video chat.

The Deggendorf-based start-up Quimedo has taken second place in this year's Ideenreich business plan competition. The competition, sponsored by Bayern Kapital, is organised by BayStartUP and takes place in cooperation with the Gründerzentrum Digitalisierung Niederbayern (GZDN). Innovative founders from south-eastern Bavaria who are in the process of setting up a company are supported. In this context, Dr. Timo Steininger, founder of Quimedo, also applied and convinced the jury.

The idea of the start-up was born in 2019, namely to digitalise and simplify the transition of patients from inpatient treatment to rehabilitation/nursing or from home to care with the app Quimedo. Via the app, healthcare facilities enter free capacities as well as possible forms of treatment. Within a very short time, patients can be referred directly to the right place for optimal treatment. The digital networking is an enormous relief for the nursing staff. The start-up was founded in October 2020, with Prof. Dr. Thomas Geiß and Prof. Dr. Christian Rester from the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences supporting the team throughout the entire start-up process. Quimedo is based in Deggendorf with founder Dr. Timo Steininger, co-managing director Stefan Klein and four employees. They use the coworking space of the start-up centre at ITC1, where Thomas Keller (managing director of ITC1) is a strong partner.  An important factor of the app is user-friendliness. Therefore, the platform should also be put through its paces. Students of the Health Informatics degree programme agreed to check the usability of the Quimedo app during the test phase. In January 2021, the time had come - the app could go live. Since then, it has been confirmed that the platform works very well. A large number of successful patient referrals have already been made.  The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is a valuable partner for Quimedo. DIT has been heavily involved in building up the network in the eastern Bavarian region. In the meantime, many joint projects are underway, such as AI in care. Founder Dr Timo Steininger himself will be head of the practical nursing department at the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences from 1 April 2021. One of Steininger's goals is to dovetail science and Quimedo in the long term.

The workplace in the company vs. home office is currently a hot topic. “A co-working space has the potential to combine the best of both worlds,” says Lisa Geib, Digitalisation Officer at DIT. Co-working is an integrated and flexible working model in which start-ups, freelancers and other employees rent a flexible workspace in an open-plan office. The focus of co-working spaces is on networking and the exchange of innovative ideas. The advantages are as varies as the concept. For commuters from rural areas, co-working offers working close to home in a modern working environment. This work concept can be particularly interesting for working parents. In times of the pandemic, the needs of employees and, at the same time, of companies have changed rapidly: Home offices, purely virtual meetings plus childcare and home schooling are taking their toll. DIT is leading the way by offering five free, project-funded co-working spaces at ITC1.

The virtual DigiCamp shows the possibilities of a co-working space. Several short lectures are planned. The main topics are the opportunities especially for rural areas, co-working experiences from practice and the presentation of the new co-working spaces at ITC1. The programme will be founded off by a joint discussion and an exchange of experiences on how co-working can succeed despite the Corona pandemic. Information on the “DigiCamp Co-Working Space” can be found on the DIT website at https://th-deg.de/en/business/digitalisation-in-dialogue . Participation is free of charge, access data will be sent after registration at coworking@th-deg.de.

On 13 April, pupils, students and job seekers can make contact with companies at firstcontact, one of the largest and most successful company contact fairs in Lower Bavaria. The fair will be held virtually from 10 am to 3 pm, allowing visitors to participate from the comfort of their own homes.

Although the firstcontact has to move from the Deggendorf Stadthallen to an online platform, it will once again offer visitors countless and unique career opportunities. A total of 110 companies are on board and present themselves to the virtual visitors in the usual professional environment. The new format also offers new opportunities: With a get-to-know-you app, participants can already get to know the exhibitors before the actual fair. Another new feature is that exhibitors and visitors can get in touch in advance and arrange to meet on the day of the fair.

The firstcontact is particularly aimed at students who are looking for jobs for an internship or their bachelor's or master's thesis, as well as all prospective graduates. However, school pupils and job seekers are also cordially invited to firstcontact on 13 April. Information on how to participate can be found at: https://www.firstcontact-deggendorf.de/.

The fair is organised by the student association First Contact e.V. in cooperation with the Career Service of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). The firstcontact takes place annually in spring and regularly attracts almost 200 companies and about 2,000 visitors to Deggendorf.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) starts the first English-language technical Bachelor's degree programme in Deggendorf: Artificial Intelligence. Prospective students will be able to study Artificial Intelligence (AI) in English as early as October 2021.

One of the world's first Bachelor's degree programmes in Artificial Intelligence has been available at DIT since 2019. Artificial intelligence makes it possible to automate human decision-making behaviour and will change almost every industry in the coming years and decades. The demand for AI experts on the market is correspondingly high. The future programme coordinator Prof. Dr. Patrick Glauner describes AI as the next step in the industrial revolution. This means excellent career prospects for the students. With the new degree programme, the university wants to take this and the advancing internationalisation of the German labour market into account. Above all in Europe, Germany-wide and regionally, the university hopes to interest more young people in studying AI in Deggendorf. Both, lectures and exams, are held in English. A great advantage is the possibility to attend the first two semesters, both in Deggendorf and virtually. Minister of Science Bernd Sibler emphasises: "Being future-oriented and international are among the hallmarks of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology. Its future offer of an English-language degree programme in ‘Artificial Intelligence’ proves this once again. After all, artificial intelligence is the key technology for diverse new developments worldwide." The degree programme offers over ten modules on AI, providing a broad and in-depth education. Computer science basics are not neglected. Spread throughout the degree, eleven core computer science modules form the backbone of the programme. A highlight of the degree programme is the practical semester, which is scheduled for the fifth semester, in which students apply their knowledge in practice in companies and thereby deepen it. However, the acquisition of key competences and soft skills, for which suitable modules are included, is also important for later professional life. Foreign students also learn the basics of the German language necessary for a successful professional life during their studies. More information on the AI degree programme can be found on the DIT website: https://www.th-deg.de/ain-b-en. Applications for a place on the programme can be submitted from Thursday, 15 April. If you have any questions about the degree programme, Professor Glauner can also be contacted directly at patrick.glauner@th-deg.de or +49 991 3615 453.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) once again officially has three vice-presidents. Prof Dr-Ing Andreas Grzemba, Prof Dr Horst Kunhardt and Prof Waldemar Berg will represent University President Prof Dr Peter Sperber at official appointments for the next three years and support him in the implementation of university policy objectives and in the development of the university.

In the election on 25 March, Andreas Grzemba and Horst Kunhardt were elected by the University Council for the third time, and Waldemar Berg for the second time for the office of Vice President. In addition to elected members of the Senate, the University Council is made up of ten people from science, culture and, in particular, from business and professional practice who do not belong to the university.

Andreas Grzemba is responsible for the area of research and knowledge transfer, Horst Kunhardt is in charge of the area of health and manages the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) in Pfarrkirchen, and Waldemar Berg, as Vice Presidents, is responsible for the area of studies and study matters.

The Host Family Programme of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) enters the next round for the summer semester. Due to Corona this year virtually. The programme is currently looking for interested people in Deggendorf, Cham, Pfarrkirchen and the surrounding area who would like to exchange ideas with students and give them an insight into Bavarian cuture.

The Host Family Programme enables foreign students to make contacts outside the campus and thus contributes to integration and exchange. The Host Family Programme is indispensable for exchanges with people from other cultures, not only in Deggendorf, but also at the two international study locations in Cham and Pfarrkirchen. The programme is quite simple: host parents meet with students informally and as often as they like. Due to the current situation, this will be virtual for the time being. This enables the students to make contact with locals, gain an insight into the local way of life and get to know Bavarian culture. This can also be a meeting for coffee and cake or a joint excursion into the surrounding area, depending on what is possible under the current regulations.

The Host Family Programme also offers many advantages for the host families. All students speak English, but many can also speak German very well. This offers the perfect opportunity to speak English casually and this deepen their vocabulary. In addition, they get to know the students’ respective countries, their inhabitants and their culture. Last but not least, friendships are made and togetherness is enriched.

Further information and the application form for the Host Family Programme can be found at www.th-deg.de/hostfamily. If you have any questions, Andrea Ebertseder for Pfarrkirchen (andrea.ebertseder@th-deg.de) and Marion Löfflmann for Deggendorf and Cham (marion.loefflmann@th-deg.de) from the Centre for International Affairs at DIT are available via e-mail.

The Host Family Programme is a non-profit organisation at DIT that is dedicated to the integration of foreign students. In Deggendorf, the network includes people from a wide variety of nations, religions and cultures and currently consists of more than 80 host families from Deggendorf and the surrounding area. At ECRI in Pfarrkirchen, the programme started for the first time in the winter semester 2019/2020 with six host families and ten students.

The Corona pandemic still has the whole world firmly in its grip. Nonetheless, the International Office at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is making every effort to maintain its international relations and especially the international student exchange. On Wednesday, 3 March, 50 international exchange students from 25 different countries around the world were welcomed at DIT - this time for the first time with a completely virtual orientation programme.

While almost half of the exchange students will start the summer semester online from their home country, 25 guest students from countries less affected by the corona virus, such as South Korea, will spend a semester abroad on site in Deggendorf or Pfarrkirchen. Since almost all students arriving from abroad have to spend at least five days in quarantine as a safety measure in addition to presenting a negative corona test, a shopping service - contactless, of course - has been organised by the International Office. In order to provide the students with the essentials immediately after their arrival, the student assistants of the International Office also distributed small welcome packages in the students’ halls of residence. In addition to the most important basic groceries, these also contain second-hand dishes and cooking utensils that were collected in advance for the students.

The International Office’s one-and-a-half-week virtual orientation programme is intended to enable the international guest students to make connections in Deggendorf and at the university despite the lack of personal contact. Via video conferencing systems, the students will not only get to know the various facilities of the university, such as the library, but there will also be a colourful supporting programme organised by the university’s international tutors and the student association ESN Deggendorf. This offers exciting and varied virtual events and activities such as a Bavarian evening, an Escape Room game or various team-building measures, which should make it easier for the students to get to know each other and exchange ideas. The aim of these measures is to give the students as warm a welcome as possible despite the corona-related circumstances and to show that internationality is important at DIT even in times like these.

The Department of Digitalisation and Innovative Teaching at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is organising the next DigiCamp on 24 March from 4 pm. This time, the series of events on digitalisation will focus on the topic of “Virtual Reality in Construction - 3D, BIM & more” and is aimed at civil engineers, architects, engineering firms, interested companies and university members. Under the leadership of Prof Dr-Ing Gerd Maurer, the faculties of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Electrical Engineering and Media Technology are participating in the event.

Digitalisation in companies in the construction industry brings a whole range of advantages to businesses. In the construction industry, the planning method Building Information Modelling (BIM) in particular has extraordinarily great potential. While architects used to work on the classic drawing board, most of them now use modern CAD systems to create their designs on the computer. Plans of this kind can not only be submitted to authorities and experts more easily, but also enable applications in the field of virtual reality. The construction industry can make use of these advantages, for example, when it comes to showing clients the finished objects in advance and thus planning together and also preventing misunderstanding. With the help of virtual reality and computer-generated 3D images, builders can walk through their own house as if they were standing directly in the room, even before construction begins. The virtual DigiCamp will demonstrate the possibilities that virtual reality can bring to construction. A live demonstration of current 3D projects at DIT in the “Laboratory for New Forms of Reality”, led by Prof Dr Stephan Windischmann, is planned, as well as several short lectures by renowned experts from business and science, and a virtual panel discussion to exchange opinions. The technical possibilities on the construction side and on the media side will be discussed in detail.

The complete programme with an introduction of the participants and the registration form for the event can be found on the DIT homepage at https://www.th-deg.de/en/business/digitalisation-in-dialogue. Participation is free of charge, access data will be sent via e-mail after registration.

Together with four other partner institutions the Deggendorf Institute of Technology’s (DIT) international faculty European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) founded the Consortium of Educational Institutions in Digital Health (CONEDIG). The consortium is an initative under the umbrella of the International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth (ISfTeH) and will serve as a global platform for advancing digital health as well as telemedicine education.

CONEDIG sets out to develop ‘a la carte’ training courses in digital health as well as creating an evalutation and accreditation framework for study programmes in digital health. It will also create generic modular study courses on various topics in digital health. This includes developing guidelines and recommendations of good international practices in digital health. Furthermore, the consortium recognizes the necessity to approach the health needs of each country and will participate and collaborate in international research. The goal is to make CONEDIG a global meeting place of academics in the digital health field with experts sharing knowledge, expertise, content and personnel for education and research.

Apart from ECRI there are four other founding members from all over the globe: Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Université de Bordeaux (France), Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (Russian Federation), and University of KwaZulu Natal (South Africa).

CONEDIG was first introduced during a session at the International Scientific Symposium DigiHealthDay-2020 hosted by ECRI in November 2020, where Professor Georgi Chaltikyan invited the founding partners to the first joint session of the newly established consortium.

Daniel Fuchs is the founder of the start-up threesixty-drones. His business idea is based on a specially designed drone for 360-degree video recording. Less than a year after presenting his innovation at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT), the 21-year-old is an independent entrepreneur and offers the creation of promotional videos using drones as a service. The "Kickstart Incubator" funding programme, which is still fairly new at the university, helped him along the way.

Innovative technology-oriented start-up projects or services with high customer value can apply for the Kickstart Incubator programme. For Daniel Fuchs, this was one of the most decisive factors, as it enabled him to finance the construction of the first prototype of the drone and part of his equipment. Particularly important for him was a free patent consultation, which he was able to take advantage of through the Kickstart Incubator programme. That's because the drone can capture 360-degree video footage without being visible in the video itself. Such footage was previously impossible with other 360-degree drones due to their size and inertia, making the project unique. Flying the drone creates realistic virtual tours of buildings. It can also easily fly over sensitive locations near people. Thus, for example, it is possible to fly past athletes at indoor sporting events up close and with maximum maneuverability as well as speed, or to fly between the dancers' feet at dance events.

During the 6-month funding phase, Daniel Fuchs was able to continuously draw on selected experts from DIT and the Start-Up Campus Team and exchange ideas with other founding teams. He also survived a drone crash or two. And even found a company partner. Together, they are now working on their first orders. You can contact Daniel Fuchs via his Instagram channel or via e-mail: mail@threesixty-drones.com

About the incubator programme

The Kickstart Incubator is a newly created programme for all founders of tomorrow. Innovative technology-oriented start-up projects or services with high customer value can apply for the programme. After successfully presenting the idea, the first step is to develop the business model and build the founding team. Selected experts from DIT and the Start-Up Campus team act as coaches and mentors for the young founders. Free access to the premises of the StartupLab creates a creative working environment and enables the exchange with other founding teams. With up to € 7,500 in funding per team, nothing stands in the way of building the first prototype. After completion of the incubator programme, the teams are ideally equipped for the upcoming start-up and ready for subsequent funding such as the EXIST founder scholarship. More information about founding can be found here: https://www.th-deg.de/startupcampus-en

New at the Faculty of Applied Economics at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) since March 1 is Prof Dr Christian Mandl. The newly appointed professor wants to realign the study focus on Procurement & Logistics and place a stronger focus on the topics of digitalisation, data analytics or data analysis, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Mandl has also set himself the goal of researching the potential of AI and data analytics in the operational areas of purchasing, production planning and logistics. In this direction, cooperations with medium-sized companies in the region are to be established and expanded.

“The future-oriented orientation of DIT with the upcoming Centre for Digitalisation Technologies fits perfectly with my research focus of data-driven analysis and optimisation of operational processes,” explains the Osterhofen native. This was a key reason for him to move from the management consultancy McKinsey to the university. Mandl’s research moves at the interfaces of business administration, mathematics and computer science. “I am particularly concerned with the development of mathematical models and AI for the effective control of operational procurement, logistics and warehousing processes under risk aspects,” says the professor. He said these models are particularly relevant for companies whose commodity prices or customer deman fluctuate widely. Mandl studied at the Technical University of Munich and earned his doctorate. During his doctorate, he took the opportunity to do a visiting academic residency at Cornell University, one of the eight Ivy League universities in the United States. Mandl later joined McKinsey as a management consultant. There he advised clients from the automotive, chemical and consumer goods industries worldwide on the digital transformation of procurement and logistics processes.

Prof Mandl wants to give students a practical understanding of the fundamentals and current developments. Industry 4.0, digitalisation, data analytics and big data are important keywords here. The new DIT professor attaches great importance to interdisciplinarity and wants to emphasise the connection between economics and other disciplines such as computer science or psychology. Mandl is also happy to provide advice and support to young founders at DIT’s Start-Up Campus. The economist brings personal experience to the table from his own logistics start-up prelytico.

The 33-year-old, who describes himself as level-headed and determined, likes to spend his free time doing sports and in nature. In addition, travelling is one of his passions.

The 8th Day of Research of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) will take place on 11 March. Like last year, this time it will also be virtual. Start is at 1 pm. The event ends at 3.30 pm with awarding the three best posters and the best presentation.

Anyone interested in applied research at DIT can take a digital look over the fence for two and a half hours. Whether business, industry, society or even future students, everyone is invited to take part in the Day of Research. Uncomplicated from the office or from home. A total of eleven research topics will be presented. From the areas of sustainable management, innovative materials and energy, intelligent mobility, digital economy and society, as well as innovative working environments and healthy living. Each in three short minutes. After all, the aim of the Day of Research is not so much to delve into the depths of the respective scientific topic, but rather to create the basis for a reciprocal and, if desired, interdisciplinary dialogue. The same applies to the poster exhibition. The posters are designed in such a way that one grasps what they are about at a glance. This makes it possible to enter into a very low-threshold discussion with the young researchers at DIT. The three best posters will be awarded prizes. As in previous years, the trophy for first place was designed by the design class at the Zwiesel Glass College and produced in the educational institution's own manufactory.

Registration for the Day of Research is possible until 10 March via the DIT website: www.th-deg.de/dor-2021. Participation is free of charge.

The Department of Digitalisation and Innovative Teaching at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is organising a virtual DigiCamp for all business leaders, HR managers and interested employees on the topic of "Co-Working-Space: Innovative and Flexible Working" on 14 March from 4pm. The event will be held in German. The occasion for the event is the premiere of DIT's co-working space at ITC1 in Deggendorf. It will start operating in March 2021.

The workplace in the company vs. home office is currently a hot topic. "A co-working space has the potential to combine the best of both worlds," says Lisa Geib, Digitalisation Officer at DIT.  Co-working is an integrated and flexible working model in which start-ups, freelancers and other employees rent a flexible workspace in an open-plan office. The focus of co-working spaces is on networking and the exchange of innovative ideas. The advantages are as varied as the concept. For commuters from rural areas, co-working offers working close to home in a modern environment. This work concept can also be particularly interesting for working parents. In times of the pandemic, the needs of employees and, at the same time, of companies have changed rapidly: Home office, virtual meetings plus childcare and home schooling are taking their toll. DIT is leading the way with this topic and is offering five free, project-funded co-working spaces at ITC1 from 1 March.

The virtual DigiCamp shows the possibilities of a co-working space. Several short lectures are planned. The main topics are the opportunities especially for rural areas, co-working experiences from practice and the presentation of the new co-working spaces at ITC1. The programme for the "DigiCamp Co-Working-Space" event can be found on the DIT homepage at www.th-deg.de/en/events.  Participation is free of charge, access data will be sent after registration at coworking@th-deg.de.

A small walk across the road, but a big step for the new Centre for Digitalisation and Innovation. The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is moving into almost 1,300 square metres in DEGG’S. Already on 9 February, the rental spaces on the first and second floors of DEGG’S were officially handed over to the Faculty of Applied Computer Science and to Immobilien Freistaat Bayern (IMBY).

In the summer of 2018, the Bavarian state government decided to establish a centre of digitalistion technologies at DIT: For around 1,000 new students and with corresponding teaching staff. But where to put all these people? Free offices, laboratories and capacities for teaching are already scarce at the main campus of DIT. Despite the large new building complex at the Danube riverside. DIT continues to grow as planned and they all have to go somewhere, the students, the teaching staff and researchers. “With DEGG’S we have been able to win an excellent partner for our expansion plans,” DIT President Prof Dr Peter Sperber is certain. Even though the university will of course be further decentralised in terms of space. But the DEGG’S is within easy reach of the campus. “And,” says Sperber, “we are symbolically building a bridge to the city. Teaching and research, especially at a university of applied sciences, doesn’t belong in the ivory tower, after all.” The assimilation of science into society is definitely desired. This is also achieved by living and working next door to each other. The still relatively young Faculty of Applied Computer Science with courses in Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security or Quantum Computing will be on the move in DEGG’S in future. The Faculty of Applied Health Sciences  is also at home in DEGG’S with its sports sciences. They have been since autumn 2014.

Sabine Zimmerer from Kintyre Management GmbH is also highly satisfied with the long-term partnership. The manager is pleased that DEGG'S is now home to the university on such a large scale. The conversion of the former practice areas in DEGG'S also involved mainly companies from Lower Bavaria, with architect Albert Emberger from the EIS-Plan office and the companies baierl + demmelhuber Innenausbau GmbH, Freise Elektrotechnik and GEIGER Gebäudemanagement & Technik GmbH. "That is also important to us," explains Zimmerer. The now freshly converted partial areas are exactly what DIT was looking for, he says. A perfect match for both partners. The lease will run for ten years. DIT's growth can continue.

New start-ups from the ranks of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) are not long in coming: the university is currently supporting the start-up “Vourus”. A company that wants to gain a foothold in the field of IT security. In particular, companies that process sensitive data can benefit from the start-up’s services.

The founders behind Vourus are Nicolai Roider and Sebastian Schreiner. Already as teenagers, they worked together on various projects in the technical field. Very quickly, they recognised the increasing relevance of data security and decided to set up a company together. Nicolai Roider studied business administration in the commercial area and Sebastian Schreiner is an IT specialist for application development in the technical area. At DIT they have the chance to put their plan into practice with a start-up scholarship. They are supported by the DIT Start-Up Campus, the Hans Lindner Foundation and Prof Dr Thomas Geiß as mentor.

The idea of the Vourus founders is to make the exchange and transfer of data more secure. To this end, they have developed an encryption system that is intended to offer the highest possible security. It ensures that only authorised people can access sensitive data. It immediately recognises whether files are in their original state or have been changed after being sent. Another advantage over conventional systems is that users can be deprived of decryption rights afterwards. The young founders have already concluded the first partner contracts with software manufacturers. The start-up is therefore planning to expand its resources, especially by adding staff in the areas of development and sales.

In February, the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) became a member of the Sicherheitsnetzwerk München e.V. The reason for this is not just information security. It is also about networking, design and maximum competitiveness in the future.

“Nowadays, data security is an indispensable factor in protecting institutions as well as companies against the countless digital threats,” says Prof Dr Helena Liebelt, Head of IT at DIT: “However, it’s about more than that,” Liebelt adds. Cyber security means competitiveness. But in order to be successful in a digital future, networking and cooperation are other important cornerstones of the strategic orientation.

Numerous well-known companies such as Airbus, Audi, Intel, Siemens and Huawei are members of the Munich Security Network. But also teaching and research institutions. For example, the Technical University of Munich, the University of the Federal Armed Forces and Fraunhofer AISEC. “For us, this is a wonderful opportunity to keep an eye on scientific developments on the one hand, but also on the latest state of industrial technology on the other,” says Prof Liebelt. Together with important industry giants and other outstanding research institutions, DIT wants to actively shape further development in the field of cyber security. Not least, a new technology campus on this topic is currently being built in Vilshofen. Liebelt cites as a special privilege of membership in the Munich Security Network the opportunity to participate in the annual “Munich Cyber Security Conference” (MCSC), which always takes place one day before the Munich Security Conference: “This is a real fixture in the cyber security industry.” DIT will be there in the future.

Further information: https://it-security-munich.net

One reason why more companies have not yet fully switched to electric mobility or do not offer charging stations is the concern about significant additional costs in terms of electricity consumption. Companies usually have a contractually agreed annual maximum load. If this is exceeded, depending on the size of the company, surcharges of up to several hundred thousand euros on the unforeseen load peak can be the result. The parking and charging management system “SmiLE” will soon provide a solution to this problem. Scientists at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) are developing the system.

Prof Dr Andreas Berl is responsible for the project and knows the explosive nature of the topic. The problem for companies is uncontrolled charging. The feared additional costs caused by peak electricity consumption are quickly reached. A load peak is when the average energy consumption in an interval of 15 minutes exceeds the maximum contractually agreed upon with the electricity provider. There are many reasons why a load peak occurs. According to Prof Berl, this is the case when charging processes are started immediately with maximum power and batteries are unnecessarily “fully” charged. When charging processes are unscheduled, without enquiring about the next use of the vehicle. Or if the charging processes are not coordinated with the rest of the company’s energy system (e.g. load management).

In order to solve these problems, the research group led by Prof Berl is developing the SmiLE parking and charging management system. The goal is to bring more companies to e-mobility. The system is connected to the company’s existing energy system. SmiLE also makes it possible to reserve a parking or charging option so that the e-vehicles are charged according to the reservation details. In addition, a company’s own vehicle fleet can be integrated into the charging management. With the help of AI-supported forecasting methods, the charging processes can be planned in such a way that no expensive peak loads occur. To this end, DIT is developing and implementing algorithms for optimal charge planning and forecasting models. In addition, the charging planning is to be optimised according to the entrepreneurial goals. Exampled of this are the maximum use of renewable energies, the extension of the service life of vehicle batteries and stationary energy storage or the minimisation of charging costs.

To identify the respective requirements, the many years of experience of E-WALD GmbH, one of the largest German charging infrastructure operators, and eeMobility GmbH, which operates charging infrastructure for companies throughout Germany, are of great importance. Seamless communication between the respective system components and in particular the connection between the SmiLE system and the charging stations is the focus of eeMobility GmbH in the project. The SmiLE project (No. AZ-1405-19) is funded by the Bavarian Research Foundation. The project started in May 2020 and ends in 2023.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) has maintained a partnership with Politehnica University Bucharest in Romania since 2012. The partnership came about through Erasmus+, a European Union programme for education, youth and sport. DIT staff member Monica Ciolacu has now completed the first cooperative doctorate with Politehnica Bucharest University and DIT.

Her dissertation "An adaptive framework for computer-based learning technology" deals with the use of artificial intelligence in teaching. Adaptive and personalised learning is to promote student performance. In addition, lecturers are to be relieved of routine work. She defended her doctoral thesis before Prof. Dr. h.c. Ing Paul Svasta (UPB), Prof. Dr. Cezar Ionescu (THD), Prof. Dr. h.c. Ing Dan Stoichescu (UPB) and Prof. Dr Ing Alexandru Serbanescu (Military Technical Academy Bucharest). The results of their work have already attracted attention at several conferences. In April, the next conference will take place virtually: the Global Engineering Education Conference, organised by the FH Kärnten and the Vienna-based FH Technikum. The theme is "Women in Engineering".

Doctoral students and those interested in doing a doctorate are advised and supported at DIT’s Graduate Centre. The International Office provides advice on the opportunities offered by the Erasmus+ programme, which, in addition to study and internship stays for students, also enables doctorates or the mobility of university staff.

The computer scientists at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) are gaining another professor. Dr Phillipp Torkler will take over the professorship for Bioinformatics and Data Analysis at DIT in the summer semester of 2021. As a member of the university’s youngest faculty, he will teach in the “Life Science Informatics” degree programme. Professionally, he has been involved in the development of molecular diagnostic tests for personalised therapies for cancer and other serious diseases.

Phillipp Torkler could be described as a bioinformatician through and through. From his bachelor’s degree to his doctorate, his academic training was focused on this field. He explains that one goal of bioinformatics is to develop methods and software for analysing and managing high-dimensional, biological data so that it can be used at all. Biomarkers, for example, can be used for the early detection of cancer. He himself researched an early detection test for prostate cancer for a young US start-up, with success. A large biotechnology company became aware of the start-up and took it over in the summer of 2018.

The next step for Phillipp Torkler is now the professorship in Deggendorf. Curiosity and the conviction that research and development make life better, is what makes him pursue his passion. He chose DIT because it is a steadily growing university that is gradually developing attractive and modern fields of study and is a major driving force for the entire region. At DIT, he has the exciting challenge of being able to help shape the fairly new degree programme “Life Science Informatics” at an early stage and thus lay the foundation for the specialisations bioinformatics and data analysis in the field of life science and biotechnology as part of the team.

On Thursday, 4 February 2021, the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) got a new addition to the campus. A decommissioned bus will make its last and final stop at ECRI. In future, it will be used as a meeting place and laboratory.

As part of the EcoHome project, ECRI’s Ecology and Economy Laboratory, or short as EcoLab, is looking into how the bus can be used in the best possible way for students and university staff for the future. Campus members as well as representatives of the district of Rottal-Inn and the city of Pfarrkirchen are developing concepts for the use of the bus. Under the leadership of Prof Dr Robert Feicht, the team has set itself the goal of transforming the bus into a meeting place with LivingLab character for ECRI.

Currently, the development of the concept for the EcoHome bus is in full swing. The exact look of the bus will be decided in the course of the next few months. It is certain that the bus will be available to all students in addition to the campus staff. The meeting point is also to be designed as a LivingLab - a kind of “real laboratory” - and then used for seminars or training courses, for example. In addition, the bus could be used in the future for conferences or campus festivals.

On the EcoLab side, the head of the lab, Prof Dr Robert Feicht, research assistant Jennifer Huber and lab engineer Anna Marquardt are in charge of the new project. They are receiving active support from the town of Pfarrkirchen and the Rottal-Inn district office. The plan is to complete the project by the middle of next year.

Intensive language courses for everyone take place at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) during the lecture-free period. External students can also improve their language skills or learn a completely new language. Free places for the one-week courses are still available. Classes being on 2 March.

DIT offers beginner and advanced courses for many languages: Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese, Business or Technical English. Within one week, participants can reach language levels from A1 to C1, depending on their existing knowledge. The lessons take place virtually, supplemented by self-learning phases for the participants. All courses start on 2 March and end on 9 March with a final exam. The weekend in between is free of lessons. Upon passing the exam, course participants receive a certificate confirming the language level they have attained. The course fee for pupils, trainees and students (also from other colleges and universities) is € 39, for all other participants €120. Interested parties can find the exact course programme and all other important information at https://www.th-deg.de/en/students/language-electives#intensive-courses. Registration is possible via the DIT language centre: sprachenzentrum@th-deg.de

Job fairs are important dates for students and HR managers to network in their search for jobs or junior staff. In Lower Bavaria, “firstcontact” will take place virtually for the first time in April. Companies can still secure a stand space until the end of January. The organised of the fair is the student association First Contact e.V. in cooperation with the Career Service of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT).

As usual, the DIT organisation wants to present the fair in a professional manner. The organisational team now sees an opportunity to inspire companies that have not been able to come to Deggendorf to participate. The virtual version should therefore be in no way inferior to the original. A trade fair software and a get-to-know-you app will support this. A new feature is that exhibitors and visitors have the opportunity to get in touch in advance. They can then arrange to meet on the day of the fair.

The “firstcontact” 2021 will take place online on 13 April 2021. It is aimed at all students, especially if they are looking for jobs for an internship or their Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis, as well as all prospective graduates. Companies that would like to meet and support the young talents can contact the organisation via e-mail info@firstcontact-ev.de by 15 February 2021 to reserve a stand.

Those who have already begun their studies do not always know what kind of career awaits them later. Many factors play a role in this. Students of the International Management programme had the chance to talk to five people from the business world on Saturday, 16 January. Entitled Praxistag International Management, the main topic was the path to an international career and, of course, what professional life entails. Prof Dr Adrian Hubel had organised the day for students and plans to repeat it annually in the future.

Marietta Holweger, Recruiter Otto group, answered the students’ numerous questions about CVs and job interviews. One important recommendation, for example, was to clearly describe the specific tasks undertaken during the internships. Furthermore, it is especially important to be honest and authentic in the job interview.

Steffen Kaiser, Chief Financial Officer at Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG, was able to give detailed insight into career opportunities in the industry as a board member of a very well-known company. He recommended the students to set clear and realistic goals and to make sure to achieve them. And to act according to the motto “Underpromise but Overdeliver”.

Andrea Becke, Senior Manager Accenture, gave important insights into the advantages of working as a consultant and was able to allay the students' fears of a sometimes less than optimal work-life balance. Directly after the very motivating lecture and the great overview of the exciting world of management consulting, some students already gave feedback that they would now consider a career start in the industry.

Sylvio Eichhorst, Head of Global Finance & Procurement KWS Group, worked as an auditor at KPMG for 18 years and was active in both Germany and the USA. He gave a comprehensive and very competent insight into the world of the "Big 4" auditing firms. As he also has more than six years of experience in high management positions in the industry, he was also able to give very important advice on the question of what development opportunities exist for students in different company divisions.

Elodie Brinck, Supply Chain Management Coca-Cola HBC, as a former International Management student who is still at the beginning of a successful career, gave an overview of her internships and career so far. Most importantly, she also gave an excellent overview on the topics of internship applications and the world of job interviews and assessment centres at large corporations.

Stefanie Beck is Managing Director at the management consultancy Fuhrmann Leadership in Karlsruhe. She is doing her Bachelor’s degree in Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) while working. Together with fellow students Johannes Artmeier, Lucas Fobian and Andreas Neuhierl, Beck has now developed an AI that recognises in a video stream in real time whether a person is wearing a mask or not. The research field in which Beck is working is highly regarded. It is called “computer vision”.

DIT students summarise their project as follows: “Face masks are not only necessary in pandemic situations, but above all in everyday professional life. In industry or medicine, for example. Our application ensures that the prescribed mask is worn when entering a protected space.” Such project work offers students at DIT the opportunity to apply their knowledge to practical examples. Graduates in the field of AI are highly sought after by companies. This is particularly true for the field of “image understanding”, as “computer vision” is also known. It enables computers to automatically recognise correlations in images and videos and draw appropriate conclusions. Other examples of such applications are optical inspections in manufacturing processes, object recognition in autonomous vehicles or smartphone apps that recognise faces in photos.

Since October 2020, DIT has been offering the new course “Computer Vision”, thus preparing its students for a corresponding professional career. “In the first third, our course offers an intensive introduction to the most important and, above all, practically relevant basics of the subject area,” says lecturer Prof Dr Patrick Glauner. The AI expert also explains how DIT sets itself apart from other regional and national course offerings: “I looked at what course content top international universities like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford or Imperial College London teach.” Glauner has integrated similar content into the DIT course. At the same level and presented in an understandable way. “Even at the top institutes, in the end they only boil with water,” says the DIT professor, who is himself an alumnus of Imperial College London.

Pure theoreticians, however, are hardly in demand on the job market. What is needed is expertise in the practical implementation of image understanding applications. That’s why the students spend the rest of the semester working in groups on projects of their own choosing and applying the knowledge they have acquired in a concrete way. “Very extensive and high-quality results have emerged, which clearly show how excellently our students are positioned in international comparison,” Prof Glauner proudly reports.

In addition to Beck’s results, Glauner points to another example. Course participants Patrick Gawron and Achot Terterian developed a coin counter together. Based on a mobile phone photo, it calculates the amount of money in the purse or piggy bank that has just been emptied. “In the process, we learned how to segment coins and other objects from photos and recognise them using a neural network,” Gawron and Terterian report.

DIT has been offering Germany’s first Bachelor’s degree programme in “Artificial Intelligence” for two years. The first cohort will graduate in summer 2021. Interested students can also attend selected AI lectures and get a taste of university life at DIT again from March 2021 as part of the early study programme. If you have any questions about image understanding, AI and the degree programme, Prof Glauner can also be contacted directly at patrick.glauner@th-deg.de or +49 991 3615-453 at any time.

At the beginning of the year, the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT), together with the Lower Bavarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), traditionally provided information about the tax changes coming into force in the new year. Due to the pandemic, the event was held virtually for the first time for member companies of the Lower Bavarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce and students of business administration. With over 170 participants, a record was set, reports Prof Dr Ralf Alefs, Professor of Tax Law: “We are particularly pleased that the digital format was immediately well received. This meant that the cooperation between DIT and IHK could be continued very successfully even in these special times.”

The focus of the tax changes was on the tax consequences of the Corona pandemic. Patrick Lerbs, tax consultant at the law firm Dr Kittl and Partner, provided information on the many new individual regulations. For example, the tax incentives for working from home, the tax treatment of the Corona bonus for hospital employees and nursing staff, the temporary reduction in turnover tax and many other Corona-related tax changes were discussed. In addition, the various Corona aid programmes such as the various bridging aids including the current November and December aids for business were an important topic area. Another focus was, among others, tax incentives in the context of electric mobility to support the breakthrough for electric vehicles.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is getting a renowned professor from the world of business, Professor Dr. Tobias M. Nickel. In his special field of “Organisational Psychology and Diagnostics”, he deals with the diverse applications of psychology in business. From personnel selection, marketing, sales and strategy to communication and change. The focus lies on the experience and behaviour of people in organisations.

Professor Nickel knows what an important role psychology plays in business. After completing his doctorate at the University of Regensburg, he worked in several management consultancy agencies dedicated to psychology, before joining BMW. After participating in the International Trainee Programme there, he was head of various departments, such as technology, sustainability and motorsport communication, global recruiting and marketing communication. Afterwards he was able to apply his expertise from psychology as Head of Marketing and Communication at the DRÄXLMAIER Group.

At DIT, the combination of internationality and down-to-earth mentality particularly appeals to him. This, and his curiosity, have contributed to his decision to take the professional step to DIT. For Professor Nickel the key to success in professional life lies in seeing all the small good decisions that ultimately contribute to success. He is not concerned with external success, but with internal success. That is, the knowledge that one has given everything.
Of course, the theories of Sigmund Freud have influenced Professor Nickel, but besides the famous psychologist, many of his superiors have influenced him on his professional path. From Norbert Reithofer, Hendrik von Kuenheim to Fritz Dräxlmaier, to name but a few. In addition to these personalities, the separation of BMW and Rover, during which Professor Nickel was able to witness and shape the change in organisation and culture at first hand, has had a particular impact on his professional life. Therefore, he knows from his own experience about the positive effects that can be achieved through psychology in business. His goal at DIT is therefore to become active with research projects in business psychology.

He always has an open ear for his students. In his lectures, he relies on a combination of theory and practical experience. He combines the familiar with the new to create the surprising. Outside the lecture hall, Professor Nickel is drawn to nature and his family, when he is not busy doing renovations on his farm or restoring motorbikes.
 

Since August 2020, four students at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) have been pursuing the vision of developing a vegetable robot for hobby gardeners with their start-up SEPP. SEPP is funded by an EXIST start-up grant from the German government and supervised by the DIT Startup Campus team. The first milestone was the interim presentation to the SEPP start-up network on 15 December 2020. The team presented the results of the business plan preparation as well as the current development status of the prospective start-up.

The team around Andreas Stockinger - Martin Seidl, Martin Leitl and Sandra Eichenseher- was able to realise a first prototype in the last few months thanks to the funding provided. The start-up’s vision is a vegetable robot for Smart Efficient Plant Production (SEPP). The aim is to make it easier for hobby gardeners to grow vegetables in their home gardens by automating the vegetable patch. Thus, even those who previously had little time for gardening can enjoy the benefits of self-sufficiency in vegetables. They were supported in this by their mentor Prof Dr Wolfgang Dorner and the Startup Campus of DIT. By the upcoming gardening season in 2021, the team would like to be able to build a functioning robot. Automated watering and weeding should then be possible outdoors for the first time. The young founders plan to enter the market in spring 2022.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) offers teachers two exciting online seminars. On 20 January there will be an opportunity to find out about study requirements and conditions in general, but also about what DIT has to offer in particular. Special attention will be paid to the study system of the universities of applied sciences (HAW). On 3 February, another seminar will be dedicated to dual study opportunities as well as the STEM sector and DIT’s offers in this field. The seminars are organised via MS Teams, the offer is free of charge, registration is not necessary.

20 January, from 4 pm, access via

Online Information for Teachers: Study and Career Orientation at DIT

3 February, from 4 pm, access via

DIT and School - Opportunities for Cooperation in the STEM field

All events will be held in German!

Over 20,000 courses of study are currently open to pupils in Germany. The overwhelming choice can quickly become torture for some. Most young people with a technical college entrance qualification, a subject-related entrance qualification or a general higher education entrance qualification aspire to study at a university, and never before have so many students been enrolled at German universities.

Successful study and career guidance is the result of many people working together. It requires openness and communication and is a real joint task. DIT also attaches great importance to direct exchange with schools. Supporting and informing young people in schools is very important. After all, study and career orientation ultimately mean an important piece of life planning.

Specialist engineering knowledge combined with digital components and management know-how is unbeatable in today's working world. Engineers, computer scientists and natural scientists think in dynamic processes and are therefore in high demand for top positions. This is exactly where the Centre for Academic Further Education at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) comes in and has launched a new part-time Master's programme in engineering. Digital Business Engineering is scheduled to start for the first time in September 2021. On 19 January at 6 pm, interested people can find out more during an online info evening.

Frank Thelen, European series founder, tech investor and TV personality, especially known for the show "Die Höhle der Löwen", has the following to say about the new part-time Master's programme at DIT: "Our future is digital. We will see many new business models based on digital solutions in the next few years. Those who get involved with the possibilities early on will be offered many great opportunities in this field."

The special feature of this Master's programme is the individual focus through subject-specific modules and the three fields of competence "Innovation & Engineering", "Digitalisation & Information Technology" and "Management & Business Administration". This opens up a wide range of fields of application in companies for graduates. Further Education Officer Corina Welsch summarises: "The contents as well as the structure of the Master's in Digital Business Engineering are designed to produce highly qualified and motivated graduates who not only have engineering skills, but can also combine them with economic, entrepreneurial and IT-based expertise." Future programme director and lecturer in the Master's programme Prof. Dr. Peter Firsching adds: "The focus is on engineering methods combined with the know-how for IT-based value creation processes as well as the technical and strategic know-how for the comprehensive computerisation of companies. Selected contents are, for example, the use of modern IT solutions, technology development, the interaction of man and machine as well as methods of artificial intelligence."

The Master Digital Business Engineering will start for the first time in September 2021 and will be taught in German. The combination of work and study enables an optimal dovetailing of theory and practice. "In the part-time degree programme, students are encouraged to bring their own practical projects and experiences from their everyday working life into the lectures. The knowledge acquired in the course is to be implemented directly in the company," Welsch explains further. The lecturers are also experienced practitioners and specialists in their fields.

All applicants with a first degree in engineering or computer science are eligible for admission. Those interested can find out more at the online information evening on Tuesday, 19 January 2021 at 6 pm. The access link and further information on the Master Digital Business Engineering can be obtained by emailing Corina Welsch: corina.welsch@th-deg.de.

With Prof Jürgen Wittmann, the Technology Campus (TC) Cham of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) gains an internationally proven professor. In his field of expertise “Design of Intelligent Sensor Actuator Systems”, he focuses mainly on sensor technology, quality and reliability, as well as the use of Deep Learning in and with the help of sensors.

From Regensburg, where he wrote his diploma thesis at Infineon, Prof Wittmann moved to the USA to East Fishkill, New York. There he worked on an international project with companies from three continents and learned the key to success in teams made up of different cultures and mentalities: a healthy tolerance for different approaches. He retained this in his subsequent work as an international auditor in various companies in Germany. He is therefore well prepared for his work as a professor at the international TC Cham. There, from March, he will work on ways to apply Deep Learning in technical products, such as the intelligent calibration of sensors. If, for example, a sensor signal deviates from the ideal value, this is compensated for by a neural network. Predicting the next necessary maintenance date for machines with the help of Deep Learning, the so-called predictive maintenance approaches, are also part of his specialty.

He gives his students a lot of freedom so that they can work out and develop a new field of knowledge themselves. It is a matter of course for him that they show a certain amount of commitment and independence. In this way, the budding engineers learn to find solutions independently and to implement them in their professional lives. For Prof Wittmann, freedom and the opportunity to choose one’s own topics are also extremely important. This, and the fact that the orientation of the degree programmes corresponds excellently to his competences, were the decisive reasons why he chose the professorship at DIT. TC Cham in particular offers him the opportunity to shape study content and shape the coming growth of the location, says the professor, who loves to familiarise himself with new topics and environments and understand how everything is connected. That is why he has also set himself the goal of further developing the path TC Cham has started on to become an internationally and at the same time regionally attractive university location. To achieve this, he strives for a good and intensive cooperation with local politics as well as with the companies in the region. His systematic, disciplined and consistent manner, without losing his composure, will certainly be helpful.

In order to remain calm even when the situation gets hectic, Prof Wittmann likes to be physically active in his free time, preferably doing handicrafts on his own house or, if time permits, mountain biking. But he is also happy to be found with a good book in his free time.

In public, the image of the nursing profession is mainly shaped by two attributes: exhausting, because there are too few nurses and also poorly paid. However, there is much more to the interaction between patients and nursing staff. Everyday life can be very moving. For example, in moments when caregivers are the ones who preserve the dignity of a person in need of help. Students of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) will address how dignified care can be in everyday life and what significance it has at the third Nursing Day of the Faculty of Health Sciences. Interested parties are cordially invited to the free event in January.

Students on the nursing course hear a lot about the topic of dignity in their lectures. The topic came up especially in connection with “family and community care”. For example, how care can be provided in the community or at home in a modern way. Therefore, it was their concern to organise the next care day under the motto “How would you care - with focus on dignity”. Seven speakers have been found for 18 January 2021. The first Mayor of the municipality of Furth will give an outlook on how the municipality cares for its elderly citizens and those in need of care and what else is planned for the future. Prof Dr Bernd Reuschenbach will present the topic of Community Health Nursing. “Die leere Wiege” by Birgit and Roman Seidler, Christine Nikl will tell about end-of-life care for babies and parents. From intensive care helping hand, participants will hear more about dignified intensive care at home. There will also be more about the projects DeinHaus 4.0 in Lower Bavaria and 9XOfra. Both deal with the self-determined life of older people and people in need of care in a study. DeinHaus 4.0 is in the preparation phase, 9XOfra has already conducted a similar study and will present results.

The Care Professionals Day will take place from 9 am to 1 pm as a virtual event and is aimed at anyone interested in the topic of dignified care. This can be students or carers, but also relatives who care for their family members in need of care. Since the number of places in the audience is limited, prior registration is required. Contact is student Wiktoria Juszko-Bebawy via e-mail at: Wiktoria.Juszko-Bebawy@stud.th-deg.de.

In Bavaria, only one in five professorships (21%) is held by a woman. This is despite the fact that, at 51 %, more than half of university graduates are women. For this reason, the State Conference of Women’s and Equal Opportunities Representatives at Bavarian Universities (LaKoF Bayern/HAW) is launching a Bavaria-wide campaign in 2021 entitled “Become a female Professor”. The aim of the campaign is to draw attention to the job profile of the female professor at universities of applied sciences (HAW) and to motivate women to take up this profession. Of course, this is also expressly supported by the Deggendorf Institute of Technology.

To launch the campaign, a virtual kick-off event will take place on Thursday, 7 January at 5 pm. The event will begin with greetings from Bernd Sibler, Bavarian State Minister for Science and the Arts, and Prof Dr Christiane Fritze, President of Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Deputy Chair of Hochschule Bayern e.V. This will be followed by a lecture on the topic of women in science by Prof Dr Jutta Allmendinger, President of the Social Science Research Centre Berlin (WZB) and Professor of Sociology of Education and Labour Market Research at Humboldt University Berlin.

Furthermore, the campaign “Werde Professorin” (Become a female professor” will be presented by Prof Dr Christine Süß-Gebhard, spokesperson of LaKoF and women’s representative of OTH Regensburg and Prof Dr Brigitte Kölzer, women’s representative of Technische Hochschule Rosenheim and project manager of the campaign. In addition, female professors will report on their professional experiences. Afterwards, the participants will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and ask questions in various breakout sessions. The event will be hosted by Prof Dr Elke Wolf, deputy spokesperson of LaKoF and women’s representative at Munich University of Applied Sciences.

Further information and registration for the virtual kick-off event is available at https://app.eu.veertly.com/v/kick-off-veranstaltung.

The Department of Health Informatics at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) welcomes Mouzhi Ge as new professor for  “Data Analytics in Health Economy”. His special fields Artificial Intelligence and Data Science are not only his work, but also his hobby.

After stays in Dublin, Brno, Dortmund and Munich Professor Ge is looking forward to working for the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) at its international ECRI campus. There he pursues his hobby now on a daily basis as it turned into his profession. Applying as a professor at DIT has been the best decision of his professional life so far. The diversity, internationality and openmindedness of the university fascinates the new professor of “Data Analytics in Health Economy” the most about his new employer. Working at DIT’s international ECRI campus is therefore the perfect work environment for Professor Ge.

In his research, Prof. Ge deals with data-driven predictions and applications in health economics. His most influential research result to date shows that his work is not only relevant in research, where he has published more than 100 international publications, but is also important for ordinary citizens. He developed a health-conscious food recommendation system that can contribute to a healthier life. This recommendation system has even been presented at the 2015 World Expo in Milan. It is precisely these experiences and the fact that he can make a difference with his research that drives the new professor. In the Ge family the spirit of research is omnipresent. It is therefore not surprising that the biggest inspiration to Professor Mouzhi Ge is his sister, Professor Wei Ge of Oxford University. The siblings’ goal is to continue their research until they can explain their research topics to their grandmother in the best and easiest way possible.

Professor Mouzhi Ge always has an open ear for his students and to awaken their interest in the field is a top priority for him. He particularly appreciates the discussion and interaction with students in his work as a professor. Seeing his students work all over the world after graduation is what he describes as the greatest success. Another goal at DIT is to build up such a good reputation through his work that the name “Professor Dr. Mouzhi Ge” immediately falls as soon as the topic “Data Analytics in Health Economy” is discussed. With his passion for his work and research, he should easily succeed.

If he is not pursuing his biggest hobby, work, then you will find Professor Ge either “live in action” on the football field or watching football. When his neighbors are not at home, he likes to play the cajon. This way he gets his head free for new research topics.

In the name of the Lower Bavarian Sparkassen District Association, District Administrator Michael Fahmüller and Martin Ruhland, member of the Board of Directors of Sparkasse Rottal-Inn, presented a donation of € 2,500 to the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI). When handing  over the cheque at the end of November, Ruhland especially thanked District Administrator Fahmüller, who as District Association Chairman of the Sparkassen had advocated for the donation in the committee. “Knowing the enormous importance the university has for the Rottal-Inn district and the region, we are pleased to be able to support the campus financially during this difficult time,” said Ruhland.

Prof Dr Horst Kunhardt, 2nd Chairman of the Friends’ association and Director of the European Campus, accepted the cheque during a small ceremony and thanked the two representatives of the Sparkasse. “Although the European Campus is able to impart knowledge online due to its high degree of digitalisation and thus fulfil its most important task despite limitations, the current situation for educational institutions is anything but easy. This financial support in times of Corona is a clear sign that the Sparkasse stands behind the university,” emphasises District Administrator Michael Fahmüller.

Among other things, the money was used in the run-up to the implementation of DigiHealthDay 2020, which took place on 13 November. The virtual event, organised by ECRI, gave scientists and experts the opportunity - especially in times of the pandemic - to exchange views on current developments and associated opportunities in this field. A total of almost 350 participants from 59 countries registered for the event. Furthermore, it is planned to use the money to build a “Usability Centre” at the European Campus. The main aim is to expand the technical equipment and provide it with the appropriate hardware. In the sense of applied science, regional companies are to be supported in this laboratory in optimising their customer presence, i.e. adapting their website accordingly and making it as user-friendly as possible. In this way, the campus wants to contribute to a successful new start of local enterprises against the background of the Corona crisis.

The Bavarian Ministry of Science, in agreement with the Bavarian Ministry of Finance and the Bavarian Ministry of Construction, approved the project application for the new construction of the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI). This laid the foundation stone for the planning of the new campus building.

At the announcement, Science Minister Sibler emphasised that it is thanks to the high quality of the Pfarrkirchen study location that the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is now getting a new home in Pfarrkirchen. “With this, we are creating a state-of-the-art study environment for around a thousand students on an area of over 4,000 square metres. In particular, the new building will also provide additional space for applied research and for the further expansion of the degree programmes in order to consistently continue this Lower Bavarian model of success,” explained Sibler.

The Ministry of Construction is also delighted. They are pleased about the order and will now begin with the planning. The goal is to provide students and lecturers with a sustainable and functional new building that is tailored to their needs, said Construction Minister Kerstin Schreyer.

The new ECRI building will create a state-of-the-art location for internationally oriented study programmes far away from the large metropolises, which contributes to the goal of the homeland policy, said Finance and Homeland Minister Albert Füracker. Such locations are an essential success factor for the Bavarian university and higher education landscape, the Minister emphasised.

ECRI Campus Director Prof Dr Horst Kunhardt was particularly pleased with the approval. ECRI had been working towards this for a long time. In view of the rising student numbers and the current growth rate, the new building is extremely important for the campus. The Corona pandemic was used well for this and the cooperation with the ministries went very well during this time, explained Prof Kunhardt. He expects that the year 2021 will be used for planning, tendering and awarding. Optimistically, construction could then begin at the end of 2021 or beginning of 2022, which could then be completed in two to two and a half years.

At present, the degree programmes are still housed in the interim building provided by the district of Rottal-Inn, the Sustainability and Innovation Lab Centre (SILC).

The European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI), faculty of Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT), held its first edition of the International Scientific Symposium DigiHealthDay (DHD) on November 13th. With 348 registered attendees from 59 countries around the world, the event has been a huge success.

The DHD invited all Digital Health enthusiasts to learn more about the global Digital Health landscape and to discuss relevant topics among the participants. The DHD featured nine keynote speakers from five countries, all highly valued experts in the field of Digital Health. The plenary sessions featured talks on topics such as the transformation of health and social care through autonomous and intelligent systems, mobile health, the importance of building digital health knowledge and skillset, the citizens participation in their healthcare and the challenges for nurses, the business model aspects of Digital Health, applied publich health informatics, the international digital transformation of healthcare, artificial intelligence in medicine and healthcare, and much more. During the scientific sessions the lecturers presented different papers on topics on telemedicine and related issues. The organizers also introduced the Consortium of Educational Insitutions in Digital Health (CONEDIG), an initive under the umbrella of the International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth (ISfTeH), to create a set of educational programs for digital health and the evaluation of existing programs in digital health.

Prior to the DHD there had also been seven pre-meeting virtual workshops from April to July with a total of 28 sessions. These workshops had been attended by 141 participants from 37 countries and led to the main event, the DigiHealthDay-2020 on November 13th. The DigiHealth event series was organized under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Georgi Chaltikyan, Professor of Digital Health and Cross-Border and International Healthcare, and director of the study program Master of Medical Informatics (MMI) at DIT-ECRI. The successful events have been the starting point for another edition of the DHD wich is planned to take place next year.

The DigiHealthDay-2020 was hosted by ECRI in cooperation with our partners and sponsors: International Society for Telemedicine & eHealth (ISfTeH), International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA), European Federation for Medical Informatics (EFMI), DGTelemed, Bayerische Telemedallianz (BTA), the City of Pfarrkirchen, m.Doc, and Digital Health News portal.

The so-called CHE Ranking provides orientation and an overview of the study conditions at German universities and universities of applied sciences (HAW). The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) was also able to place itself in the top groupe with regard to various evaluation criteria for some of the study programmes newly surveyed this year. The results are based on the judgements of about 120,000 students and about 3,000 professors.

As suitable for an HAW, “contact with professional practice” is of course of outstanding importance. The 2020 participants in the ranking gave Deggendorf University top marks here in the subjects of business administration (BWL), business informatics and industrial engineering. The top group in Germany also includes the two Master’s programmes in business administration and business information systems. Business administration also has excellent international connections.

Since all beginnings are super difficult, support from the universities is very important for successful studies, especially at the start. Here, too, DIT 2020 scores very well, as it has over the years. However, it should be exciting when the assessment is carried out again next year. Although DIT - like most other universities in Germany - had given first-year students priority in face-to-face teaching, this was increasingly counteracted by the continuously worsening infection situation. As of today, all teaching at all universities and colleges takes place digitally. The support remains, but it has to be set up in a completely different way. The experiences of the digital summer semester can help.

More information and the complete CHE ranking from ZEIT Campus can be found here: https://ranking.zeit.de/che/de/.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) has been working for several years to ensure that great business ideas from students do not simply disappear into a drawer. Students who would like to set up their own business can rely on the university’s Startup Campus team and a network that has grown considerably in the meantime. The university’s central information event is the Start-up Day. This year, it took place on 18 November as a virtual event.

In several lectures more than 180 participants got to know the contact people of the university, the Hans Lindner Foundation, the Digitalisation Start-up Centre Lower Bavaria and the Digital Start-up Centre Rottal-Inn Freyung Grafenau. All of them offer their support and competence on the way to independence. Time for exchange and networking among students was also planned for the Founders’ Day. Five start-ups presented their ideas and some of them were still looking for fellow entrepreneurs. At the end of the event there was still knowledge about brand management and the opportunity to ask questions in small groups.

Students who would like advice or would like to contact other start-ups can always contact the Startup Campus team. Prof Dr Thomas Geiß, Alfons Weinzierls and Alexander Böckl are available for initial contact via e-mail at startupcampus@th-deg.de.

On Tuesday evening, 17 November 2020 at 7 pm, eleven international alumni and 16 international students of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) met on the videoconferencing platform Zoom on the initiative of the DIT Alumni department to launch the new International Mentoring Programme. The aim of this new format is to provide international students with an equally international alumnus who can offer assistance in overcoming intercultural hurdles and help pave the way to a successful career.

“Student life as such already brings with it numerous challenges that need to be mastered,” explains Ulrike Sauckel, head of the International and Alumni Affairs department. “A high degree of self-motivation and organisation, especially in Corona times, is demanding for every student. For international students, a new culture and a foreign language are added to this. As a university that spells internationalisation in capital letters, we see it as our duty to create the best possible conditions for a successful graduation, especially for our international students”. The total of 27 participants in the programme represent a perfect cross-section of all faculties, all graduating classes and all continents: “Our mentors come from Ecuador or India as well as from the Czech Republic or Holland. A total of 13 nations are represented. We are particularly pleased that mentors and mentees from the still young European Campus Rottal-Inn are also taking part. And that we were able to win mentors who have not yet become active at and for the university, but who are incredibly enthusiastic about this programme,” adds Ulrike Sauckel.

The 11 tandems, i.e. teams each consisting of one mentor and one to a maximum of three mentees, are organised solely virtual via WhatsApp. “All participants use it privately anyway, and no additional app or special hardware is needed,” explains Stefanie Lex from the DIT Alumni Team. “The purely virtual solution also ensures a larger regional area. Our mentors are spread all over Germany, travel is not necessary and this also protects the environment and the wallet”. Over the next six months, the mentees will now be able to exchange ideas with their mentors and hopefully one day they will in turn be available as mentors for DIT students. In April 2021, the international Mentoring Programme will enter the next round, and new mentors who have not yet had time this year have already confirmed their participation.

Like many other events, one is currently looking in vain for job fairs in the usual format. But for students and companies, these events are important dates for networking in the search for jobs or young professionals. The Career Service of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) wanted to make more out of the situation and was looking for ways to provide adequate digital substitutes. With the app “Talentefinder” and the “Tinder Principle” of finding matches, the university succeeded.

In the period from 26 October to 11 November, students and companies were able to network digitally, which was very easy. The first step is to create a profile via the browser-based Talentefinder app. Both students and companies do this. The most important facts are given so that the career status and opportunities can be identified. And then it’s “swipe” to browse through the profiles. If students and companies like each other, a “match” is created and they can contact each other directly via the chat function. Almost 600 students and 30 companies took part in DIT’s virtual recruiting events. Two weeks was the time period to find matches. 11 November was the big day for personal conversations via video call.

On average, the companies each found ten matches during this period and held seven to eight personal interviews. The main aim was to create a relaxed atmosphere, as Claudia Probst, Head of Career Service, reports: “After it was already clear in advance that there was a mutual interest, the talks could be approached in a very relaxed way. We received a lot of positive feedback”. The digital recruiting event should not remain a flash in the pan for this very reason. In spring 2021, students and companies can expect another event.

Michael Wolf (BA Business Information Systems): “I had more success with the event in one day than in the last few weeks. I’ve now had job interviews without having to apply in written form.”

Arnold Sudermann (MA Technology Management): “An awesome event, really uncomplicated to get directly to companies / staff. The atmosphere is relaxed and you have in mind that the company is also interested in you because a match has been arranged.”

Stefanie Ahollinger ( BA Business Administration): “I thought the event was great. It enabled me to hold interesting discussions and to organise the event again.”

Kaspersky’s mission incorporates education on all levels, including collaborations with universities. As part of this mission, we have been working with the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) for the past eighteen months. On Tuesday, November 10 we aired our first virtual talk with Kaspersky ICS CERT experts on Zoom with demos, presentations and workshops based on the latest ICS and IoT research and analysis. We answered questions, chatted with the students and used the polling options and generally conducted an interactive session on all levels.

Our 50 attendees were Computer Science students from the Deggendorf Institute of Technology, Germany and from the Hagenberg University, Austria, as well as some existing and potential customers of Kaspersky in the region. The participants learned about evolving cyberthreats for industrial environments and found out why we need to keep one step ahead of the threat actors. Maria Garnaeva spoke about known attacks on ICS in the modern world: about past, present and future threats, tools, tactics and techniques used by attackers. Stephan Gerling presented A Hacker’s Journey through Life: stories about vulnerabilities that he found while doing “drive-by hacking”. One story described how he ended up in maritime security and hacking yachts. Then there is the time a broken electronic door lock led to Stephan giving talks at the state criminal investigation office and explaining to the chief prosecutor about vulnerabilities in electronic locks and how to conduct forensic investigations. Finally, our researcher Roland Sako gave a workshop on interactive hands-on (I)IoT. He began with how the internet of things fits into industrial control systems (ICS), focusing on the added value, as well as the risks. He demonstrated how to analyze a device from scratch, aiming to introduce the audience to some real-life success and failure along the way. We encouraged our participants to engage with us and offer their ideas and suggestions. At the end of the workshop, we distributed some of the resources we had used for the attendees to repeat the steps on their own or to keep digging further. Maria Garnaeva provided a bonus by showing the participants how to use Yara to identify and classify malware samples and explained some of the Yara essentials. Professor Andreas Grzemba, Vice President Research & Knowledge Transfer at DIT, commented on the Virtual Talk, “Working with Kaspersky ICS CERT experts always produces valuable content, so we are happy to partner with them to provide our students with additional information and skills. Such sessions bring real-life experience that is invaluable for our students.” Christel Gampig-Avila, Education Programs Manager at Kaspersky ICS CERT, added, “Kaspersky’s commitment to collaboration with the academic community is a very important aspect of our business, research and operations. We were glad to bring our experts online to share their knowledge and experience and we are pleased that the virtual talk worked out great.” Kaspersky and DIT look forward to giving another Kaspersky ICS CERT Virtual Talk in March 2021. Details will be available in 2021.

A new founding idea is currently gaining momentum at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). It is about digitalisation in tool and mould making. The companies in this sector are usually very well equipped in terms of technology. However, full utilisation of their resources is not always possible. Three students at DIT now hope that their idea will optimise the process chain from incoming orders to quality management in such a way that capacities are fully utilised and costs and time can be saved at the same time.

Tool and mould making is essential for any series production. However, the production of tools and moulds, i.e. unique specimens, can still be optimised. The start-up “ti4f” has developed a strategy in cooperation with the Application Laboratory Industry 4.0 of DIT in order to digitalise the process in tool and mould making throughout. Especially the processes of the highly complex one-off production can then be analysed and shortages can be detected. With the help of a self-learning knowledge database working in the background, strategies for process optimisation can be generated. Constantin Vogel, Thomas Brunner and Radoslaw Korek are the founders of the “ti4f” start-up. Their product is designed to such an extent that they can integrate it step by step into the consulting process. They are already in contact with the first test customers. This step serves to evaluate their know-how and enables them to gain new experiences. The next steps planned are the development of the “ti4f” brand, the founding of the company and the search for further beta customers.

Constantin, Thomas and Radoslaw came up with the founding idea while studying for a Master’s degree in Technology Management. In the lectures and practical courses in the Industry 4.0 application laboratory, they had debated a lot about the future of industry. They also discussed the problems of single-part production under the direction of Prof Dr Gansauge. “ti4f” is supported by the DIT Startup Campus and an EXIST start-up grant from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy. The major goal is to have an MVP for all digital applications by the end of the scholarship period in September 2021.

When a loved one has to go to hospital and seconds decide over life and death, the last thing the ambulance needs is a no-reception zone. It has to be fast and the connection to the hospital has to be established on the way there. Ideally, devices in the ambulance can transmit first results to the hospital before the patient arrives. In the district of Rottal-Inn, however, this is not possible due to the often insufficient coverage area in mobile radio.

The European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) would like to address this problem with a planned project on telemedical care in rural areas. For this purpose, the responsible people around Prof Dr Thomas Spittler and campus director Prof Dr Horst Kunhardt received the member of the Bundestag Max Straubinger at the campus in Pfarrkirchen on Thursday, 12 November.

During the talks, the central role of the mobile network in the field of telemedicine and eHealth was discussed. The nationwide coverage and network coverage in the district of Rottal-Inn would be the basis for the planned project and would pave the way for new methods that simplify, speed up and often make it possible to provide care for patients before it is too late for them. The university wants to work and research on the improvement and guarantee of the best possible patient care together with the Rottal-Inn clinics, the Red Cross rescue service and the district Rottal-Inn.

Both, Prof Spittler and MdB Straubinger emphasised in the discussions that research in particular plays a central role. From a scientific point of view, studies and research projects can be used to address the fears of concerns of the population and also to provide a well-founded account of the opportunities offered by the county-wide network coverage. During his visit to the campus, MdB Straubinger emphasised that this is particularly important for the economy and prosperity, in the case of the planned project for medical care in rural areas. He would advertise the project to the funding agency, the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure, and assured the district of Rottal-Inn and ECRI of his full support.

Since 2009, it has been possible to study in Germany without the Abitur. Young people can qualify for an academic career with a master craftsman’s certificate or professional experience. At the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT), around 40 students per year find their way to the university in this way. In order to facilitate the start of their studies. The J.C. Römer Foundation from Grafenau, together with DIT, offers a scholarship especially for exactly these first-year students of engineering sciences. The J.C. Römer scholarship was awarded for the fifth time in November.

In 2020, the scholarship will go to DIT student Stephan Schröder. After training as a construction mechanic, he gained several years of experience in this profession. In 2018, he continued his training as a master craftsman in metalworking and quickly set his sights on a degree course. Since October he has been studying industrial engineering in Deggendorf. With his profile he was able to convince the selection committee in the sense of Joachim Christian Römer. The selection interviews were conducted virtually this year. With a monthly grant of € 200 for the first four semesters, he can now pursue his everyday studies even more intensively. Since 2015, a total of ten students have benefited from the J.C. Römer Foundation scholarship. In awarding the scholarship, the foundation was supported by the career service of DIT.

Transnational project “DanuP-2-Gas” contributes to the Green Deal

In the “DanuP-2-Gas” project, researchers at the Technology Centre Energy (TZE) in Ruhstorf are developing the entire Danube area from Regensburg to the Black Sea with the aim of expanding the potential of the renewable energies available there, promoting transnational networking, producing and storing renewable natural gas, thus making Europe less dependent on gas imports from neighbouring countries. All this with the help of renewable energies.

The TZE of the University of Applied Sciences (HAW) Landshut is taking on the role of lead partner in the project, which is funded with more than 2.5 million euros. On the German side, it is being supported by the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT), which is contributing its expertise and research results. A further nine countries along the Danube are also on board. The “DanuP-2-Gas” project runs from 202 to the end of 2022 and involves 14 partners. It is led by Prof Dr Raimund Brotsack, Professor at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) in Pfarrkirchen.

Building on the basis of the Danube Energy Platform from the DIT’s “Energy Barge” project, “DanuP-2-Gas” networks the players in the entire Danube region. With this basis, the biomass available along the Danube can be promoted and distributed across the ten project countries. The project is dedicated to the process of making this biomass usable, with the help of which it is possible to produce gas from renewable energy sources through charring, subsequent gasification and methanation, which can then be fed into the existing distribution network. In this way, the electricity network is connected to the gas network and the resulting gas from renewable energy sources can be transported via these networks to areas where there is demand. This connection of the two networks or sectors is, along with the production and storage of the renewable gas, the core of the project and contributes significantly to making the energy supply in the Danube region more sustainable and thus actively promoting the energy turnaround. In “DanuP-2-Gas”, the project partners are now conducting a feasibility study in which biomass resources as well as infrastructural, legal and economic framework conditions are evaluated. DIT is preparing this information as an interactive geo-information platform with a Transnational Renewable Energy Atlas, so that future investors can use it to develop follow-up projects for actual technical implementation. Through the project, the Danube region has the potential to become a think tank for the energy turnaround and an ecosystem of further green innovation, emphasises Tobias Gotthardt, Chairman of the European Committee of Bavaria.

Cooperation DIT with HAW Landshut

In the field of energy storage technologies, especially in the area of long-term storage of renewable energies, DIT works closely with HAW Landshut. Prof Dr Raimund Brotsack (ECRI) has been partially seconded to HAW Landshut for an initial period of 4 years, half of his working time. In the “Power to Gas” working group there, a laboratory and technical centre for research and development work has been established, in which currently 3 research assistants and several students are researching and developing their final theses (doctorates, master’s, bachelor’s).

Pascal Grill, a graduate from the Deggendorf Institute of Technology, will receive the Bavarian Culture Prize from Bayernwerk AG (Bayernwerk) for his master’s thesis in mechanical engineering on Thursday, 12 November at 7 pm. The writer Michaela Karl, the artist Regina Hellwig-Schmid and Carolina Camilla Kreusch, the actor and director Arnd Rühlmann and the opera singer Christa Mayer will also be honoured on the same evening. For the first time, the award ceremony will be held in a digital format. From a studio in Ismaning, it will be transmitted via livestream and additionally on local television stations. The presenter is Nina Sonnenberg. The Special Prize of the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and Art is awarded to conductor, pianist and Nuremberg General Music Director Joana Mallwitz. In addition to Pascal Grill, 32 other graduates of Bavarian colleges and universities will receive the prize in the science category.

Numerical Flow Simulation

In his master’s thesis in mechanical engineering, Pascal Grill investigated the fluid flow in the drive area of a gear pump. In doing so, the 25-year-old used a so-called “numerical flow simulation” (Computational Fluid Dynamics CFD). The aim of the work was to find out under which conditions a lower pressure loss and better hygiene can be achieved.

Speakers from the universities on the “culture couch”

This year the award ceremony of the Bavarian Culture Prize is open to the general public for the first time. “Due to the current pandemic, the event cannot take place in the previous framework. We have therefore decided to use a digital format”, explains Reimund Gotzel, Chairman of the Board of Bayernwerk AG (Bayernwerk). In the 90-minute culture programme (from 7 - 8.30 pm), the winners of the year 2020 will receive the Bavarian Culture Prize. As representatives of the scientists, the spokespeople of their universities and educational institutes will take a seat on the “culture couch”. The prizes in the art category and the special prize are endowed with € 5,000 each, and € 2,000 each in the science category. This time, more than the usual 300-400 invited guests can be present in front of the screens: Interested parties can join in live at www.bayernwerk-live.de/kulturpreis-bayern. Presenter Nina Sonnenberg, as singer Fiva, is also part of the cultural performances accompanying the evening. She will perform alongside the a-cappella quintet Viva Voce, the musician and percussionist Vivi Vassileva and Carollina Bastos and Ariel Merkuri from the Bavarian State Ballet. The local TV stations TV Mainfranken, TV Oberfranken, Oberpfalz TV, TVA Regensburg and Niederbayern TV will broadcast the award ceremony live on their programmes.

The Bavarian Culture Prize is awarded by the Bayernwerk together with the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and Art. In the science section, the 33 best university and college graduates in Bavaria are also honoured: “In these difficult times, we particularly notice how valuable, indispensable and worth supporting culture and science in all their facets are. The Bavarian Culture Prize is a thank you to the people who make such a rich gift to our society with their work in art, culture and science,” explains Reimund Gotzel.

An award with history

For more than 60 years, Bayernwerk has been committed to cultural and scientific commitment and honours it with the Bavarian Culture Prize. The prize was awarded for the first time in 1959 - initially only in Eastern Bavaria. Since 2005, Bayernwerk has been awarding the prize throughout Bavaria together with the State Ministry of Science and Art. All prize winners receive the bronze statue “Gedankenblitz”, created by the Schwandorf sculptor Peter Mayer, and prize money. While an expert jury selects the five art prize winners, the Bavarian state colleges and universities nominate their best graduates and doctoral candidates. The Bavarian State Ministry of Science and Art also awards a special prize to an artist.

The Los Angeles Crime & Horror Film Festival took place on Wednesday, 4 November and Thursday, 5 November. There Maximilian Stahl, media technology graduate from the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT), was awarded for the short film “Accept”.

The script of the film was written and directed by Manuel Klavers. But the jury especially liked the image design of “Accept”, which was created by Maximilian Stahl. He had been involved in the film with the concept, camera work, lighting design, colour grading and visual effects, i.e. the entire image design. The jury honoured the outstanding work of the DIT alumnus with the award for “Best Cinematography” on the first day of the festival.

The short film “Accept” submitted by the people from Deggendorf is assigned to the genres horror and thriller and is about a young woman who sees uncanny characters. Her father also had this gift and was broken by it. In the film she learns to accept herself and this peculiarity.

The Los Angeles Crime & Horror Film Festival takes place annually in Los Angeles, with film screenings in Hollywood. Due to the prevailing pandemic, this year’s festival was held virtually. A total of 13 films from various genres were show. The Los Angeles Crime & Horror Film Festival has made it its mission to show and celebrate the best of independent crime and horror films and the many sub-genres of crime fiction, true crime and psychological horror in film and new media.

Encouraged by the current situation, the focus is currently on the healthcare system and how to provide rapid medical care. To this end, the online event "Digital Health Care" of the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) in cooperation with the European Region Danube-Moldova (EDM) will take place on 12 November from 8.50 to 13.30. Anyone who is interested can register now.

The times are up for a storm and new, innovative solutions in the health care sector are in demand. In rural areas in particular, it is becoming increasingly difficult to provide medical care that is tailored to the needs of people living close to their homes. Where is the research currently at and what solutions for digital health care are already being implemented by industry? Bavarian, Austrian and Czech experts from the fields of medicine, business and science will provide a look behind the scenes to answer these questions. The online conference "Digital Health Care" will focus in particular on digitalisation in cardiology, Covid-19 as an innovation driver for research and business, and the future of cross-border health care in Bavaria, Austria and the Czech Republic.

The online event is free of charge. It will be held bilingually, in German and Czech, with simultaneous translation. Those interested can register for the conference via the homepage of the Danube-Moldova European Region (https://bit.ly/3oRZftA).

The online event "Digital Health Care" is organised by ECRI together with EDM. EDM is a trilateral working group with seven partner regions in Bavaria, Austria and the Czech Republic. EDM is dedicated to promoting cooperation and the further development of the EDM area. The focus is on Industry 4.0, Health, Tourism and Language.

On 27 November at 1 pm, the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) offers access to the next TOEIC test (Test of English for International Communication). For almost 40 years this has been in demand as proof of job-related English. The test serves both employees and educational institutions worldwide as a standard for reliable proof of English language skills.

The TOEIC Listening & Reading Online covers both listening and reading comprehension. The two-hour, multiple choice test is taken on the computer. The special feature of this test is that it simultaneously tests language levels from A1 to C1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Each candidate is placed exactly in their respective language level and receives a result - there is no failing. However, there is a compulsory trial date. This is on Friday, 20 November, also at 1 pm. The number of participants for the examinations is limited. Registration is possible until 13 November at sprachenzentrum@th-deg.de. The examination fee is 130 euros or 150 euros if a certificate is desired. Further information is available on the THD website at: https://th-deg.de/de/studierende/sprachkurse-awp-faecher#accordion-toeic.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is system accredited. Over a period of several months, an agency appointed for this purpose put the university through all the relevant tests. The result: the quality is right. Studies and teaching meet the highest standards.

Currently, only 22 percent of all recognised universities in Germany are system accredited. Science minister Bernd Sibler congratulated DIT on its success. He stressed: “The Deggendorf Institute of Technology with its nine technology transfer centres at ten locations and the European Campus Rottal-Inn in Pfarrkirchen is an innovation driver for the whole of Lower Bavaria. It is a constant in the Bavarian university landscape. Here young people are given high-quality training in order to help shape our progress and our future as the competent specialists of tomorrow. The successful system accreditation confirms this. Everyone involved can be very proud of this!” During system accreditations, the university’s internal quality management system is examined for its suitability. This means that the higher education institution must prove to selected experts that structures exist which ensure the quality of the study programmes. The standards are formed by legal requirements, decided upon by the Länder and the higher education institution’s own quality objectives, which must be taken into account. In 2018, DIT has submitted the application for the implementation of a system accreditation to the agency ASIIN. The higher education institution worked towards two major on-site appointments of the experts from then on. All committees, faculties, departments up to students were required. On 29 September 2020, the university received the official and positive decision of the experts. According to DIT president Prof Dr Peter Sperber, the effort for the system accreditation was worthwhile. In the future, costs and time could be saved. If the higher education institution were not system accredited, it would still have to have each study programme individually assessed by an agency. For the next six years, the university is now allowed to review the development of the study programmes with internal procedures. This is an advantage, for example, when introducing new study programmes, as Sperber continues: “System accreditation will allow the university to react even faster and more flexibly to the requirements of business and society in the future and to offer new study programmes of high quality that fit perfectly. The successful system accreditation is a major milestone. A step towards more personal responsibility, but also towards more autonomy.

On October 21, Prof. Dr. Dr. Ozar Mintser from the National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education (NMAPE) in Kiev, Ukraine, visited the main campus of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT), and the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) in Pfarrkirchen. On his working visit he discussed the prospects of the long-term cooperation of DIT-ECRI with NMAPE.

During the visit Prof. Mintser met with President of DIT, Prof. Sperber, Vice-President for Health Sciences, Prof. Kunhardt, and Prof. Chaltikyan, with whom he discussed the prospects of the long-term cooperation between the two institutions. Prof. Mintser then visited the campus in Pfarrkirchen where he met with ECRI Dean, Prof. Georg Christian Steckenbauer, Prof. Chaltikyan, Prof. Spittler (Program Coordinator, Bachelor of Health Informatics at DIT-ECRI), as well as teaching and research staff of Digital Health, Medical and Health Informatics. During his stay at ECRI Prof. Mintser presented on NMAPE, as well as on advances in Medical Informatics education and research at his institution. The participants then discussed the practical aspects of the cooperation that will include the following main directions: bilateral exchange of students and staff (academic mobility), joint research project and activities, and double-degree study programmes. The parties also discussed a possibility of establishing a new joint satellite campus for Digital Health and Medical Tourism in Western Ukraine.

NMAPE and DIT-ECRI had signed a Memorandum of Understanding and a Cooperation Agreement earlier this year, to advance collaboration in education, research, and development in the domains of Digital Health, Medical and Health Informatics, as well as Medical, Health and Wellness Tourism. Prof. Ozar Mintser (Head of Department of Medical Informatics at NMAPE) and Prof. Georgi Chaltikyan (Program Coordinator, Master of Medical Informatics at DIT-ECRI) first established contact and began designing a collaboration plan in March 2020. They prepared and finalized a set of high-level documents, such as the Memorandum of Understanding, and then organized the working visit of Prof. Mintser to DIT-ECRI.

Established in 1918, NMAPE is one of the leading institutions in Ukraine in medical education and training and biomedical research, serving more than 25,000 physicians and medical graduates each year through postgraduate degree programmes, and certificate programmes in Continuous Medical Education (CME).

Current short films by students of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) will be shown at internationally renowned film festivals in Hof, Munich and Fort Lauderdale (Florida, USA) in autumn. All festivals offer their programmes online. Thus, they are accessible to the audience in Bavaria.

Filmmakers like Wim Wenders, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Werner Herzog, Caroline Link or Doris Dörrie have presented their films at the International Hof Film Festival in the past. At the 54th edition of this event from 20 to 25 October, media technology students from DIT will now also be allowed to take part. “Accept”, the bachelor thesis of Manuel Klavers, Maximilian Stahl and Paul Bickhoff has been invited to the short film programme of Germany’s oldest and most renowned film festival. But that’s not all, as Jens Schanze, professor for film and video design at DIT proudly explains: “The team around author and directory Manuel Klavers will also be participating in the 35th Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (6 - 22 November, https://fliff.com/2020filmguide). “Accept” has also made it to Florida, where film entrepreneurs like Martin Scorsese, John Schlesinger, Spike Lee and Ben Kingsley have already been guests”.

The mystery drama “Accept” by the students from Deggendorf tells the story of a girl who hides her true self after the death of her father in order to be able to lead a normal life with her family. When she is pursued by threatening figures, she has to face her fears and learn to accept herself. The film was shot with elaborate equipment in the historical setting of the Oberpfälzer Freilandmuseum.

The new film was also invited to Hof by Prof Schanze. The 30-minute documentary film “Stolz auf dich” portrays a 17-year-old schoolgirl from Deggendorf who wants to make her dream of becoming a kickboxing champion come true. At both European Championships in Macedonia, she will be wearing the jersey of the German national team for her first fight. The film is also part of the programme of the 63rd International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animation film.

The short film “2100” by director Lea Blöchinger, which was made during the master’s seminar “Short film” at DIT, was invited to the competition for the Climate Clip Award 2020 at the International Festival of Film Schools. The film is a dystopia of human existence in the year 2100 against the background of global warming. Master student Regina Portje and her fellow students Tim Miller, Moritz Grötsch, Alexander Steil and Lukas Haselberger also took part in the production. Every autumn, a selection of the best films produced at film schools around the world is presented in Munich.

Dr Matthias Huber has been appointed new professor at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) in Pfarrkirchen for the winter semester 2020/2021. He will take over the teaching area “Computer Science and Modelling/Energy Systems and Intelligent Buildings”. And he has even more plans. He would like to create a Living Lab for intelligent energy systems in the soon to be newly constructed buildings in Pfarrkirchen, where researchers from science and practice can come together.

Research at the interface between technology and economics with a focus on mathematical modelling, simulation and optimisation is Matthias Huber’s specialty. It all began for him with a double degree in mechanical engineering/energy technology at the Technical University of Munich and economics at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich. After a short detour as management consultant with the Boston Consulting Group, he also completed his doctorate in the field of energy system optimisation at the TU Munich. He explains his research activities as follows: “We use mathematical models to represent reality. This is possible for both (energy) technical and economic systems. The mathematical models enable simulation and optimisation procedures”. In addition, new methods of machine learning, i.e. artificial intelligence, play an increasingly important role. This approach is relevant, for example, in the field of renewable energies, both to plan the installed capacities first and to optimise operation. After a phase at the Ifo Institute in Munich, Matthias Huber moved to Siemens AG, where he worked in central research for energy systems.

With the goal of a Living Lab in Pfarrkirchen, Matthias Huber is taking up his area of expertise 100 percent. If he has his way, an intelligent energy system, including a local energy market, is to be created in which both the campus as a smart building and local operators of photovoltaic or combined heat and power plants could participate. The design of such market places is an exciting field of research, he says. He also finds the interface of energy issues with other sectors such as buildings, innovative transport concepts and the importance of energy in agriculture, including new ideas such as vertical farming, interesting.

He is very much looking forward to his time at the European Campus. As a professor, he sees his success in inspiring and educating young people to such an extent that they can successfully go through their professional lives themselves. The native Bavarian is also looking forward to the international environment. Even during his doctorate, he was already travelling internationally in Singapore, Austin and Stanford.

Today, the father of three children prefers to spend his free time outdoors in nature. Hiking, cycling and skiing are among his hobbies. In the evenings he likes to play a round of Schafkopf or let the day come to an end in the beer garden.

With its new incubator programme "Kickstart", the Startup Campus of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) promotes unique projects and further expands the start-up culture at DIT.

The new programme "Kickstart" refers to the pre-founding phase and prepares students, employees and alumni of DIT and EXIST start-up grant in six months. Thanks to the programme funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the "Kickstart" projects can count on support of up to € 7,500 for the construction of a prototype. In addition, participants will be given access to the creative working environment in the new DIT Startup Lab and coaching by the experts of the Startup Campus Team.

With the first "Kickstart" project "fx-drones" by Daniel Fuchs, a 360° video drone is promoted, which is especially designed for indoor recordings. At less than 250g, the drone is so light and manoeuvrable that it is able to fly through small openings, windows or shelves and also over sensitive places near people without any problems. For example, it can fly past the athletes at sporting events and even between the feet of the dancers at dance events. With this concept, Daniel Fuchs is one of the first people in Germany to receive funding from the programme. 

With the "scob" team, a second project has already been included in the "Kickstart" incubator programme. This is a career platform based on Artificial Intelligence, which helps companies and potential trainees to find each other and achieve the "perfect match" on the job market, so to speak. 

The newly created incubator programme "Kickstart" is aimed at all founders of tomorrow and once again underlines the pioneering role of the DIT Startup Campus in the start-up scene. Further information on the programme can be found at: https://th-deg.de/en/students/career/startup-campus.

On November 13th the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI), faculty of Deggendorf Insitute of Technology (DIT), is hosting its international symposium “DigiHealthDay-2020” with internationally renowned speakers.

The “DigiHealthDay-2020” features speakers from Germany, UK, US, Finland, Czech Republic, Russia, Ukraine, and other countries. With nine keynote and impulse talks, and several scientific session, the day’s programme is packed with knowledge and information on the most relevant topics in Digital Health. The international symposium is an excellent opportunity for all Digital Health enthusiasts to learn more about the global Digital Health Landscape.

Given the continuing and worsening situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, the international symposium will take place in a virtual format, with live online presentations and discussion rooms. Attendence is free but requires registration. All registered participants will get full access to both live streams and video recordings. Register at https://www.th-deg.de/digihealthday until November 1st.

The “DigiHealthDay-2020” is hosted by ECRI in cooperation with our partners and sponsors: International Society for Telemedicine & eHealth (ISfTeH), International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA), European Federation for Medical Informatics (EFMI), DGTelemed, Bayerischer Telemedallianz (BTA), the City of Pfarrkirchen, m.Doc, and Digital Health News portal.

On Tuesday, 27 October 2020 at 5pm, the International Office of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) - for the first time - will be organising a virtual Erzähl- and KULTURcafé, which will combine the traditional Erzählcafé from Deggendorf with the KULTURcafé of the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) in Pfarrkirchen.

Under the motto "My country and Germany / Presenting my country", international students report on their home countries. In three rounds of talks, the participants learn interesting, curious and exciting things about these countries and can test their knowledge.

Those interested in culture are cordially invited to the virtual Erzähl- and Kulturcafé. In addition to insights into the respective cultures, the lectures provide a wonderful basis for intercultural dialogue. Knowledge of English is required.

Interested parties can register until Friday, 23 October via e-mail to erzaehlcafe@th-deg.de. Registration is also possible for the next edition of the Erzähl- and KULTURcafé on Tuesday, 15 December under the motto "International Christmas".

How does learning go digital and with the help of artificial intelligence (AI)? Dr Christina Bauer, new professor at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT), knows the answer. As a specialist for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Teaching, she will develop and evaluate digital learning environments that react intelligently to users.

In recent months, digital teaching has suddenly moved into the spotlight thanks to Corona. This is an opportunity for society to continue dealing with it now, if Christina Bauer has her way. The AI and also digital teaching could support here! For example, one could provide the broad masses with simple information on socially important topics and individualise it. With regard to teaching, courses with the help of artificial intelligence can be much better tailored to the needs of learners. Either to supplement classroom teaching or to offer courses completely digitally. DIT will take this step in the long run. To this end, Christina Bauer will test, research and teach the use of artificial intelligence in digital teaching. Intelligent learning environments will be designed and investigated, e.g. in the form of intelligent tutorial systems or assessment systems. She has already set herself the goal of firmly anchoring digital teaching at DIT even after Corona: “And this as an important supplement to presence teaching, so-called blended learning.

Christina Bauer gained her experience primarily at the University of Regensburg. During her doctorate and later in projects as well as in teaching and as coordinator of the newly introduced Master’s programme Digital Humanities. She herself studied information science. In Deggendorf, she will work as a lecturer primarily at the Faculty of Applied Computer Science. In teaching, it is important to her to work in a structured way. She also likes to encourage and support students with her own ideas. She hopes to find like-minded people among the scientists when it comes to sharing knowledge. In her spare time, the young professor is involved in Scientists for Future. Scientists actively contribute the current state of their research field in a comprehensible form to the social debate on sustainability and securing the future.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) and the Donau-Isar Clinic Deggendorf are cooperating to strengthen the academic training of health professions. On 6 October, Dr Inge Wolff, Director of the DONAUISAR Clinic, DIT president Prof Dr Sperber and DIT Vice president Prof Dr Horst Kunhardt signed a framework agreement describing the future cooperation. Above all, the interdisciplinary nature of the various health care professions will be the focus of attention. However, joint research projects will also be continues and new projects initiated.

The DONAUISAR Clinic is already closely linked to the university within the framework of the dual training in the fields of nursing and physiotherapy. In future, the focus of the cooperation will be on the new Bachelor’s degree course in Nursing & Care and the two courses of study Management in Health, Social and Rescue Services and Health Informatics. But also sports sciences. Furthermore, the new Bachelor’s programme Physician Assistant / Medical Assistant, which is planned to start next year, is already part of the framework agreement. The clinic will take on the function of a teaching institution of DIT. Practical relevance plays an essential role in this cooperative student education. With this cooperation, an important milestone is set in order to actively counteract the shortage of qualified nursing staff and to upgrade the content of these healthcare professions through a meaningful academisation, which is also standard in many other European countries.

The start-up “Easy2Parts” from the ranks of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is on course for success. After 18 months as a young entrepreneur, the founding team convinced the BayStartUp investor network. Several investors are providing funding because they believe in the idea of “Easy2Parts”. The team of the university’s start-up campus has supported the start-up from the very beginning and is eagerly following the next steps.

A supply chain platform that intelligently links buyers and suppliers and automates parts procurement in industrial production. That is the idea behind “Easy2Parts”. The founders Robert Hilmer, Sebastian Freund and Michael Neuhauser came together through the university. Robert Hilmer studied business management while working part-time, while Sebastian Freund first studied industrial engineering and then went on to study general management in an MBA programme. Michael Neuhauser is a graduate of the Applied Computer Science programme. The team of the DIT Start-Up Campus, especially Prof Dr Thomas Geiss, offered a contact point and personal support. Together they developed the business model for “Easy2Parts” and prepared an idea paper for the application for their first financing package, the EXIST start-up grant. With the start-up grant, a steep upward trend began in March 2019. Five other employees are now part of the “Easy2Parts” team, they have found their office space in the ITC1 start-up centre in Deggendorf and they have successfully completed the Business Plan Competition “Ideenreich 2020”. Seed financing, i.e. start-up capital from companies that see the future potential of Easy2Parts, will enable Robert, Sebastian and Michael to get off to a completely different start. They can also count on the support from DIT. The founding team was and is supported by two professors of DIT as mentors: Prof Dr-Ing Ludwig Gansauge, who has been researching the networking of manufacturing companies for more than 20 years and also has extensive knowledge and networks in mechanical engineering. And Prof Dr Herbert Fischer, who supports the founding team with regard to software development, ERP systems and data protection, among other things.

On 6 October the Research Centre for Modern Mobility (MoMo) opened in Plattling. It is the tenth Technology and Research Campus (TC) of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). Hans Schmalhofer, First Mayor of the town of Plattling, DIT President Prof Dr Peter Sperber and Science Minister Bernd Sibler welcomed the number of guests, which was limited to 40 due to the pandemic, and highlighted the great development potential for the town of Plattling associated with the MoMo. The TC will be working with an interdisciplinary approach, which includes and combines the fields of energy storage, power electronics, autonomous mobility and robotics as well as robot-based computer tomography.

Even though the establishment of the Technology Transfer Centre for Plattling represents a considerable investment, it is a right and important step for the development of the town, said Mayor Schmalhofer and added, not without pride: “Plattling will become a research location for a university – with a key technology of the future! Indeed, the constellation of a thematically very well coordinated research community together with the scientific competences at DIT is a unique selling point in the field of modern mobility. “This”, according to the operational director of the MoMo, graduate engineer Katrin Juds, “should be a good basis for further research alliances which can additionally strengthen the region economically.” Minister of State Sibler also praised DIT and its role as an important East Bavarian piece in the Bavarian High Tech Agenda. Sibler stressed: “Thinking progress from the region – that is the formula behind the new research centre ‘Modern Mobility’. With its long tradition as a railway town and transport hub, Plattling is an excellent location for working on the mobility of tomorrow. Our universities of applied sciences and technical universities are strong drivers of innovation. It is from here that the future is shaped – for the region, for Lower Bavaria and for Bavaria”.

The close networking with the Deggendorf Campus ensures a broad spectrum of research and development capacities, as with all TCs of DIT. This includes contract research, funded projects, bachelor and master theses or seminars and workshops. At the scientific level, the MoMo is closely linked to its mothership in Deggendorf, for example, in the areas of electromobility, fleet management, virtualisation of resources and services and intelligent energy information network (smart grid). “Promising options for regional structural support in all areas of mobility are associated with the MoMo”, confirmed DIT President Sperber. Otto Kreutzer, head of the Power Electronics Research Group, also sees an ideal composition to enable area-wide climate-neutral mobility one day, hopefully not too far away. “An innovation driver such as the MoMo will help to push the technological status of regional companies forward,” says Kreutzer.

Intelligent mobile robotics will also play an important role at TC Plattling. In this context, division manager Prof Dr-Ing Berthold Bäuml would like to “conduct research at a top international level.” This will be done in close cooperation with the Institute of Robotics of the German Aerospace Centre and the Technical University of Munich. “Through close cooperation with the local companies, we will transfer the research results into concrete applications,” says the professor. The current topics range from the autonomous vertically-launching VTOL drone for the early detection of forest fires and bark beetles, the intelligent robotic assistant in production to the humanoid service robot with arms and hands as a personal assistant for older people.

Computer tomography is a powerful imaging technique for the examination of a wide variety of materials, components and products. In the field of e-mobility, companies are breaking new ground in many respects. Prof Dr-Ing Jochen Hiller, research group leader of robot-based computed tomography, sees a great need for the use of the most modern measuring and testing methods to comply with safety and quality standards. “Due to the extraordinary future viability of 3D imaging in combination with robotics, we see the MoMo as a nucleus for a further campus. But also as an opportunity for company spin-offs,” says Hiller. He added that there is definitely a need for more companies in Germany dealing with imaging processes and intelligent robotics.

The ecumenical blessing of the building was performed by Dean Josef K Geismar and Pastor Karolin Gerleigner. Afterwards, architect Robert Brunner symbolically presented the key to the laboratory hall to the First Mayor of the town of Plattling. He finally places it in the hands of the DIT president as the actual user of the building. The MoMo was thus opened and went straight into working mode. With a guided tour of the research rooms and laboratories for the guests.

Learn more about the MoMo: https://www.th-deg.de/en/tc-plattling.

Info Box Technology Development at MoMo

Info Box Intelligent Autonomous Robotics and Computer-Aided Measurement Technology at MoMo

The award-winning film production “Neighbours” by students of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) will be shown on 6 October at the Deggendorf Cinema. The occasion is the “Week of Encounters” (Woche der Begegnungen) in Deggendorf. The date will be accompanied by the cabaret artist and actress Luise Kinseher.

The five video portraits of residents of the Deggendorf Anchor Centre show that every refugee has their own story and that generalised prejudices do not do justice to people. The videos were produced in cooperation between the Caritas asylum social counselling service and students of DIT in the “short film” course of the master’s course in Media Technology. The screening at the Lichtspielhaus Deggendorf is presented by Luise Kinseher. After the film screening there will be an audience discussion moderated by Luise Kinseher, in which the following people will participate:

• Fatou Lo (Senegal, protagonist)
• Christina Klee (BA, DIT student media technology)
• Moritz Ströer-Karuga (MA, DIT student media technology)
• Andreas Zilker (Caritas asylum counselling)
• Hans Jürgen Weißenborn (Managing Director Caritasverband für den Landkreis Deggendorf e.V.)
• Jens Schanze (Prof. Film & Video Design)

The performance on Tuesday 6 October will start at 6 pm. The entrance is free. Registration via e-mail at asyl@caritas-deggendorf.de is required.

On 21 October, the joint Business Information Technology Symposium of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) and the OTH Regensburg will take place as an online event. The event with the focus on “Process Analytics” will be organised by the professors Dr Stephan Scheuerer (DIT) and Dr-Ing Frank Herrmann (OTH).

In accordance with the motto “from practice and science for practice”, speakers from renowned companies will give relevant specialist lectures. The topics will be “Production planning in the factory of the future” (The Boston Consulting Group GmbH), “Data-driven digitalisation of customer processes” (Conrad SE), “Optimisation of the allocation of tool magazines” (Siemens AG) and “Minimisation of set-up times through the use of simulation and optimisation (Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen GmbH). Participation in the event is free of charge, but formal registration is required. Further information is available at www.oth-regensburg.de/digitalisierung.

With the decision of the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) of 17 September, the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) with its European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) was accepted as an “Affiliate Member of UNWTO” in the special organisation of the United Nations.

For DIT, admission to the UNWTO is a milestone which has a particularly positive effect on ECRI with its focus on Health Tourism. As a result, DIT is not only visible in the international environment of the UN, but as an affiliated member can access resources such as the e-library, statistics or materials of the UNWTO and use them for its teaching and research.

Membership in the UNWTO provides worldwide networking opportunities, which also benefit international students. This enables them to establish contact in the international tourism sector and to other members of the organisation already during their studies. Especially with regard to the UNWTO programmes on sustainable tourism development, students from the programme countries are offered a wide range of career opportunities after graduation.

As an affiliated member of the organisation, ECRI and DIT actively contribute to UNWTO’s objectives. Affiliated members are companies, educational and research institutions, tourism destinations and NGOs who enter into the dialogue via the UNWTO platform, exchange information and jointly pursue further steps towards the implementation of the goals pursued by UNWTO in the field of sustainable tourism development and jointly develop innovative products.

UNWTO is a specialised agency of the United Nations with headquarters in Madrid. Its mission is “to promote and develop tourism as a contribution to economic development, international understanding, peace, prosperity and respect for freedom, human rights for all without distinction of race, sex, language or religion”. In particular, UNWTO supports the interests of the developing countries and pursues in its work programme the improvement of the competitiveness of the tourism offers in the member states as well as safeguarding of sustainability and ethics in tourism.

Every year, many young people from all over the world come to the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). They fulfil their dream of spending a semester abroad. DIT stands for international exchange, intercultural campus atmosphere and a lively welcoming culture. It is one of the most international universities of applied sciences in Bavaria. While some Bavarian universities have decided to cancel the entire student exchange programme for the winter semester 2020/2021 due to the Corona pandemic, DIT has remained open for this. On Monday, 28 September, the team of the International Office now welcomed 30 international exchange students.

DIT is networked with more than 190 partner universities worldwide. In principle, the university has made it possible for students to come to Deggendorf for an exchange semester for the winter semester 2020/2021. A quarter of the 120 young people who usually come to Deggendorf were welcomed by the International Office this year. Numerous precautions were taken in advance to protect all students and staff. A comprehensive hygiene concept was developed. Students from risk areas had to provide a negative corona test and a medical certificate confirming that they did not show any symptoms of an infection with SARS-CoV-2. In addition, the International Office has worked intensively in recent weeks on a virtual implementation of the orientation weeks. This traditional two-week introductory programme makes it easier for DIT guests to get started, familiarise themselves with their new “home” and helps them to make initial contacts. The hybrid of on-site events and virtual formats now offered students the opportunity for socialising while ensuring the highest security. Since personal contacts must be reduced to a minimum, a large proportion of the courses for guest students will also be offered virtually in the beginning of the winter semester 2020/2021. In order to ensure that there is nevertheless a direct exchange between German and international students, numerous opportunities for getting to know each other virtually are offered in addition to teaching.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is founding another Technology Campus (TC) in the district of Passau. The “Bavarian Centre for Digital Security” will be established in Vilshofen. It is intended to promote basic research and application-oriented research in the field of data security. In particular, for industrial plants and automobiles.

At a press conference of the city of Vilshofen on 17 September, Minister of State Bernd Sibler and DIT Vice President Prof Waldemar Berg, together with Mayor Florian Gams, announced the news. The approval of the city council followed a week later with a clear “Yes”. Construction work on the new building will begin in 2021 and the campus is expected to be operational as early as autumn 2022. From the university, Prof Dr Martin Schramm as head of the TC and Prof Dr Peter Ullrich will be coming to Vilshofen. Two further professors are to be appointed directly for the location after the opening of the TC Vilshofen. Up to 30 new jobs will be created. Positions for four engineers, up to four foremen, administrative staff and student assistants. Doctoral students are also to carry out research on site every once in a while. With its twelfth Technology Campus, the university is continuing a unique concept. Since 2009, DIT has successfully founded special research facilities. So far in the districts of Cham, Regen, Freyung-Grafenau, Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, Weissenburg-Gunzenhausen and Passau. Experts there develop application-specific special solutions in close cooperation with high-tech companies. At the centre of this institutional work is the symbiosis of scientific research and its economic application. This close cooperation dynamises the regional economy and sets novel technological accents far removed from urban areas. Companies benefit from access to the laboratory and research capacities of DIT, and valuable industrial contacts are created for research interns and prospective graduates.

Almost every day we hear about new breakthroughs in research and development on artificial intelligence (AI). The exciting question is and remains, however, what about their implementation in companies? A four-day block event was held for the first time in September 2020 at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). The students first learned about the basics of AI innovation management and then tested in case studies the identification of AI potential and the introduction of AI in companies. This course is probably unique, not only in Germany. It was led by Prof Dr Patrick Glauner.

Various studies conclude that currently about 80 percent of AI developments in companies do not yet create financial value or do not lead to marketable product or services. “There are many reasons for this,” explains Glauner. “One of the reasons is that classical AI teaching often only deals with purely technical aspects and ignores business management aspects”. The AI bachelor’s programme at DIT therefore offers a globally unique course on “AI Innovation Management” in addition to numerous technical courses. “By this we close this gap. We teach students what the typical challenges in companies are when introducing AI and how these challenges can be solved,” reports Glauner.

Course participant Ursula Pähler was impressed: “The course allowed me to draw parallels and differences to classical innovation management in other areas. This made me aware of the existing challenges, especially when introducing AI”. Ralf Minge, who is studying part-time, now feels much better equipped for the value-added implementation of AI in companies: “This course very impressively closes the gap between academic research on AI and its effective application in companies. I can now start directly with the value-adding implementation of AI”.

Since last year, DIT has been offering the Bachelor’s programme “Artificial Intelligence”. In October 2020, around 90 more young people will begin their studies. If you have any questions on topics related to innovation and AI, Prof Glauner can also be contacted directly at patrick.glauner@th-deg.de at any time.

As one of five specific pilot regions, the densely wooded, touristically attractive Traunsee-Almtal region in Upper Austria is a partner of the “INTERREG Project AB291”, in which the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) in Pfarrkirchen is the lead partner.

The first project workshop took place on Tuesday, 15 September at the invitation of Mayor Wolfgang Bammer and the Traunsee-Almtal Tourist Office in the municipal office of Grünau im Almtal. In addition to the five-member project team, which will oversee the project until summer 2020, the workshop focused in particular on the invited experts from the fields of forests, health and tourism. With their many years of competence and expertise, they are making a significant contribution to the joint development of ideas and approaches on how forest and natural areas can be used for health tourism in the specific context of the municipality of Grünau and in the pilot region Traunsee-Almtal. The premise is always to create added value for local providers and stakeholders as well as visitors and guests without damaging natural resources.

In an initial three groups and a subsequent joint discussion round, the 17 workshop participants gathered important findings and assessments on future target groups, nature-related service options or necessary structures and partnerships, which are fundamental for the sustainable use of forests in the future. Prof Dr Christian Steckenbauer, Dean of ECRI and experienced tourism expert, was the host.

The results of the workshop will be used to derive specific offers and products for Grünau and the Traunsee-Almtal pilot region, but together with the findinds from the other four pilot regions, they will also be made fundamentally transferable and applicable to corresponding destinations. Prof Steckenbauer also sees this as an important step for the future: “In view of social change and changing travel motives, the development of new offers in the area of forest & health is of enormous importance – even more so as a result of the Corona pandemic”.

In an interdisciplinary, cross-border project consortium consisting of a total of 14 well-known partners, this ambitious project is approaching the subject of “forests, health and tourism” from various angles and is developing sustainable approaches in five selected pilot regions (in addition to the Traunsee-Almtal, also the Tennengau, Bad Birnbach, Neureichenau, Braunau-Simbach) on how local forest and associated natural areas can be used for health tourism.

Last Tuesday, the Department of Digitalisation and Innovative Teaching at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) organised a DigiCamp especially for teachers of all school types. The topic was: “Teaching in the digital age: Blended Learning for teachers”. 70 guests took tools and techniques for the new school year with them and had the opportunity to exchange views on success factors of digital teaching. Dues to the great demand, the virtual event will be repeated on 13 October from 5 pm.

Dr Karina Fisch, host and expert for digital teaching, is looking forward to exchange with the teachers: “The virtual DigiCamp is intended to help teachers to gather new ideas for teaching and to get to know various didactic tools in order to successfully master the balancing act between face-to-face teaching and virtual learning in teaching”. Especially now, during the Corona pandemic, teachers must be able to switch quickly between face-to-face teaching and digital teaching and link content in order to be able to react quickly in the event of a class being quarantined.

In addition to Dr Karina Fisch, the academic staff of the Department of Digitalisation and Innovative Teaching, Caroline Weber and Theresa Bauer, will present various tools and theis use in a learning scenario for digital teaching. Nursing educator and DIT professor, Prof Dr Doris Eberhardt, will give insights into her wealth of experience from the last Flexi semester and derive best practice examples from it. The DigiCamp will conclude with a question and answer session and an exchange of experiences between all participants.

The target group of the DigiCamp are teachers of all school types who would like to meet the opportunities and challenges of digital teaching as well as the interested public. Information on the detailed programme and registration can be obtained at sabrina.ebner@th-deg.de.

Software for IT security may soon come from Deggendorf. The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is currently supervising the start-up company XENTEC. Financed by a scholarship, the two-member founding team wants to build up an IT security company. Initial product tests with pilot customers are already underway.

Nicolai Roider and Sebastian Schreiner want to create maximum IT security in all areas of the software industry and their own company. Their first product is to be a software with which other software manufacturers can protect their product. The mission is to set a new standard in data encryption and data protection.

They are supported by the DIT Start-up Campus, the Hans Lindner Foundation and by an EXIST start-up grant from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy. The two founders have already achieved quite a bit in their first half year as scholarship holders. The first Xentec product is patent pending. Initial tests have shown a positive response from pilot customers. Their feedback is currently flowing into the further development of the software. Anyone looking for Xentex on the Internet will have to be patient a little longer. The development work currently requires the full attention of the two founders.

The team of the DIT Start-up Campus is always open for innovative ideas. If you would like to become a founder, you can contact us via e-mail startupcampus@th-deg.de.

Interested in programming or business administration, technical mechanics or basics for engineers? At the European Campus Rottal-Inn the early study programme, which has been established for several years, will start at the beginning of the new winter semester. Talented and motivated students from the 10th grade onwards can enrol there for lectures in selected subjects and thus get a taste for the university atmosphere while still at school.

Since the campus is international, all lectures are held in English. Those who have the courage to do so can take an exam at the end of the semester. If the exam is passed, the ECTS credits (credit points earned during the course of study) can be credited towards a later degree programme. And if you notice that the effort involved is too great, or that the subject is not the right one, you can cancel your registration at any time without any problems. Courses are also offered at flexible times and locations – an alternative to classroom lectures, especially during Corona times.

Registration is possible until 28 September. The early study programme is organised and supervised by the STEM team at Deggendorf Institute of Technology. Further information on the early study programme, the application procedure and the complete range of courses can be found on the Internet through this link or directly from Andrea Ebertseder (andrea.ebertseder@th-deg.de or phone: +49 991 3615 8863).

The Department of Digitalisation and Innovative Teaching at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) and the head of the event, Prof Dr Patrick Glauner, invite you to the German-speaking virtual DigiCamp “DigiFitnessCheck”. Glauner is looking forward to the exchange with company representatives from the region: “Digitalisation is the order of the day. But most companies do not know how to get fit digitally and what needs to be taken into account. How do you proceed correctly and with what plan? This is exactly the question we will answer at DigiCamp”.

Often a successful implementation of digitalisation fails because of an individual strategy, because digitalisation is much more than the usual online trade and its ERP processes. It is necessary to identify optimisation potentials along the value chain and in the product portfolio, which bring functional or cost advantages. Glauner explains: “Pragmatic actionism is just as nonsensical as an overly complex digitalisation vision”.

In addition to the head of the event and AI expert, Prof Dr Patrick Glauner, consultant and company coach, Markus Kammermeier from Change42 GmbH, will provide insights into how companies can be among the winners of digital transformation.

The target group of the DigiCamp are all companies that want to develop an adapted and individual digitalisation strategy for themselves in order to successfully face the digital future as well as the interested public.

Prof Dr Thorsten Gerdes heads the Keylab Glass Technology at the University of Bayreuth and is Scientific Director at the Technology User Centre (TAZ) in Spiegelau, which is part of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). The professor has now been nominated for the final round of the German Future Prize of the Federal President in cooperation with the industrial partners Dyneon/3M and Maxit at the Deutsches Museum in Munich.

On the occasion of the announcement of the three nominated projects on 9 September, Bavaria’s Science Minister Bernd Sibler emphasised the value of research: “Without our researchers and developers, without their spirit of innovation and vision of the future, we cannot find answers to the pressing questions of our time. I am very grateful that they are developing ideas that can make our lives better in the future – and that worldwide. Visions for a better future also come from Bavaria: futurology research in all areas is carried out at our Bavarian universities. Future fields of technology play a special role here. The Minister was very pleased that one of the top three projects also comes from Bavaria. Energy efficiency and sustainability are forward-looking topics that must be dedicated to the coming generations with all their might.

The Federal President’s Science Prize is one of the most important science prizes in Germany. This year it will be awarded on 25 November in Berlin by Frank-Walter Steinmeier. By the way, live on ZDF. Three topics will then have the chance to win the € 250,000 prize money in addition to the scientific reputation: It’s about new developments in future information technology, automation in medicine and, of course, more climate-neutral construction.

The team around the speaker Dipl-Ing (FH) Friedbert Scharfe (Maxit), Dr rer nat Klaus Hintzer (Dyneon/3M) and Prof Dr-Ing Thorsten Gerdes for the system “ecosphere” – an innovative, environmentally friendly system of sprayable insulation with micro hollow glass beads, which was developed in a project between the partners and the Keylab Glass Technology of the University of Bayreuth, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

This is where DIT and TAZ Spiegelau come in. Within the framework of the recently launched “Micro-Bubble” project – also a BMBF-funded project – research is already being conducted on the next generation of building insulation. The basis for his continues to the hollow micro-bubbles. The aim of the researchers in Eastern Bavaria and Upper Franconia is to achieve a further improvement in the production process for this lightweight material.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) has been intensively promoting the use of digital teaching for years before the corona pandemic. This commitment has now been rewarded with a grant of € 182,000 for DIT projects from the Virtual University of Bavaria (vhb). 

The digital courses offered via the SMART vhb platform gained in importance due to the cancellation of classroom teaching this summer semester. DIT already offers 28 vhb courses online, which were used by other universities of applied sciences, especially during the corona semester, and were applied in teaching. The notification of the vhb's support of € 182,000, which corresponds to 20% of the total funding of the latest SMART vhb funding round, will further expand DIT's digital teaching. Over the coming months, a total of ten courses will be developed and, from the 2021/2022 winter semester onwards, will be made available via the SMART vhb platform. The online courses range from the introduction to programming with Python, Java programming, programming concepts, computer science concepts, hardware design, foundations of informatics, AI applications and logic in artificial intelligence to engineering mechanics, dynamics and risk management. The development of these new SMART vhb projects is organised by Prof Dr Dr Heribert Popp, vhb representative of the unversity and project manager Dr-Ing Monica Ciolacu.

At DIT, the vhb representative, Prof Popp, has been substituting 50% of teaching in all his modules with digital teaching for 13 years now. In his digital course, he tested artificial intelligence (AI) methods by which digital teaching materials adapt to the level of knowledge of the students at the beginning of the course. Popp also uses an AI-based early warning system in his vhb courses, which sends a warning e-mail to students at risk. As a result, the failure rate could be almost halved.

The SMART vhb platform manages online learning units that can be flexibly integrated into the students' own teaching. These digital learning units start with the learning goals and are composed of different materials such as videos, text elements, self-tests or simulations.

Founding team of the Startup Campus of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) receives an EXIST founding grant of € 117,000 for the idea of the agricultural robot SEPP.

The idea is simple and ingenious: a robot that takes care of the domestic vegetable garden. The useful helper will make it easier for garden owners who do not have the time to regularly water or weed their garden. This is the vision of Andreas Stockinger and his two founding colleagues Niklas Rohne and Martin Seidl. With this idea, the team approached the DIT's Startup Campus and, with its support, received an EXIST start-up grant.

Supported by the scholarship in the amount of € 117,000, the prospective founders now have twelve months to turn the vision of the agricultural robot SEPP into a marketable product. During the development of the robot, the construction of the first prototypes up to the planning of a serial production, the founding team can count on the support of DIT and its Startup Campus, no matter if it is the solution of technical problems or the production of single metal components. If everything goes according to plan, home gardeners can hope for a significant reduction in workload because of SEPP for the 2022 gardening season.

The founders will be supported by their mentor Prof Dr Wolfgang Dorner and the DIT Startup Campus. The team of founders will move into the Startup Lab of the Startup Campus as their workplace during the funding period. The DIT's Startup Campus supports students, employees and alumni of the university in all phases of a business start-up.

The EXIST founding scholarship is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy and the European Social Fund. In addition to students, the scholarship also supports graduates and scientists who want to implement their founding idea with a business plan.

There was a lot to discover, explore and build again this year during the holiday programme of the STEM project at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). There was a great rush for the three events. In addition to the regular dates, two more dates were offered.

The holiday programme started with the "Planetary researchers". Here, 20 girls between the ages of eight and ten used the opportunity to use Lego WeDo to build the small Mars probe "Milo". First of all, they took a close look at the solar system and puzzled over what a robot like this must be able to do in order to be sent on a Mars mission. Terms like solar panels, cameras, gripper arms and transmitters came into play here. After construction, the little Mars robot was set in motion by means of graphic programming. To enable the robot to detect obstacles and send signals to Earth, sensors were installed and programmed accordingly. The participating girls worked with great dedication, resulting in very creative robot designs. 

The second holiday programme was under the motto "Build yourself an artifical hand". The approximately 20 students, ages 12 to 14 years, were given the taks of designing and building an artificial hand made of Lego Spike Prime parts. A large number of components, sensors and motors were available for this. The creative and fully functioning robot hands and gripper arms were tested in action by means of graphic programming. 

During the all-day programme "Get to know the exciting world of computer science", the pupils from grade 8 onwards had the possibility to program a text-based Lego-Mindstorm robot. In the second part of the programme, an app was developed which can be used to control the robot. In between, there were exciting discussions about the use of robots. In addition, the students used the opportunity to exchange their own experiences in the field of virtual teaching and learning through the Internet with students.

The DIT holiday programme always takes place during the summer holidays and most other school holidays and is aimed at students with an interest in STEM topics. The programme is organised and carried out by the STEM project of the university. This summer the organisers Tanja Zellner and Anna-Katharina Kaiser were actively supported by Irina Sigl, media technology student. 

On September 8th, the intensive language courses at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) will start again. External interested people are also welcome to improve their language skills, as there are still places available for one-week courses!

Whether Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese, Business English or Russian, DIT offers beginner and practice courses for numerous languages. They will probably consist of virutal sessions and self-study phases, depending on the situation. The language courses are offered over a period of three weeks, with one course lasting one week and comprising a total of 30 teaching units. The courses take place on weekdays, from Monday to Friday. The course fee for pupils, apprentices and students (also from other universities) is € 39, for all other participants € 120. On the last day of the language course is a final examination, with the passing of which the participants receive a certificate of the language level achieved.

Interested people can find the exact course offer and all other important information about the intensive language courses at https://www.th-deg.de/en/students/language-electives#intensive-courses
Registration is possible via e-mail to the DIT language centre: sprachenzentrum@th-deg.de

The European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) invited its partners from Bad Birnbach to the campus as part of the joint INTERREG project "Network for Health Tourism in Forests".

For a joint update on the Bad Birnbach pilot region and the coordination of further steps, the lead partner ECRI warmly welcomed the Bad Birnbach delegation consisting of Director Viktor Gröll from the spa administration, as well as the newly elected mayor Dagmar Feicht and her Managing Director Kurt Tweraser from the municipality to the campus on Friday, 31 July.

In addition to discussing and coordinating the current project, host Dean Prof Dr Steckenbauer and his team also took the opportunity to show the guests from Bad Birnbach the new campus building Sustainability and Innovation Lab Centre (SILC) and especially the techniqual equipment of the new tourism laboratory.

ECRI's expertise and the training of its students in the field of "health sciences", "tourism" and "sustainable construction" quickly led to the identification of many other points of contact for joint projects and cooperation with the thermal spa town of Bad Birnbach - synergies for both sides which they would like to make greater use of in future.

As one of the five specific pilot regions, the municipality of Bad Birnbach is a partner in the "INTERREG Project AB291 - Network for Health Tourism in Forests", in which ECRI has taken on the role of lead partner in Pfarrkirchen. Other pilot regions in the project area between Bavaria and Atria are Neureichenau, Braunau - Simbach, Traunsee - Almtal and Tennengau.

In an interdisciplinary, cross-border project consortium consisting of a total of 14 well-known partners, this ambitious project approaches the subject are of "forests, health and tourism" from various perspectives and jointly develops sustainable approaches in the five pilot regions on how local forests and associated natural areas can be used for health tourism. 

If you want to study at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) from the winter semester onwards, you should make your choice now. The application period ends on 20 August, 2020. Until then, everything is possible.

Due to the corona pandemic and the late graduation from high school, the application period for studying at DIT and its English-speaking European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) in Pfarrkirchen has been extended this year. But in just under three weeks, time will run out. Only a few days ago, Science Minister Bernd Sibler announced the modalities for the winter semester. Of course, this is always subject to the current infection situation. However, the goal is to start the semester as analogue as possible; after the summer semester has been completely digital. At DIT, as at many other universities, priority is given to first year students. "It is especially important for first-year students to get used to their university and campus. Presence is simply the most important part", says DIT's president Prof Dr Peter Sperber. He is very much looking forward to welcoming new students to his university. First semester day is 1 October, 2020.

Until then, however, it is time for all those who are undecided: Check the course offerings and apply. DIT offers an enormously broad portfolio ranging from successful classics, such as Business Administration, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, to new courses of study, such as E-Mobility, Artificial Intelligence or Nursing. At ECRI, an English only Campus, the focus lies on Tourism Management, Digital Health, Engineering and Healthy and Sustainable Construction. All embedded in a strong network of regional and supra-regional research and diverse cooperation with numerous partners from the industry. These are the best conditions for a successful career. Here you go: https://www.th-deg.de/en/apply . 

Nothing we wear on our bodies is more contaminated with viruses and bacteria than our mobile phones. "CuCase", a start-up from the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) launched a smartphone case that addresses this very problem. The special thing about it is that the copper alloy used is also effective against the SARS-CoV-2 corona virus.

Antibacterial mobile phone sleeves are already available. No surprise! We touch our smartphones up to 2,500 times per day, on wich an average of 100 different types of bacteria are found - not counting viruses. A market with growth potential. "Our phone case consists of a special copper alloy," explains Dennis Gerdts, inventor of the product and responsible for research and development at CuCase. "Copper," says the 24-year-old, "is one of the most effective materials in the fight against pathogenic germs. It eliminates more than 99% of bacteria." And it eliminates other microbes like the corona virus. Previous products do not have this important feature. Besides, their antibacterial effect diminishes over time. Due to the so-called halo effect of copper, which leads to up to 70% less microbes (viruses, bacteria and germs) settling in the immediate vicinity, the touch screen is also less contaminated when using a CuCase.

The Deggendorf-based company CuCase is still the only one in the world to pursue this approach - almost. Because the competition never sleeps. "At Vanderbuilt University in the USA are three students who are as far advanced as we are," reveals Gerdts. That's why we have to hurry. On 15 July, the distribution is finally supposed to get under way. For the market entry, most Apple iPhones will be covered first. However, other models are to follow soon. You buy the cases via the website of the Deggendorf start-up (www.cucase.de) and a few weeks later also via Amazon. Compared to conventional cases, the prices are in the middle segment. There is a special offer for the market launch. Also interesting: with every purchase of a CuCase you support Ärzte ohne Grenzen (Doctors without borders) in the fight against corona.

Besides Gerdts, Anton Dobler (25) and Marco Jülke (28) are also shareholders and managing directors of CuCase. Dobler, a prospective Master's graduate at DIT in Technology Management, is the Marketing and Sales Manager and sees himself as an interface between the economic and technical areas. Jülke, a graduate in Economics, is responsible for finances, administration, production and logistics. All three can look back on numerous practical experiences in renowned industrial companies and on well-known internet platforms.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is intensifying its foundation work. The thematic focus on start-up and start-up culture is to be expanded and the range of courses on offer, which up to now has mainly addressed students, is to be expanded. The team of DIT's Startup Campus has had almost € 900,000 at its disposal since April. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research supports the university's plan to promote entrepreneurial talent.

The Startup Campus team wants to create more start-ups and thus up to 1000 more high-tech jobs in the Deggendorf area in the next 10 years. Alfon Weinzierl says: "The work of the Startup Campus has so far been a cross-sectional function for many players in addition to their actual jobs and has been performed on top. With the successful project award we now also receive the necessary means and resources to take the DIT's start-up culture to the next level". According to Weinzierl, in comparison to the current situation, the Startup Campus will not only supervise the start-up and entrepreneurship teaching and student teams, but will also become a university-wide institution that is a contact point and home for founders at a central location and radiates into the rural region via the Technology Campuses. In future, the team will also be available to employees of the university. True to the motto "Wake up the founder in you!", everyone is invited to contact the Startup Campus team and develop their founding idea.

Many individual measures will now be implemented step by step. As a first necessary step, the team of DIT Startup Campus sees the development and renting of suitable premises close to the university to create a Startup Lab. Furthermore, it is planned to initiate a university incubator programme for the pre-foundation phase for university members, with which the university can then also financially support projects.

Since 2002, the university has successively built up its profile as a start-up university. Over the years, numerous successful business start-ups, activities and qualification offers have resulted, so that in 2017, the team of Startup Campus was finally formed from the Institute for Business start-ups of DIT as a central contact point. In the recently published WURI ranking, the university has attracted positive attention, particularly because of its start-up culture. The university can further strengthen its activities through the StartupLab@FH funding measure "Entrepreneurial thinking and scientific entrepreneurial spirit - freedom for research and start-ups at universities of applied sciences" of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

On Tuesday, 28 July, representatives of the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) met with the managing director of the Euregio office in Freyung, Kaspar Sammer, and the European Commission’s expert for territorial cooperation, Dirk Peters, to plan further steps of the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC).

During the campus tour at the ECRI, the guests were able to see for themselves the first university in Germany to be approved as an EGTC. The next steps were then discussed with President Prof. Dr. Peter Sperber, Head of Campus Prof. Dr. Horst Kunhardt, Dean Prof. Dr. Georg Christian Steckenbauer and University Coordinator Georg Riedl.

The main topics were the planned kick-off event in autumn together with the founding members of the EGTC, the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria and the Salzburg-based Alma Mater Europea, and the establishment and development of the EGTC in general. The main focus was to fill the existing structure with life in the future and to advance the goal of ECRI as a pioneer in bringing nations together. This underlines again ECRI's own claim to peacefully unite people of different nationalities under one roof, emphasised Dean Prof. Steckenbauer.  

With the EGTC, ECRI is not only more visible within the EU, but can also cooperate with other institutions across borders more easily than before. For this reason, the discussion focused on universities in other EU countries as future partners of the EGTC and the intention to establish and expand this partnership in the coming years. In this context, events on politics, economics and culture are also planned at ECRI in Pfarrkirchen, which will transport the "European spirit" to the region and convey European values to students.  

According to Euregio Managing Director Kaspar Sammer, the fact that the international campus is widely perceived positively by the population deserves special attention. This shows that the concept of territorial cooperation through the EGTC at ECRI is the proper step into the future.  

The EGTC is an instrument of the EU, which serves to promote cross-border, transnational or interregional cooperation within the EU. The EGTC acts as a legal entity and usually has members from at least two EU Member States, who define the objectives and tasks of the EGTC in a cooperation agreement.

The most recent participants of the Silicon Valley Program of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) began their exciting nine-month journey in mid-July. They want to bring a business idea to the market and learn how to do it with help from the Silicon Valley Program. The role model is the Silicon Valley start-up scene in California, where the journey will continue for a week at the end of the certificate programme.

The eight groups laid the foundation for marketing their projects during the introductory week. Each project group got to know their mentor from Santa Clara University in Silicon Valley, California, via video conference. The American elite university has been a partner in the certificate programme since the beginning. Over the next nine months, the project groups will contact their mentors once a month via video conference and present the progress of their work. Prof Peter Schmieder, founder of the programme, and Alexander Dorn will support them in this process. In addition, the participants will be provided with working documents online via a learning platform.

The airm of the programme is to make the teams or their business ideas eligible for investment. The participants will be supervised until the final pitches, which will take place in March 2021 at Santa Clara University if the corona situation allows it. Often, howver, is is only then that the participants really get started. If investors are found when their business plans are presented, the dream of their own company could quickly come true, like it has for many previous participants. 

The documentary film "Neighbours - 5 Encounters with Residents of Ankerzentrum Deggendorf" ("Nachbarn - 5 Begegnungen mit Bewohnern des Ankerzentrums Deggendorf" in German) by Deggendorf Institute of Technology's (DIT) Media Production master students has been awarded at the Bavarian Children & Youth Film Festival. All eight winning films were announced on Saturday. "Neighbours" received the special award "Democracy" endowed with € 500. Patroness of the festival founded in 1989 is Carolina Trautner. the Bavarian Minister for Family, Labour and Social Affairs.

Since January 2015, there has been an initial reception facility in Deggendorf for asylum seekers. In 2018, it was converted to what is called an anchorage centre. The filmmakers of the master's programme wanted to know who the people are who live there. In cooperation with the Caritasverband for the Landkreis Deggendorf e.V. they have had conversations with the residents about their lives. This resulted in a video project under the direction of Prof Jens Schanze. The 33-minute film from 2019 consists of five short portraits. Due to the award of the Lower Bavarian Youth Film Prize 2019, the documentary qualified for the Bavarian Children & Youth Film Festival. 
The jury there said: "The award for democracy goes to a film which caused a long discussion among the jury; perhaps it was created to do exactly that. It's a film that needs to be dealt with in dialogue, which needs the discussion and is the initiator of thought and because it does this, we find it worthy of an award and an important contribution to democracy." The award ceremony was held last week in a small round on the campus in Deggendorf. During the encounter week (Woche der Begegnung) in October 2020, "Neighbours" can be seen again at the Deggendorf cinema. 

What exactly is Artificial Intelligence, also known as AI? In which way does AI influence our future, in Lower Bavaria, in the Bavarian Forest, or maybe even in Deggendorf. Prof Patrick Glauner from the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) can tell us more about it. 

Scientists found out, primal fears are connected to AI: surveillance, enslavement, loss of uniqueness/exceptionalism, as well as the end of free will. "Exaggerated", that's what Prof Glauner calls it, when you're talking about the end of free will, just because people follow the algorithms through internet or media ads. People will not be replaced by robots in the near future. But somehow, artificial intelligence seems to have escaped from blockbuster movies, like the genie from the bottle. The movies that gave us goosbumpbs: The Matrix, Minority Report or the Fritz Lang classic Metropolis from 1927 - one of the most important pieces in film art history.

"We've been able to use AI for pattern recognition in radiological diagnostics. A great enrichment for our healthcare in oncology," said Glauner, referring to a prime example of beneficial AI developments. In addition to a whole range of other applications already available today, artificial intelligence could certainly one day include all the useful connections between the unmanageable scientific disciplines and make them visible and usable again. The polymath from antiquity no longer exists. What does a virologist even know about AI, what does a computer scientist know about viruses? Certainly not enough. And those who don't know anything must believe everything. The data is here. More than enough, big data in fact. And big data is the food for meaningful AI.

Patrick Glauner has been a professor for artificial intelligence since the age of 30. Previously, he worked at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva and at Krones AG, among others. He has been working on artificial intelligence for ten years, most recently in particular on AI innovation management. In spring 2020 he published a book on this subject in cooperation with the Springer-Verlag: "Innovative Technologies for Market Leadership: Investing in the Future". 

The European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is making history with the approval of the "European Campus of Studies and Research" as a European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) as the only EGTC in Bavaria in the university sector.

The approval of the EGTC by the Government of the Upper Palatinate makes it easier for the university and its founding members, the Upper Austrian University of Applied Sciences (FH OÖ) and the Alma Mater Europea in Salzburg, to cooperate across European borders. More precisely, the EGTC makes it easier to submit European project applications in the higher education sector and thus to obtain funding, as Bavarian State Minister for Education and Culture, Bernd Sibler, points out.

For Professor Horst Kunhardt, head of the ECRI, the approval of the EGTC means that exchanges of students and professors with other universities will be strengthened, courses of study can be developed together with other universities and the exchange of knowledge will be promoted. This will make it easier in future to launch initiatives and research projects together. In particular, cooperation with other universities is an essential part of ECRI and is now gathering momentum.

As MEP Manfred Weber, who supported the project of campus leader Prof. Kunhardt and university coordinator Georg Riedl from the outset, emphasises, the EGTC will in future be of greater importance when it comes to cross-border projects and European funding. As a result, ECRI will be much more visible within the EU and will be increasingly perceived as a brand.

The EGTC is an instrument of the EU, which serves to promote cross-border, transnational or interregional cooperation within the EU. The EGTC acts as a legal entity and usually has members from at least two EU member states, who define the objectives and tasks of the EGTC in a cooperation agreement.

With the still valid hygiene measures in place, but a lot of motivation, the first lecture at the Technology Campus in Hutthurm started on Monday, June 8, 2020.

As a university of applied sciences, DIT's research work is always rooted in real-life cases. Since 2009, DIT has successively established 11 Technology Campuses in the neighbouring districts around Deggendorf where staff and students develop innovative solutions or products. All projects have the financial backing of businesses who aim to immediately integrate research results into their company structures or production lines to improve their products or manufacturing efficiency.

Nine students from different universities were able to attend the lecture of the scientific campus director Prof. Dr. Mathias Hartmann. With sufficient safety distance and hygiene measures in place, nothing stood in the way of the long-awaited attendance event.

The Technology Campus (TC) Hutthurm focuses on innovative solutions in plastics technologies and establishes efficiency through process development, lightweight construction and materials research.

The whole team at the TC is happy that the event could take place despite the current situation.

Deggendorf Institute of Technology’ impact is impressive at the newly introduced WURI (Worlds Universities with Real Impact) ranking, especially in the categories “Entrepreneurial Spirit” (Rank 8, worldwide) and “Student Mobility and Openness” (Rank 26, worldwide). DIT has achieved rank 43 in overall placings and is therefore within the top 50 most innovative universities worldwide, only beaten by the world’s most well-known universities such as Princeton, Berkeley, University of Tokyo, Stanford, Harvard or the MIT.

The WURI ranking is a new system, which evaluates universities’ innovation and sustainable values. Four criteria are in use for the evaluation.

Firstly, practical industrial success is valued, not the amount of scientific publications. Secondly, start-ups initiated by the universities, not entries of graduates into the working market, are important. Thirdly, social responsibility, ethical standards and integrity have a higher place in the ranking than the sole focus on pure knowledge and material success. Finally, mobility of students and the intellectual and academic cooperation across borders is taken into consideration.

DIT could score in all criteria. DIT president Prof. Peter Sperber stated, “Of course, this ranking doesn’t replace the traditional ratings, which rely especially on research performance and the classic methods of knowledge transfer.” But it’s a very important addition. Especially in worldwide times of crises and global discussions about equality and discrimination. “Entrepreneurship and open-mindedness are very important criteria for young people. We’re on the right track,” Sperber adds.

Until the end of the school year, schools can still register with the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) for the first virtual workshop of the STEM team. Under the motto “Everybody should have programmed once”, the STEM promotion started last October with the associated workshop offer, which is now being offered in an optimised version via video conference. From their own homes, pupils from the eighth grade onwards can programme an application for smartphones themselves. They are guided by students from the university.

Students from the secondary schools in Landau and Grafenau were the first to test the workshop at the Girls’Day Academy. Using the AppInventor platform from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), they developed and designed their own Android-enabled app and tested it directly on their own cell phones. Organiser Tanja Zellner is convinced of the virtual format: “The Girls’Day Academy is a great programme for female students who want to really try their hand at technology and science. Our 90-minute virtual workshop concept was a perfect fit for this.”
But not only participants of the Girls’Day Academy can programme with the MIT AppInventor for the first time, the workshop is offered to all school classes from the eighth grade upwards in the region. Interested teachers can now contact the STEM promotion team by email at mint@th-deg.de. According to Tanja Zellner, all that is needed is an appointment and the appropriate equipment, and off you go.
To enable the workshop to take place virtually, the STEM team was supported by tourism management student, Celine Münz. Together they made the programme fit for use on Microsoft teams. As a tutor, she is now looking forward to implementing the proven workshop concept in the virtual version: “We tutors are looking forward to many groups of students who want to take advantage of the offer before the end of the school year. The MIT AppInventor makes it possible to programme your own apps in a playful way, without requiring previous knowledge and the basics of a programming language”. In the meantime, the Association of STEM regions of the Körber foundation has also expressed its support for the workshop as a best practice example.

The Journal of Destination Marketing & Management (JDMM) awarded a paper submitted in collaboration with Professor Dr. Herntrei of the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) as Highly Commended Paper in its 2019 edition. The same paper has already won the price for “Best Scientific International Publication” at the Dies Academicus of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT).

The JDMM received well over 500 submissions for its latest issue and after a close assessment of the papers, the jury awarded the paper “Cooperative resorts: An analysis of creative integration strategies in community destinations” as Highly Commended Paper in its 2019 edition. The awarded paper is a collaboration of ECRI’s Dr. Marcus Herntrei with Dr. Michael Volgger of Curtin University (Australia), Dr. Harald Pechlaner of Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt (Germany) and manager in the tourism sector, Sabine Pichler, MSc. (Italy).

The paper not only introduces, but also empirically analyses cooperative resorts and their form of alliance. In addition, it analyses leadership on the destination level and argues that cooperative resorts indeed can promote leadership. It considers an increase in power imbalances and critically analyses negative impacts.

The JDMM is a quality publication in the domain of destination marketing and management that seeks to develop a robust theoretical understanding of destination marketing and management. Each year the JDMM selects and awards one paper with the Best Paper Award and two papers with the Highly Commended Paper Award. In celebration of the winners, the three winning papers are available on free-access basis until the end of 2020 on the JDMM’s website.

The new ZEIT study guide 2020/2021 with results of the CHE university ranking has been available since the beginning of May. Once again, students have also evaluated study courses at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). The latest results can be found in the subjects Business Administration, Economics, Business Informatics, Industrial Engineering and Management and Organisational and Economic Psychology.

Especially the results for Organisational and Economic Psychology should be interesting. This year, they were included in the CHE university ranking for the first time. At DIT, students rated the library equipment and the support for studying abroad in this subject as very good. But DIT's ranking is also very impressive in all other categories and courses of study. In the current issue of the Zeit Studienführer and on Zeit online, earlier results in the subjects civil engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, mechanical engineering, mechatronics, nursing science, technical physics and environmental engineering can also be found. The ZEIT Studienführer is a popular accompanying medium for choosing a course of study. From choosing the right subject, through the application phase to the start of your studies, you will find a lot of information for a successful start into the future.

In the run-up to the International Scientific Symposium DigiHealthDay-2020 hosted by the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI), the organizers offer a range of attractive pre-meeting workshops. Due to the current lockdown the on site workshops were converted into virtual ones and are now open for registration.

The next upcoming workshop is about “Data Integration and Interoperability” and will take place from May 11 to 13. The three-day workshop will be hosted by ECRI graduate Jonathan Okereke, Assistant Head of the Medical Data Integration Center, MeDIC, and Platform Architect (SOA) at University Medical Center Cologne, and the ECRI research associates Fernando Portilla and Samir Irshaid.

There is also a one-day workshop called “Introduction to Amazon Web Services” taking place on May 18. This workshop will be hosted by Florian Hettenbach, Technical Trainer of Amazon Web Services.

The workshops are free of charge and registration is mandatory. For more information on the different pre-meeting events and to register for the virtual workshops please visit the homepage www.th-deg.de/digihealthday.

The DigiHealthDay-2020 is scheduled to take place on November 13. The organizers are following the current situation with COVID-19, and in case of any changes, all registered participants will promptly be notified.

Everyone with an interest in Digital Health such as researchers, healthcare professionals, businesses and start-ups, authorities or students is invited to participate in ECRI’s DigiHealthDay-2020 and the pre-meeting workshops. For further information about the event, please visit the homepage www.th-deg.de/digihealthday.