After a long break, the International Office at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) is organising a KULTURcafé in person again, on Tuesday, 24 May at 5.30 pm. This time, European neighbouring countries will introduce themselves. Interested citizens are cordially invited to the event.

In a relaxed atmosphere, students from ECRI will present their home countries and report on exciting or even curious traditions and customs. Participants will get to know the European neighbours Albania, Portugal and France at this KULTURcafé. In addition to interesting insights into the respective cultures, the lectures provide a wonderful basis for intercultural dialogue. The event promises an entertaining evening with interesting conversations and new insights. Knowledge of English is an advantage. Snacks from the countries presented and drinks will be provided.

Everyone with an interest in other cultures, customs and traditions is cordially invited to the KULTURcafé. This will take place in the premises of the Glausbau Verein e.V. in Ringstraße 9 in Pfarrkirchen. The participation fee is 3€. Due to the limited number of places, please register with Daniela Schwertlinger (daniela.schwertlinger@th-deg.de or under +49 991 3615 8843).

The tourism industry has suffered greatly in recent years from the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. Now creative solutions are needed to strengthen the industry and breathe new life into it. At the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI), students are therefore working on innovations in health and wellness tourism together with the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU). The kick-off was a Design Thinking Challenge with students from both universities. The resulting tourism innovations were presented at a final event on 12 May at the Pfarrkirchen campus.

For the two-and-a-half-day kick-off of the cooperation, ECRI students from Health & Medical Tourism met students from Business Administration with a focus on Tourism from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Oberstorf at the beginning of April. The aim was to develop innovations in health and wellness tourism in small teams in a design thinking challenge. For this purpose, the students were mixed into eleven groups, so that students from Pfarrkirchen worked together with students from Lucerne.

Under the direction of Prof. Dr. Georg Christian Steckenbauer and Prof. Dr. Marcus Herntrei on the ECRI side and Prof. Roland Lymann and Lisa Fickel of the HSLU, the students first gained insight into market and trend analyses. These formed the basis for the work in the groups. During the Design Thinking Challenge, the teams were to develop innovative ideas from which the tourism industry can benefit. Creativity and knowledge were in demand. Already during the kick-off, ideas emerged from areas such as improving the quality of sleep, nutrition and well-being, emotional health as well as gamification for fitness.

In joint lectures, the ideas and innovations were expanded by students from both universities. In the end, prototypes were to be developed from the creative proposals. At the final presentation, the groups presented these together with their concepts and presented the work of the past weeks to the professors from Pfarrkirchen and Lucerne. In the final step, the prototypes including concepts will be submitted by the students to the "Shark Tank of Wellness Student Competition". This is a global competition for students. Of the international submissions, three teams will be shortlisted and invited to the "Global Wellness Summit". This will take place in Tel Aviv in November. There, the finalists will be allowed to present their innovations to the investors, the so-called Wellness Sharks.

On Thursday, 5 May, the Impact of Diversity Award was presented at the DRIVE. Volkswagen Group Forum in Berlin. The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) made it into the top 3 in the University Award category with its project "In 80 Nations around the World", beating off numerous competitors.

With the submitted project, the university portrays students and employees from a total of 80 nations who study and work at the international European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) in Pfarrkirchen. Special emphasis is placed on celebrating similarities and learning to love differences. This not only demonstrates the diversity of ECRI, but also actively shapes interculturality and internationality in the region. The university is supported in this by the Rottal-Inn District Office.

In addition to DIT, the Anti-Discrimination Office of the University of Marburg made it to the finals in the University Award category. The winner was the State Conference of Women's and Equal Opportunities Representatives at Bavarian Universities (LaKoF) with its Bavaria-wide project "Become a female Professor".

A total of over 200 submissions were received for the Impact of Diversity Award. In the first step, the public voting, over 50,000 people took part. Afterwards, 48 jurors from science, business, associations and initiatives selected the winners. The Impact of Diversity Award is presented to 14 award winners who have made outstanding contributions to the topics of diversity and inclusion.

Artificial intelligence - how deep is it already in our lives? Professor Dr. Patrick Glauner will explore this question in the first "Science Hour" at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). The Science Hour is a new offer at DIT. All interested listeners are invited to come to the university, listen and discuss. The first edition will take place on Wednesday, 18 May at 6 pm at the campus in Deggendorf and simultaneously online.

For the premiere, Prof. Glauner will be answering questions on the topic of artificial intelligence. The AI specialist is known in his field far beyond Lower Bavaria. He has advised the German Bundestag, the French National Assembly and the Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies as an expert on political issues relating to AI. The renowned Chief Data Officer Magazine lists Glauner as one of only three Germans on its internationally recognised list of experts in data science. In his lecture at the Science Hour, he will show what AI actually is and where it already has an impact on all of our lives. The various research approaches at DIT will be discussed, as well as the countless career prospects offered by this field. A special treat for the first Science Hour: After the lecture, anyone who wants to can visit the DIT's Deep Learning Lab in Degg's.

 "With the Science Hour we are addressing all citizens in and around Deggendorf. We welcome them to the university and create the unique opportunity to experience DIT up close. This way, anyone interested can get an insight into what it's like at the university and what topics our professors deal with," Angelika Hable from DIT's MINT team advertises the new offer. She is particularly looking forward to the lively discussions that arise when people of all ages question a topic.

The Science Hour is organised by the MINT Team of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology. The event is free of charge, registration is not required. The Science Hour will take place in lecture hall B.004 at the DIT. If you would like to join online, you can find the link at www.th-deg.de/sciencehour.

After a long time of remote teaching due to corona the European Campus Rottal-Inn’s (ECRI) Healthy and Sustainable Buildings Master of Engineerig Programme resumed excursions. The first one for this semester led the students on the rooftop of the student residence at Alois-Gässl-Straße in Pfarrkirchen. The participants got a first hand impression of the building and had the chance to see the progress of the constructions.

During the excursion to the student residence the participants learned more about the construction materials used, which play an important role when constructing a sustainable building. They also gained some insights concerning the firefighting systems installed in the residence and they learned about the differential pressure method. This test simulates the wind load on a building on a stormy autumn day at wind strength 5 to see if the building leaks air. The results of this test show how well constructed the building shell is. The students not only saw how the things they learn in theory at ECRI are applied at a real construction site, but they were also rewarded by a beautiful view of the city of Pfarrkirchen as they had the chance to go up the rooftop of the new student residence.

For students of Healthy and Sustainable Buildings excursions are an integral part as these offer them the possibility to see real applications beside the coursework taught inside classrooms. The programme will further organise more excursions in different parts of Germany including museums, construction companies and construction sites.

In order to promote their common interests in teaching, research and transfer and the desire to strengthen mutual contacts, the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) and the KI Bundesverband have signed a declaration of joint cooperation. Within this cooperation, the KI Bundesverband is represented by the Academy for Artificial Intelligence (AKI).

Artificial intelligence is a key technology of the future, which is why DIT and AKI are committed to ensuring that it is applied in the spirit of European and democratic values and that Europe achieves digital sovereignty. However, this means that both Germany and the European Union must be an attractive AI location for research and business.

In order to come closer to this goal, DIT and AKI will cooperate in various areas. For example, joint research activities are planned, but also the development of joint programmes for SMEs and other social groups to strengthen the handling and acceptance of AI. In addition, DIT will be represented by Prof. Dr. Patrick Glauner on the AKI's scientific advisory board to accompany and support its offerings.

DIT President Prof. Dr. Peter Sperber is pleased about the cooperation: "The fact that the KI Bundesverband has decided to cooperate with DIT impressively proves that we are leaders in the field of teaching, research and transfer to AI." The new collaboration will also allow DIT to work more closely with the AI scene in and around the federal capital, he added.

Daniel Abbou, Managing Director of the AI Bundesverband, adds: "We are also very excited about the collaboration with the Deggendorf Institute of Technology. DIT knows about the relevance of artificial intelligence in research and application. We are convinced that our cooperation will strengthen the German AI ecosystem in research and business."

More information on DIT's AI offers can be found at www.th-deg.de/en. If you have any questions, Prof. Glauner is also available as a direct contact at patrick.glauner@th-deg.de or 0991/3615-453.

"Masculine" or "feminine" professions or just a profession you enjoy? On Girls' Day on 28 April at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI), around 50 schoolgirls got a taste of typically "male" occupational fields. The day was held under the motto of sustainability, a focus of ECRI.

For Girls' Day, schoolgirls from the Pfarrkirchen high school and the Pfarrkirchen secondary school came to the campus to spend a morning learning about various aspects that are usually reserved for boys. The young women were welcomed by Andrea Ebertseder from the university's MINT team and the ECRI Women's Representative, Prof. Dr. Michelle Cummings-Koether. Afterwards, the schoolgirls met five English-speaking female students who had themselves decided to study in the STEM field. They then accompanied the students throughout the day.

In small groups, the participants explored the laboratories on campus through hands-on experiments. In two of the labs, a knowledge of English was necessary, because the lessons at ECRI are actually held in English. In the sustainability lab, the focus was on supply chains and the origin of individual components of a smartphone. In the DigiHealth & Smart Tourism Lab, they programmed a Cosmo robot. The Chemistry Lab was about energy production and the Electronics Lab was all about the heat pump. The laboratory for healthy and sustainable building simulated the course of the sun in the sky, which can be used to determine the heat requirements of a house.

The schoolgirls had no fear of contact on Girls' Day. On the contrary, they were happy to have the opportunity to meet female laboratory engineers, architects or students at ECRI. This shows them that they as women can work in such professions just as well and that others have already done it before them, says Graciette. For the high school student, divisions into "male" and "female" professions are outdated anyway, because all that matters is that it's fun. It doesn't matter whether it's technology, IT, mathematics or something else entirely.

After the excellent start of the Adult University at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) last year, lectures for inquisitive adults will again be offered at the campus this year. The first lecture of the series will take place on Thursday, 5 May from 5 pm.  The topic will then be digitalisation in health care.

Digitalisation is currently a megatrend that no one can ignore. Whether professionally nor privately, it follows us everywhere and all the time. No wonder that it is also making its way into healthcare. At first, this may seem suspicious to many, but digitalisation in healthcare offers enormous opportunities, especially in rural areas. For example, if the emergency doctor has to travel from one end of the county to the other in the event of a cardiac arrhythmia, vital minutes are lost for the patient. In this case, a drone can provide relief. Thanks to digitalisation, it can then bring a defibrillator, for example, and help can be provided quicker. The megatrend is also being used for chronic wounds. Mixed reality glasses are already being used for wound monitoring.

Prof. Dr. Thomas Spittler will share these examples and much more with the participants at the adult university. The expert from the field of health informatics will present the current state of developments, go into examples and also know how concretely digital healthcare can be improved in the district of Rottal-Inn with the help of the "med4PAN" project.

The lecture of the adult university will take place on Thursday, 5 May from 5 pm in the ECRI lecture room EC.B 007. Pre-registration is necessary and can be done by contacting Andrea Ebertseder at +49 991 3615 8863 or via email to andrea.ebertseder@th-deg.de. Wearing a mask is still compulsory on campus.

This week the DigiHealthDay-2022 series starts again with its first workshop. As in the previous years, a series of pre-conference DigiHealth workshops by leading national and international experts, will be hosted in the spring-summer of 2022. These workshops pave the way for the main event, the DigiHealthDay-2022 on 11 November, 2022. The international symposium is hosted by the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). The event is held in cooperation with local and international partners. Registration to the workshops and the main event in November is now open.

The DigiHealthDay-2022 is a one-day-long action-packed symposium. It includes keynote talks by leading German and international experts, audience-centered panel discussions, oral and poster scientific presentations, student thesis and project presentations, and networking possibilities. It explores modern digital health and its role in tackling global health problems from a uniquely international perspective. Highlight themes this year include: AI research, ethics and regulation; pragmatic research in digital health; as well as – traditionally – digital health education. At the DigiHealthDay-2022, the organisers will also share first-hand the result of the important ongoing research on Digital Health Education conducted by DIT-ECRI, and the highlights of the university’s new online learning course "Global Digital Health".

This year the symposium will be preceded by a special 5-day workshop on "Explainable and Ethical AI in Healthcare" delivered jointly by leading experts from DIT-ECRI, University of Agder (Norway), University of Aalborg (Denmark), and Luleå Technical University (Sweden).

Participation in the DigiHealthDay-2022 main event and pre-conference workshops is free of charge. The main event on November 11 is planned as a hybrid event (onsite and live-streamed). Participants will be able to join Prof, Dr. Dipak Kalra, International Invited Chair, Prof. Dr. Horst Kunhardt, Scientific Committee Chair and Prof. Dr. Georgi Chaltikyan, Organising Committee Chair and many of the speakers physically, on the ECRI campus, or tune in virtually from any part of the world. Registration to receive subsequent news and information is now open under the following link: https://th-deg.de/digihealthday

The previous edition of this signature event – DigiHealthDay-2021 – was attended by nearly 560 participants from 74 countries, and received testimonials; “It is fruitful with updated knowledge” “great discussion. great experts gets right to the point”, “Very educative”, among many. The event series offers considerable advantages to all who are curious about the latest advances in digital health, looking for inspiration for their business, or simply keen on meeting like-minded professionals from around the world.

Stadt Land Fluss, the festival of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT), is back this year. After a forced break of two years, all music and concert enthusiasts from the region can look forward to four days of music on the DIT campus during the Whitsun holidays. Pizzera und Jaus, Stahlzeit, Ringlstetter und Band and Moop Mama will be on stage.

The kick-off on Thursday, 16 June will be spectacular: Stahlzeit are coming. They are Europe's most booked Rammstein tribute show and, thanks to their elaborate stage show, a unique live experience not only for Rammstein fans. On Friday, 17 June, Ringlstetter and band will present their latest programme "Fürchtet Euch nicht, es geht weiter!". From rock to hip-hop, everything is there. Of course including the well-known "Ringlstetter" sound. On Saturday, 18 June, Moop Mama, a ten-piece brass band from Munich, will perform. They have become known through their spontaneous performances in parks, in front of universities or in public places. Pizzera and Jaus' tours are often sold out within a few days. There are only a few tickets left for their performance in Deggendorf on Sunday, 19 June at the Epoxy Store Deggendorf.

Tickets for the Stadt Land Fluss Campus Open Air can be purchased at the Tourist Info in Deggendorf on Stadtplatz, at the Epoxy Store Deggendorf or via Eventim. Further information can be found at www.th-deg.de/slf-campus-open-air.de.

Start-ups from Lower Bavaria put their business models to the test last week in Santa Clara, California. They took part in the Silicon Valley Program of the Bavarian Innovation and Transformation Centre (BITZ) in Oberschneiding, which is part of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). They presented their ideas in front of Silicon Valley investors and learned how experts assess their chances on the global market. The trip to America is the conclusion of the course, which lasts several months, and a chance for founders to grow internationally.

According to Prof. Peter Schmieder, founder of the Silicon Valley Program, the 2022 teams were very successful in convincing the investors: "The investors have made intensive contact with all six teams. Some already have up to three follow-up appointments. Some investors will still travel to Germany in April to already invest in substantial development of the teams. An accolade". To get there, the six teams prepared for several months. During the one-week stay at the university in Santa Clara, the start-ups were specifically prepared for the planned investor pitches one last time. Each team had only ten minutes to convince the investors to invest in a German start-up. According to Peter Schmieder, the eight months of the Silicon Valley Program were no picnic for the teams, especially not the incredibly intensive final week: "We meet professional experts and investors at the end. They only respond to teams that are best prepared and highly professional". For each founding team, there were therefore intensive individual training sessions with their American mentors as well as guest lectures by top-class speakers on entrepreneurship, start-ups, fund raising, venture capital and digital marketing. Company visits to Google, Zollner, Jabil and NVIDIA made the Silicon Valley experience perfect.

The Silicon Valley Program has existed since 2014 as a cooperation between DIT and Santa Clara University, which is located in the heart of Silicon Valley. This has resulted in an impressive network to help German start-ups achieve international success. Information about the programme and the target groups can be found on the DIT website: https://www.th-deg.de/silicon-valley-school. Since 2021, the programme has been located in Oberschneiding at the BITZ in order to grow further. A delegation from Oberschneiding therefore also took part in the trip with great interest: Ewald Seifert, First Mayor of Oberschneiding, representing the district, Konrad Schmerbeck, Second Mayor of Oberschneiding, and Christian Schambeck, Managing Director of Schambeck holding GmbH.

Dr Andreas Wölfl was appointed professor at the Faculty of Applied Computer Science at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) on 1 April. The 37-year-old computer scientist, who comes from Bodenmais in the Bavarian Forest specialises in digital networks and operating systems.

The fact that DIT offers perfect conditions “for conducting industry-oriented research, actively involving students in the research process and feeding the results back into teaching” was one of the main criteria for Wölfl to take the next step in his career at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology. Thematically, the computer scientist’s interests lie in cloud computing. Wölfl is particularly concerned with the question of how complex software systems must be designed in order to be able to use the cloud infrastructure as efficiently and economically rewarding as possible.

The newly appointed professor studied computer science at the University of Passau. AS a research assistant, he also completed his doctorate there as part of a cooperation with Airbus Helicopters. Afterwards, Dr Wölfl worked for ONE LOGIC GmbH as Head of Development/ Operations. The medium-sized company in Passau operated in the field of data science and artificial intelligence. In his role, Wölfö was the interface between the internal development department and the customer’s IT operations. His core activity was also creating the concept of AI system architectures for start-ups, medium-sized companies and DAX corporations.

Wölfl is very much looking forward to his new tasks at DIT: "I am fascinated by the balancing act between practical research and modern teaching." For example, Wölfl wants to establish container-based virtualisation, serverless architectures, hybrid connectivity and other disciplines of cloud computing in research and teaching at DIT. "These," says the computer science professor, "are new, innovative contents for a successful as well as future- and market-oriented education of our students." Basically, competence orientation is very important to him in teaching. In other words, the ability to confidently apply learned knowledge and transfer it to complex situations. But Wölfl is also looking forward to all the upcoming research projects with great excitement. "Together with our colleagues at DIT and the renowned external industrial partners, we can and will certainly make a difference," Wölfl is certain.

The European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) offers a children's university on Friday, 8 April at 5 pm. This time, everything revolves around horses and how they can contribute to the learning process in the case of reading and spelling disorders. All interested children between the ages of eight and 13 can take part.

At school, children learn everything they need for their professional life. But when learning becomes stressful, for example because of a reading or spelling disorder, the fun of school can quickly disappear. The Project for Joyful and Relaxed Riding to Take Off in Learning, or P.F.E.R.D.L (German abbreviations) for short, offers support in such a case. In the Children's University, participants learn about the advantages of teaching German on horseback and how horse-supported pedagogy works.

But why with horses of all things? Horses promote fine motor skills, increase concentration and stamina, strengthen self-confidence, relieve tension and build social skills. Training with horses creates a framework that makes it possible to train the brain with all the senses and with pleasure in such a way that learning is easier, knowledge is permanently stored and can be retrieved even under stress.

In the children's university "Learning Easier with P.F.E.R.D.L", the children learn everything about horse-supported pedagogy in a theoretical part. Here Annika Münstermann from the University of Koblenz Landau provides insights and explains the background to the young students. Ellen Meier, guidance counsellor at the Realschule Pfarrkirchen rounds off the Children's University with a practical part afterwards.

The lecture will take place on Friday, 8 April at 5 pm at the Realschule Pfarrkirchen. In good weather in the green classroom and in bad weather in the auditorium. The kinder uni is an event hosted in German. During the event, masks are compulsory for children. Registration is through Andrea Ebertseder of ECRI via phone at + 49 991-3615 8863 or via e-mail at andrea.ebertseder@th-deg.de. Interested parents can find more information about the project and how equine-assisted pedagogy contributes to the success of reading or spelling disorders at https://www.rs-pan.de/index.php/schulisches-leben/tiergestuetzte-paedagogik/p-f-e-r-d-l.

Bavaria was the second German state to give women access to university. Since 1903, when the Bavarian Prince Regent Luitpold allowed women to study, the number of female students has steadily increased. The number of male professors, on the other hand, still predominates at the universities of applied sciences (HAW). To ensure that more women dare to become professors in the future, the State Conference of Women's and Equal Opportunities Representatives at Bavarian Universities (LaKoF) organised the seminar "HAW Professor as a Career Goal" at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) from 11 to 12 March.

The seminar was brought to the university in Deggendorf and supervised by Prof. Dr. Michelle Cummings-Koether, DIT’s deputy women's representative. The participants of the seminar fulfil all the requirements for an appointment as a professor. During the two-day seminar they received intensive coaching, which prepared the participants for an appointment procedure and thus for the professorship. The central core element was the trial lectures in front of an "appointment committee". The committee evaluated the presentations and gave reflective feedback.

The seminar "Berufsziel HAW-Professorin" received a lot of support and commitment from DIT. The "Appeals Committee" was made up of DIT professors, staff and students. In addition to the host Prof. Dr. Michelle Cummings-Koether, Prof. Dr. Kristina Waniek, Prof. Dr. Maria Kufner, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andreas Grzemba and Prof. Dr. Sascha Kreiskott were members of the "Appeals Committee" and advised the participants. In addition, a representative of the Human Resources Department and four students were members of the committee.

Since the seminar was very well received by the participants and the university and its hospitality left a positive impression, another event is planned for July. At an information day at DIT together with the LaKoF, the project "Become a Professor" will be taken up again and the university's teaching campuses will be presented.

The seminar "Berufsziel HAW Professorin" was implemented with the help of the LaKoF's "Werde Professorin" project, which promotes women and prepares them as best as possible for a professorship. The aim of the project is to increase the number of female professors in Bavaria. Interested women can find out more about the project and the opportunities available to them at https://werdeprofessorin.de.

The DigiHealthDay (DHD) at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) is not only a series of events for Digital Health experts and students, it also provides a platform for aspiring researchers in the field. This is why the DHD also held a “Students Session” with an Student R&D Project Contest during the main event last November. On 9 March, the two winners of the contest received their certificates and prices, after the ceremony had previously been postponed due to Covid-19.

The two winners where invited to join Prof. Dr. Georgi Chaltikyan, Organising Committee Chair of DHD, and Prof. Dr. Horst Kunhardt, Scientific Committee Chair of DHD for a small ceremony at the ECRI. The first prize of € 200 was awarded to Hamza Maatouk for his presentation titled: “Digital Health Aging Population Telemedicine Education Mobile Technology Telemedicine for old people”. The second prize of € 150 went to Elegbede Adeniyi who held a presentation on “Usage and Effectiveness of Digital Health Technology (DHT) as a Tool for the Management of Mental Health in South-West Nigeria during COVID-19 Pandemic”.

For the Student R&D Project Contest students who where enrolled in Bachelor's and Master's programmes in the domain of Digital Health, and in any stage of pursuing their thesis research were invited to submit their abstracts. Six of the projects were then selected for oral presentation at the "Student Session" during the DigiHealthDay 2021 symposium on 12 November 2021. Each presenter got 15 minutes, including Q&A.

On 14 March, the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) and the AOK Bayern, Direktion Passau-Rottal-Inn, once again sealed their cooperation by signing a cooperation agreement at the campus. Both parties are thus extending the contract that has already existed since 2015.

With its study programmes on health informatics and health tourism, ECRI focuses on prevention and improving health. The cooperation with the AOK, which pursues the same goals, is therefore obvious. The two had already worked together in the past and organised a "Health Day" on campus, for example. In the future, ECRI and AOK will jointly focus on offering further low-threshold health promotion and prevention services to inspire students and thus contribute to a healthy and long life.

ECRI already offers company sports or university sports or information events on the topic of health. In the future, the AOK will provide support in this area and together they will develop offers on the topics of nutrition, exercise and stress management. The aim is to promote the health of students and staff on campus. Because the earlier health promotion begins, the more present the topic will be later in professional life. In addition to joint offers, consultation hours on health insurance issues are also planned for students. As part of the cooperation, the AOK will also have space available at ECRI in the future, and not only in the "AOK lecture hall" named after it.

The winter semester at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) will start in October, and with it a new degree programme. In "Building Products and Processes", the university addresses the two megatrends of digitalisation and climate change in the construction sector. Interested students will find out what advantages the degree programme offers and what the content is like at the virtual kick-off event "Building Products and Processes" on 28 March from 4 pm.

The interactive event actively involves the participants and directly addresses their questions and ideas about the new degree programme. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Markus Hainthaler as head of the degree programme and Prof. Josef Steretzeder will tell the students everything they need to know about the degree programme. Veronika Lindner and Robert Hummel, two industry experts, will also be there to provide information about the importance of "Building Products and Processes" for the industry and the future prospects for graduates.

In the new degree programme, students learn to develop, market and process resource-saving, recyclable building products in an engineering manner, which in the best case are reusable, and to manage them in medium and large building construction projects with the appropriate programmes and models. There is already a close connection to local companies during the study programme, which makes "Building Products and Processes" so exciting for those interested. Students can already complete an internship in companies or write a thesis during their studies. This makes it easier to start a career after graduation, because the graduates already have practical experience. With English and German as the language of instruction, the students of "Building Products and Processes" are not only equipped for the German labour market but can work as managers all over the world.

The kick-off event on 28 March will be broadcast on Zoom. Participation is free of charge and without prior registration. The event will start at 4 p.m. via https://th-deg-de.zoom.us/j/86299097440. Further information can be found in the event calendar on the DIT website.

The summer semester starts at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) and the students return to Pfarrkirchen. In order to bring the international young people closer to the culture and make life in Lower Bavaria easier, ECRI is now looking for cultural ambassadors as part of the Host Family Programme.

The programme matches students with locals who then meet at regular intervals. The aim is to give international students an opportunity to make contacts off campus and get to know Lower Bavarian culture. Especially at ECRI, Bavaria's most international campus, the Host Family Programme is indispensable for the exchange with people from other cultures. The process is quite simple: you meet the students casually and as often as you like. The participants decide for themselves whether the first meeting takes place in person or virtually because of Corona. As far as further meetings are concerned, there are no limits: whether it's an excursion to the beer garden, a walk around the Rottauen Reservoir or cooking together, there are many opportunities to share the area and culture with the students.

The cultural ambassadors do not have to be afraid of possible language barriers. Christiane Benesch is one of the ambassadors and meets regularly with two students as part of the Host Family Programme. She has high praise for them: "Hashem and Ersilja already speak excellent German and then I get scolded every now and then that I shouldn't speak so much English with them". She is not only behind the programme because of the exchange. She also finds the Host Family Programme indispensable from the perspective of the students' parents. "If I had children, I would of course be very grateful if my children were in foreign countries and someone was there to look after them a little and offer something like that," she says.

If you would like to gain a little insight into the programme and the process, you can find a short interview with Christiane Benesch in the university's podcast. There she talks about her experiences so far. You can find the podcast at: https://www.th-deg.de/campustalk

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 from the Centre for International Affairs at the DIT is available via e-mail at andrea.ebertseder@th-deg.de.

The Host Family Programme is a non-profit organisation of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology, which is dedicated to the integration of foreign students. In Deggendorf, the network includes people from a wide range 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 2019/20 and since then over 50 students have been placed with host families in the region.

The 9th Day of Research of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) will take place on 10 March. The digital event starts at 1 pm and ends at 3.30 pm. Then the three best posters as well as the best lecture by young scientists from Deggendorf will be awarded.

Anyone interested in applied research at the university can now do so once again for two and a half hours from the comfort of their own desk. Representatives from business, industry and society are equally invited and encouraged to attend. The same applies, of course, to students and prospective students who want to know what topics in particular young researchers are working on at DIT.

A total of ten topics from the areas of Sustainable Materials, Processes and Energy Technology, Intelligent Mobility, Digital Economy and Society as well as Innovative Work and Healthy Living will be presented on 10 March. Each presentation will last just three minutes. "A special challenge for the young researchers," explains press officer Dr Jörg Kunz. He is also in charge of science communication at DIT. "Getting to the heart of complex issues in a concise, understandable and transparent way is not easy," says Kunz. 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 two-way dialogue. The same applies to the posters accompanying the Day of Research. These should make it possible to grasp at just one glance what the topic is about. "The very striking approach," says Kunz, "ensures that people can enter into discussions with the scientists in a very low-threshold way." As every year, prizes are awarded to the three best posters. As in the past, the trophy for the winner 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 9 March via the DIT website: www.th-deg.de/tdf-2022. Participation is free of charge.

As the Corona crisis has shown, the tourism industry and health tourism are suffering greatly from the effects of the pandemic. Together with partners from four European countries, the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) wants to counteract this with the HealthTour project in order to make the industry more international and promising for the future. The virtual kick-off event on 23 February was attended by the project partners as well as the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), which supports the project with funding.

Under the direction of Prof. Dr. Marcus Herntrei, the HealthTour project is dedicated to the internationalisation of research and teaching in the field of health tourism. Together with the project partners of the University of Economics (VSE) from the Czech Republic, the Budapest Metropolitan University (METU) from Hungary, the Kherson State University (KSU) from the Ukraine and the European Spas Association (ESPA) based in Brussels, the international network in the field is to be expanded and stabilised. Important components are meetings and exchanges on an international level, for example in the form of summer schools or through the mobility of teaching staff and students between the partners.

During the four-year period from January 2022 to the end of December 2025, the project will focus on, among other things, the assessment of quality requirements in the countries of the project participants, joint field research projects and joint international teaching. The focus is particularly on joint research, joint teaching and summer schools for students.

The DAAD supports the HealthTour project through the HAW.International programme. The aim of this programme is to strategically anchor and sustainably implement the internationalisation process at universities of applied sciences at all levels of higher education and across all groups of staff, from students to teachers and researchers to administrative staff.

Hannah Luther has been studying Business Psychology at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) since 2019. In search of a special place for her internship semester, she found what she was looking for in Switzerland. Now the student from Deggendorf is working for a year at CERN, a world-renowned research facility near Geneva.

Since November 2021, the future business psychologist has been completing her internship semester at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, or CERN for short. The focus there is on basic research in physics. In particular, the structure of matter is researched with the help of large particle accelerators. Luther herself works in the human resources department, where she supports recruiting. "The best thing," says the 22-year-old, "is the opportunity to meet all these interesting people. Top researchers come here to Geneva from all over the world."

Luther became aware of the possibility of an internship at CERN through DIT professor Dr Patrick Glauner. The former CERN employee confirms the student's positive impressions: "My time in Geneva allowed me to develop excellently, both professionally and personally." In his subsequent career, Glauner has benefited significantly from this time. After taking up his professorship two years ago, he therefore set himself the goal of "establishing a cooperation between the Deggendorf Institute of Technology and CERN". The AI scientist is pleased that these efforts are now bearing fruit with a first intern. DIT President Prof. Dr. Peter Sperber is also proud: "The fact that CERN is interested in our students is impressive proof of the high quality of studies at DIT." The physicist reports on the university's plans for the future: "In the future, we also want to maintain contact with CERN through interns from the technical subjects.

Do some networking and gain more knowledge in the field of artificial intelligence - this is what the first international Summer School at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) offers from 26 July to 3 August. Doctoral and Master's students from all universities can apply for the nine-day intensive programme. DIT’s International Office is now calling for applications.

The Summer School "AI for Industry" deals with the question of how to bring artificial intelligence into industrial applications. Participants will hear lectures, expand their knowledge of the Python programming language and take part in a hackathon - all in English. More information and the detailed programme are available on the university's website: www.th-deg.de/ai-for-industry. Applications are accepted from 1 March to 1 May 2022. If you have any questions, the International Office team can be contacted via e-mail at summer-school@th-deg.de.

The leadership of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology and the entire university community is appalled and speechless by the current situation in Ukraine. There is war in Europe. We see an unprecedented breach of international law and in this respectfully share the perspective and assessment of the German government - and almost the entire world - on this absolutely unacceptable act of unprovoked aggression.

30 percent of our students come from more than 100 countries around the world. We maintain partnerships with 200 universities that are also spread around the globe. Our understanding of culture and values is that peace is created and secured by learning together, researching together, and living together. Therefore, we strongly condemn war and violence as a solution to problems. Our full solidarity belongs to the people of Ukraine and especially to our Ukrainian students who are in great concern for their country, their friends, and of course their loved ones. The Deggendorf Institute of Technology stands with all those who advocate diplomacy, dialogue, cooperation, and peace and solve conflicts exclusively in this way.

For additional information and support options, please visit 
https://www.stmi.bayern.de/mui/ukraine_hilfe/index.php

Our university community is there for you:

• Our multilingual student advisor Olha Boyko-Barea is happy to answer any inquiries about studying at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology. Chat to Olha in Ukranian, German, English, or Italian using our mail account: welcome@th-deg.de
• If you are an enrolled Ukrainian student now in financial difficulty, please contact the International Office: international.office@th-deg.de
• Find further useful information here:
  https://www.innenministerium.bayern.de
  https://www.uni-regensburg.de/bayhost/ukraine/koordinationsstelle-ukraine/index.html

Let us hope and pray for peace together.

Солідарність з Україною!
 
Дорогі українці! Сім’я університету DIT пропонує вам допомогу:
Наша колега Ольга Бойко-Барея надасть вам необхідну інформацію з питань навчання в ДІТ.
 
Ми спілкуємося українською, німецькою, англійською чи італійською: welcome@th-deg.de
 
Якщо ви є студентом українського закладу вищої освіти і зараз опинилися у фінансовій скруті, будь ласка, зверніться до Міжнародного офісу: international.office@th-deg.de
 
Додаткову корисну інформацію можна знайти тут
https://www.innenministerium.bayern.de/
https://www.uni-regensburg.de/bayhost/ukraine/koordinationsstelle-ukraine/index.html
 
Разом молимося і сподіваємося на мир!

"Every new language is like an open window" is how Frank Harris (1856-1931) once described the magic of foreign languages. Anyone who knows one or more foreign languages can only agree with this. Those who want to brush up their knowledge or immerse themselves in a new language have the opportunity to do so at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). Intensive language courses will be held from Wednesday, 2 March to Wednesday, 9 March. The courses are aimed at beginners and advanced learners and are also open to university external students.

Whether Spanish, Italian, French or English: the Deggendorf Institute of Technology offers courses for many languages at different levels. All teaching takes place virtually via Zoom or MS Teams. Only the exam on 9 March is held in person at the Deggendorf campus. There are no classes on weekends. The course fee for pupils, trainees and students (also from other colleges and universities) is 39 euros, for all other language enthusiasts 120 euros. Upon completion, participants receive a certificate confirming the level they have attained. Interested parties can find the exact course programme and all other important information at: www.th-deg.de/intensivsprachkurse. Registration is possible through the DIT Language Centre: sprachenzentrum@th-deg.de.

One of the world's leading data scientists teaches at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). Every year, the renowned Chief Data Officer Magazine publishes an internationally recognised list of experts in data science. Listed on it are outstanding experts and now also Prof. Dr. Patrick Glauner from DIT. Along with two professors from TU Munich, Patrick Glauner is one of the only German representatives to make it onto the CDO Magazine list. All three stood out for their intensive commitment in 2021.

Science Minister Bernd Sibler offered his congratulations and emphasised: "In a digitalised world, precise, fast and reliable processing and evaluation of data and information are essential. With your work, you are making a central contribution to shaping our future. With our innovation offensive Hightech Agenda, we have laid the foundation for Bavaria as a science location to further expand its visibility and competitive position in this coveted market."

Patrick Glauner has been Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology since 2020. In spring 2021, he advised the German Bundestag and the French National Assembly on AI as an expert witness. He is pleased that he has been able to successfully place his innovations at DIT on a national and international level over the past two years. He has many more ideas for the coming months and years and is looking forward to their outcome. His professional focus is on machine learning, quantum computing, AI applications in mechanical engineering and innovation management.

For students who are curious about other cultures and want to speak English, the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) offers the online conversation platform oConvo. This allows participants to immerse themselves in the English language once a week without having to pack a suitcase. oConvo starts on 21 March and takes place online every Monday from 6.30 pm to 8 pm.

oConvo is open to all students in Grade 7 or above. They should bring basic conversational skills in English and an interest in other cultures. oConvo is about teaching English in an entertaining way and improving language skills. The interests of the participants are taken into account. From making music together, exchanging recipes, talking about local customs to clarifying grammatical questions or idioms. Always in English, of course.

The fun of the language is not neglected, but the necessary seriousness and the demand to learn something at the virtual meetings are no less important. The overall coordination of the platform lies with Prof. Dr. Georg Christian Steckenbauer, the Dean of ECRI. Scientific and methodological-didactic support is provided by Prof. Dr. Michelle Cummings-Koether and Claudia Nikitsin. Students who actively participate in oConvo will be rewarded with a participation certificate at the end of the semester.

Those who meet the criteria and would like to participate in the Online Conversation Platform oConvo can register by emailing elisabeth.mueller@th-deg.de and start their English language journey into foreign cultures.

In October 2021, the new interdisciplinary lecture on quantum computing started at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). With this, the university is further expanding its innovative range of courses. Students from over 20 degree programmes are introduced to and trained in this key technology in a practical way.

In recent years, the topic of “Quantum Computing” has gained momentum in research and industry. “Unlike classical computers, a quantum computer does not work on the basis of binary, but quantum mechanical states,” reports Dr Patrick Glauner, Professor of Artificial Intelligence at DIT. Prof. Dr. Horst Kunhardt, Vice President Health Sciences and Campus Director of the European Campus Rottal-Inn adds: “By exploiting quantum effects, countless calculations can be solved simultaneously and thus much faster.” Classical computers, Kunhardt says, can only perform a few computations at a time. With quantum computing, however, it will be possible in the future to analyse huge amounts of data in a very short time. For climate models, for example.

Kunhardt and Glauner had already incorporated references to quantum computing into their computer science lectures in previous years. The students’ high interest in it inspired them to offer a joint specialisation lecture on quantum computing. “Quantum computing offers a multitude of possible applications in almost every industry, even explicitly beyond pure computer science,” Prof. Glauner notes and continues: “That’s why we have made the course explicitly interdisciplinary and advertised it university-wide.” As a prerequisite for participation, knowledge of higher mathematics and programming was sufficient.

About 40 students took part in the first run, among them from the degree programmes in computer sciences, business informatics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and mechatronics. One of the participants was the Finnish exchange student Teemu Heino. He is convinced by the new course offer: “In my lecture-accompanying seminar presentation, I dealt with the production of quantum computers and was able to apply my knowledge of mechanical engineering.” Rashed Al-Lahaseh, a Master’s student in Computer Science, is also enthusiastic about the new course. He took the course to understand how quantum computers can accelerate the learning process of an artificial intelligence. With the knowledge they gained in the course, they believe they are well prepared for the future. They would like to further deepen their knowledge in this key technology and use it profitably with a future employer.

More information on DIT’s degree programmes can be found at www.th-deg.de/en. If you have any questions about quantum computing, Prof. Glauner will also be happy to answer them directly at patrick.glauner@th-deg.de or +49 991 3615 453.

Protecting the climate together, finding new solutions to technical questions about hydropower, wind and solar energy in a team and getting paid well for it? The #StudyGreenEnergy network is organising a digital study information day on 27 January at 4 pm to raise awareness of study programmes in the field of renewable energies. The European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) will also be represented with two degree programmes.

With the energy transition, our society is facing one of the greatest upheavals since the beginning of industrialisation. The challenges, but also the opportunities for shaping this sector are enormous. For Prof. Dr. Matthias Huber, one thing is certain: “A degree in renewable energies provides the engineering skills to actively shape the national and global energy transition.” As professor of Smart Infrastructure and Energy Economics at ECRI, he knows about the current challenges.

With the Bachelor Energy Systems Engineering and the Master Healthy and Sustainable Buildings, ECRI offers two future-relevant degree programmes. In addition to the typical engineering tools, both also teach holistic competences for sustainable change. And they are English-language and intercultural, with students from more than 80 nations worldwide. Prof. Dr. Tobias Bader teaches Sustainable Energy Systems and Technology Management at ECRI and knows: “An understanding of innovative key technologies together with competences for sustainable development, such as systems thinking, strategic thinking or integrated problem solving are key competences for the global transformation of the energy system”. These are precisely the competences that ECRI teaches in its degree programmes tailored to sustainability, thus preparing students for an attractive job market and solving the pressing challenges of time.

At the international study information day of the “StudyGreenEnergy” network, Volker Quaschning, among others, will give a lecture on climate change and today’s tasks for engineers. Alumni will give insights into their experiences at the universities. In break-out sessions, participants can also get in touch directly with the various universities, ask questions or take part in virtual lab tours. The free virtual event will take place on 27 January at 4 pm. For more information and registration, please visit:

The #StudyGreenEnergy network is made up of members of the university group of the German Solar Energy Society (DGS). In addition to ECRI, the following universities are involved: Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences, Ingolstadt University of Technology, Kassel University, Erfurt University of Applied Sciences, Stralsund University of Applied Sciences, OTH Amberg-Weiden, Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences, Südwestfalen University of Applied Sciences, TH Aschaffenburg, Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences, Environmental Campus Birkenfeld, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, HAW Hamburg, Münster University of Applied Sciences, Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Biberach University of Applied Sciences and many others.

In times of ongoing pandemics, health tourism is having a hard time. The question of whether it still has a future was hotly debated at the European Health Prevention Day from 2 to 3 December in Wiesbaden. Three scientists from the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) were invited as speakers, which underlines ECRI’s expertise in the field.

Under strict conditions, about 50 participants had gathered at the Kurhaus Wiesbaden to devote themselves for two days entirely to the question “Do natural place-based remedies have a future in the age of the pandemic?”. Prof. Dr. Marcus Herntrei, Head of Tourism Studies at ECRI, hosted a thematic block on products in spa tourism and contributed a paper entitled “Experience Health. Planning holidays with healthy content”. Sebastian Markov and Dean Prof. Dr. Georg Christian Steckenbauer were invited as further experts from the campus. They spoke on the topic “The potential of the forest for the development of target group-specific offers. Findings of a representative survey from Germany and Austria”.

This year, the European Health Prevention Day was dominated by Lithuania, which had its own thematic block as a partner country and hosted a “Lithuanian evening” for all participants. The European Health Prevention Day is an international meeting of experts with a focus on relaxation and wellness. The special feature is the focus on local remedies such as thermal water, healing mud, seawater or climate. Topics of the event are marketing, new products and strategy.

An application needs to be well prepared, even for a degree programme. Applicants need to know which deadlines apply, whether an aptitude test is required in advance or, for example, proof of language skills. The Student and Academic Counselling at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is offering the first information event of this year on 19 January. Students can find out how to best prepare for the next application period. From 15 April, they can apply to study in Deggendorf, Pfarrkirchen and Cham. The best way for interested students to come to the “Schüler:innen-Talk” online seminar is via the event calendar: https://www.th-deg.de/de/veranstaltung?id=744087. It is scheduled from 4 to 5 pm.

The European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) rings in the new year with a new event format. The series called “ECRI Lunch Talk”, kicks off with the topic of destination branding. The free virtual event will take place on Friday, 21 January at noon and is open to all interested parties. The event is held in German.

The ECRI Lunch Talk is about a topic considered by two experts and invited the audience to actively participate in the discussion. The special feature: The format takes place virtually during the lunch break from noon to 1 pm. The kick-off event is all about destination branding in tourism. Because every place, or destination in the technical jargon, tells a story, brings its own culture and way of life and is defined by its environment and the people there. Destination branding is all about identifying the strongest and most competitive values of the destination in the eyes of its potential visitors. In particular, it is about capturing the “DNA of the destination” and conveying it consistently across all marketing channels and communications.

Claudia Hinnerkopf explains how this is done in practice at the ECRI Lunch Talk. She is Head of Marketing at Bayern Tourismus Marketing GmbH and knows Bavaria as a destination inside out. The second participant, Prof. Dr. Marcus Herntrei, will contribute scientific findings on citizen participation in destination branding. He is the head of the Bachelor International Tourism Management and Master International Tourism Development programmes at ECRI. The ECRI Lunch Talk will be hosted by Sarah Beham, correspondent at Bayerischer Rundfunk and experienced journalist on tourism in Eastern Bavaria.

Interested parties can register for the free event by sending an e-mail to miriam.bleck@th-deg.de or using the registration form. This can be found under the heading “Veranstaltungen” on the German ECRI website at: https://th-deg.de/ecri.

The ECRI Lunch Talk will take place twice a semester in the future and will focus on different ECRI topics. In each case, lecturers from the campus meet people from outside and look at a topic from different angles.

Mohammad Abu Rezeq is the first prospective founder at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) to receive funding for his start-up idea as an international student. He wants to use a drone and artificial intelligence to facilitate the inspection of solar parks. To build the first prototype of the drone, he has now received the highest possible funding amount of € 7,500 from the Kickstart Incubator Programme.

Mohammad is studying for a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering in Deggendorf and is originally from Jordan. With his start-up idea Squadron, he wants to help solar park operators collect data on their solar cells, which he evaluates for quality assurance with the help of artificial intelligence. Thus, compared to conventional inspection methods, it is possible to detect all kinds of anomalies in the shortest possible time and with more precise results. In July 2021, Mohammad presented his innovation to the Startup Campus team at DIT. Since then, he has been supervised and supported by the start-up advisors and his mentor Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Dorner. The start-up advisors are pleased that he Jordanian is consciously striving to found his company in Germany. This means that the added value can be felt directly. As the first international student to found a company at DIT, Mohammad would also like to take the next step and secure funding through the EXIST start-up scholarship and is currently writing an application for this.

About the Incubator Programme

The Kickstart Incubator is a programme for all prospective founder with innovative technology-oriented start-up projects or services with high customer value. 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 Startup Campus team are on hand to coach and mento the prospective founders. Free access to the StartupLab premises creates a creative working environment and enables exchange with other funding teams. With up to € 7,500 in funding per team, nothing stands in the way of building the first prototype. After completing the incubator programme, the teams are well equipped for the upcoming start-up and ready for subsequent funding such as the EXIST start-up scholarship. More information on the topic of founding can be found here: www.th-deg.de/starting-a-business

The funding is made possible by the funding measure “Entrepreneurial Thinking and Scientific Founding Spirit – Research and Founding Freedom at Universities of Applied Sciences” StartupLab@FH of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

At the beginning of December, a delegation from the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) led by President Prof. Dr. Peter Sperber and Prof. Peter Schmieder, Director of the Bavarian Innovation Transformation Centre (BITZ) Oberschneiding, visited strategic partners of the university in Silicon Valley. In addition, talks were held with potential investors of start-ups in the USA. DIT start-up teams with above-average potential are to be helped to achieve a successful market breakthrough.

On the campus of Stanford University, the DIT delegation, which also included Chancellor Birgit Augustin and Alexander Dorn, responsible for Venture Development at BITZ, first met Justin Lokitz. He is an advisor at Berkeley SkyDeck, the global hub of the University of California Berkeley. Lokitz will act as an active mentor at the BITZ and represent the Berkeley SkyDeck in Oberschneiding. Artificial intelligence and intellectual property rights were the topic of another meeting with WilmerHale, one of the leading US law firms in business law. One of WilmerHale's partners, Daniel Zimmermann, will also support the Silicon Valley School at the BITZ in the future. His expertise in corporate transactions and venture technology issues will be in particular demand.

In order to deepen existing networks and partnerships, talks were also held with the three long-time mentors Prof. Albert Bruno, Geoff Baum and Dr. Tobias Strobl. Bruno from Santa Clara University (SCU) is the founding director of the Center of Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Baum, in turn, co-founder of Garage.com, a high-tech capital company specialising in start-up financing, is an adjunct professor at SCU as well as Vice President of Marketing at Acceldata. Finally, Strobl has lived and taught in Silicon Valley for years. He was appointed professor for the "Methodology of Acceleration and Scale" at BITZ Oberschneiding.

Dr. Robert Brancatelli, Senior Associate Director of the Silicon Valley Executive Center and the Leavey School of Business at SCU, praised the intensive exchange with DIT: "The Silicon Valley School is an expression and symbol of the deepening partnership between Deggendorf University and the Silicon Valley Executive Center. The mentoring, intensive support as well as the networking of the venture teams are comparable to other start-up programmes on both sides of the Atlantic, but surpass them in many ways." According to Brancatelli, he knows of very few programmes that are based on a similarly strong bond between science and business.

After visiting the new Discovery & Innovation Campus, one of the largest STEM facilities in the US, DIT President Sperber was impressed. "A whopping US$270 million has been invested here. That is really fantastic!" Sperber also emphasised, however, that the group of now 13 DIT technology campuses could certainly keep up. What happens centrally in a research centre in Silicon Valley is spread over nine districts in Bavaria. The DIT president: "Our technology campuses offer innovation for an entire region. The BITZ Oberschneiding is a great reinforcement in this circle."

INFO │ THE SILICON VALLEY PROGRAM AT DIT

Prof. Peter Schmieder is the founder of the Silicon Valley Program at DIT. He has been cooperating with the elite American university Santa Clara in California for more than ten years. In the years from 2014 to the present, around 60 founding teams went through this programme. "Germany," says Schmieder, "is a country of inventors. However, these inventions, the 'Inventions', all too rarely become real innovations." This is precisely where the Silicon Valley Program comes in. Together with the mentors in California, the founders are given the know-how, concept and strategy to actually bring an idea successfully to the market. The basis for this lies in Lower Bavaria, Schmieder explains: "The experts in Silicon Valley tell us quite clearly that what is being done at the BITZ in Oberschneiding is unique." As early as April 2022, the next teams from Lower Bavaria will complete their "pitch" in California. If they are successful, investors and a top-class network of experts will be on hand.

You can find out more about the Bavarian Innovation Transformation Centre (BITZ) in Oberschneiding at: www.th-deg.de/bitz-oberschneiding-en

Only a third of all Bavarian universities have permanent staff to handle their alumni work. While some colleges and universities continue to cut back on this, the aftercare of former students at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is very much supported by the university management. On Wednesday, 1 December 2021, the State Minister for Science and the Arts, Bernd Sibler, joined the virtual Bavarian regional group meeting of the umbrella organisation for alumni work alumni-clubs.net (acn) for 30 minutes. He took the opportunity to discuss the importance of alumni work with the speakers present.

During the online discussion, Minister of Science Bernd Sibler emphasised: "The knowledge and experience of our 'alumni' are a great treasure for the Bavarian universities, of which we are proud." The alumni work makes this treasure visible and practically usable for the current students as well as for the universities. And the graduates themselves would also benefit from networking with each other. Sibler continues: "In the new Higher Education Innovation Act, we will expand the individual scope of the universities. This will also open up new opportunities and perspectives for alumni work." The new law will expand the possibilities for universities to cooperate with external partners and networks. It also provides the framework conditions for business start-ups and participations. In addition, universities will be able to make infrastructure facilities such as laboratories or equipment available to their graduates for start-up purposes for a certain period of time beyond their studies. This creates new opportunities for networking and cooperation between universities and alumni.

For Ulrike Sauckel, Alumni Officer at DIT, the appreciation from the Ministry is an important step towards establishing alumni work at all Bavarian universities. Sauckel is also the Bavarian regional group spokesperson for the umbrella organisation alumni-clubs.net. In Deggendorf, she says, it works very well that graduates stay in touch with the university after they graduate. In Deggendorf, sustainable alumni work has been carried out for 16 years by the central institution DIT-Alumni, supported by the AlumniNet association, which can count over 1,000 members in its 20th year. The university association offers job application training, seminars for executives and business trips.

Link to the image film of the association: alumninet.th-deg.de/?page_id=4377&lang=de

Prof. Dr. Georgi Chaltikyan, Programme Director Master of Digital Health at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI), was invited as a keynote speaker and panelist to two international Digital Health congresses organized by Brazil’s vibrant and dynamic Digital Health community. He spoke at the Global Summit on Telemedicine and Digital Health as well as the Brazilian Congress of Telemedicine and eHealth, both taking place in November 2021.

The first event was a pre-meeting webinar on Digital Health Education, a part of the event series titled Global Summit on Telemedicine and Digital Health. In his keynote, Prof. Chaltikyan spoke on the history and evolution of telemedicine and telehealth into eHealth and Health IT, and eventually into Digital Health (with important differences between the concepts and definitions), provided insights into the changing paradigm of Health IT and medical/health informatics education, discussed the novel approach to fostering interdisciplinary specialists capable of driving the Digital Transformation of Healthcare, and presented the experience with Master of Digital Health at DIT-ECRI. The Global Summit 2021 convened on November 9-12 in São Paulo, attracted 2 thousand virtual participants from around the world, provided 100 hours of content in 95 sessions during 4 days, presented by 200 speakers from 24 countries

At the Brazilian Congress of Telemedicine and eHealth, Prof. Chaltikyan was invited to a panel discussion titled “Professional Education Transforming Telemedicine and Digital Health”. The discussion featured also Prof. S. Yunkap Kwankam, the Executive Director of the International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth (ISfTeH), Mr. Frank Lievens, the Executive Secretary of ISfTeH, and Ms. Dina Ziadlou, Chair of ISfTeH Working Group on Digital Transformation and was moderated  by Prof. Jefferson Fernandes, Head of Education Program and Board Member at the ISfTeH. The panelists presented their vision and opinions about streamlining Digital Health education internationally and globally, and engaged in a lively discussion addressing the challenges and opportunities of providing professional workforce for Digital Transformation.

In both the keynote and the panel, the ongoing work on the Consortium of Educational Institutions in Digital Health (CONEDIG), an initiative under the auspices of the ISfTeH of which DIT-ECRI is one of the founding members, was also presented and discussed.

Deggendorf Institute of Technology’s ECRI is an academic institutional member of the ISfTeH since 2018.

In microelectronics, we know that the smaller, more efficient and more mobile microchips are, the more diverse their applications. Professor Michael Sternad from the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) has found a way to produce microchips with an integrated battery. The mini-battery is powerful and very easy to produce. No one else in the world has ever succeeded in this dimension. The advantage: microchips with a battery can be used autonomously and in a variety of ways. Michael Sternad has now published the results of his scientific work and would like to get in touch with interested parties.

As a result of several years of basic research, which Michael Sternad started at Graz University of Technology, he shows how monocrystalline silicon, the material of a microchip, can be made usable as a battery electrode. "The microchip then not only houses the electronics, but is also part of a mini-battery at the same time," says Sternad. The silicon as the material of the microchip was the challenge here. When it is charged, its structure changes. It shatters into countless particles. Sternad dealt with this and found a way to optimally prepare the silicon for charging. The new batteries can be recharged several hundred times with a small capacity loss of only a few percent. "With this high number of recharges, this has never been achieved before in the world," says Sternad. And the possible applications are manifold. They can be made extremely tiny, down to 0.1 by 0.1 millimetres, in almost any package shape and extremely cheap, around one to two cents each. But the energy density is similar to that of the best commercial lithium-ion batteries. Demand is particularly high from the aircraft industry. Energy-autonomous sensors simply save weight in aircraft because there is no need for wiring. But there are many other examples of applications, such as monitoring blood supplies, fever-detecting plasters or in the automotive sector. Those interested can read about Michael Sternad's research work in the renowned journal "Advanced Material Technologies". He is also available to answer questions in person: michael.sternad@th-deg.de.

Together with project partners, the district of Rottal-Inn has committed itself to improving medical care in the district of Rottal-Inn in the "med4PAN" project. The European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is responsible for the overall management of the project. For this idea, Federal Minister of Transport Andreas Scheuer presented Max Straubinger, Member of the Bundestag, and the project team around project leader Prof. Dr. Thomas Spittler with a funding decision amounting to € 3.64 million on 18 November.

In his speech at the handover of the funding notification, Federal Minister of Transport Andreas Scheuer highlighted the project as a lighthouse project that can also be applied to many other districts and will sustainably improve medical care in rural areas. The Minister also emphasised that he would continue to personally support the project. For MP Max Straubinger, who was present at the handover as a member of parliament for the district, "med4PAN" is also a lighthouse project. He emphasised the importance for rural areas and how the project will improve the lives of citizens in the event of an emergency or treatment in hospital in the district of Rottal-Inn.

In Rottal-Inn, the district with the most scattered settlements in Germany, the distances between hospitals in an emergency are longer than average and every minute counts for the patient. In order to be able to counteract this problem in the future, the "med4PAN" project is investigating the use of state-of-the-art technologies in medical care in four concrete application cases.

The project starts before patients even arrive at the hospital. By linking the ambulance service and the Rottal-Inn clinics, the care of patients who are in an emergency situation in the ambulance is to be improved. For this purpose, live videos of the patient captured by a 360° camera in the ambulance are transmitted to the emergency room and the doctors can get an idea of the situation before the ambulance arrives. In addition, the project aims to improve teleconsultation communication, allowing specialists from different locations of the Rottal-Inn hospitals to exchange information virtually and thus contribute to telemedical decision support. This will reduce time, cost, burden and stress for all involved and improve patient care. The project aims to facilitate the localisation of objects and people in clinics. For medical staff, this would lead to a great relief, as the required device can be located, found immediately and the patient thus helped more quickly.

In addition to the actual cases in the ambulance and the clinic, the project will also establish a so-called innovation hub at ECRI. Within the framework of this, applications based on state-of-the-art technology will be scientifically developed, tested, evaluated and scaled for further use cases. This includes, for example, the delivery of a defibrillator by drone or the transmission of images of a high-resolution histopathological section to the specialist in real time.

The "med4PAN" project is led by Prof. Dr. Thomas Spittler and supported by Anna Schmaus-Klughammer, LLB (hons.), as coordinator of the project at DIT. Besides the district of Rottal-Inn, the Rottal-Inn Clinics, the Bavarian Red Cross, the Fraunhofer Institute and the companies medDV and becon GmbH are involved as project partners.

Great honour for Deggendorf filmmakers: their short film "Flucht" (Escape) was presented at the beginning of November at the Biberach Film Festival, which is renowned throughout Germany. The project is a final thesis in the Master's degree programme in Media Technology at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT).

"Escape" tells the story of twelve-year-old Jakob, who repeatedly flees from his quarrelling parents into the forest. When one day his life is in danger there, he has to make a difficult decision. The twelve-minute film is the final project of the Deggendorf media technology students Kim Hong (script and direction), Moritz Grötsch (image design), Lea Blöchinger (production, production management), Julian Hofbauer (sound and music) and Nikkash Sutharsan (editing). The film project was supervised by Prof. Jens Schanze. He praises the young talents: "Thanks to their above-average commitment, the students succeeded in producing and completing the film with two child actors under pandemic conditions." Special camera lenses were used for the visual realisation of the demanding drama, creating a special cinematic aesthetic. The invitation to Biberach is highest recognition for the Deggendorf film team. The festival is considered a "family reunion of German filmmakers". Well-known directors such as Caroline Link, Volker Schlöndorff or Fatih Akin have been awarded prizes for their works there in the past, as has Oliver Haffner, lecturer in  DIT's Master's programme in Media Production. The Deggendorf entry was the only short film at the renowned festival that was not produced at a film school.

"Into the bin - and then what?" What actually happens to our rubbish? This question will be explored at the next Children's University at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT).

Plastic in the environment and in the oceans - rubbish is one of the major global problems. But there are solutions. Miriam Augustin from the Zweckverband Abfallwirtschaft (ZAW) Donau-Wald comes to the DIT Kinderuni for this topic. She explains what happens to our waste and why it is so important to separate properly. But what goes into which bin? Which waste can be recycled at all and what is made from it? A quiz will show who is already a real recycling professional. Nevertheless, the best waste is that which is not produced in the first place. Waste prevention is the order of the day. Miriam Augustin will give her young listeners important tips on how to do this - in keeping with the European Week of Waste Prevention, which is taking place at the same time. At the end, the children can ask the expert questions.

The children's university is organised by the MINT team of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology. Children’s university is currently offered in German only.

By 2022, the most important administrative services in Germany are to be available online. To this end, the E-Government Act was passed in 2013 and the Online Access Act (OZG) in 2017. Authorities, administrations and other public institutions that still need a boost here can find out more on 23 November at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). In a virtual event, experts from the Master’s programme “Public Management” and partner companies of the university will talk about the possibilities of digitalisation in (public) administration.

At the DigiCamp, Ronald Kaiser and Prof Dr Helena Liebelt will provide detailed information about the digitalisation culture in public authorities and public institutions and the threat posed by cyber attacks. In practical examples, Maximilian Gell and Andreas Englmeier will tell about their project experiences, how to approach digitalisation and which tools have proven their worth. Those interested in further education will also receive information on the part-time Master’s programme “Public Management’. Those who are looking for cooperation opportunities with the university can also tie in at the DigiCamp. The detailed programme for the event can be found on the DIT homepage at https://th-deg.de/en/business/digitalisation-in-dialogue. The DigiCamp will take place from 4-6 pm. Participation is free of charge, access data to the virtual will be sent out after registration.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) has successfully applied to participate in the "National Education Platforms Initiative" of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. In the higher education landscape, there are a large number of higher education information systems for the storage and processing of services and teaching content. However, these are structured very differently and, in addition, documents are currently sent and approved in paper form in time-consuming administrative processes. DIT wants to remedy this situation. A platform that can be used throughout Germany is to be created that digitally stores and recognises educational achievements. The first concept phase for the development of a prototype began in October.

If a student changes degree programmes or wants to pursue a Master's degree after completing his or her Bachelor's degree, his or her previous achievements are important for recognition or admission to a degree programme. Manually managing the documents, however, is very time-consuming and expensive. The idea of the DIT project is to create digital and forgery-proof alternatives for this process, which will ideally be used throughout Germany. This should create more transparency and permeability in the education system. "If this works, navigating through the digital recognition jungle will be much easier," says Prof. Dr Wolfgang Dorner. He is part of the project team as director with his Institute for Applied Computer Science, as is the IT Centre with director Prof. Helena Liebelt and operational director Andreas Englmeier, as well as the Communication & Marketing department headed by Martina Heim. In the first phase, the university's IT centre will use blockchain technologies to develop a digital wallet. The user's educational data is stored in it. The DIT's website team is providing a user-friendly interface for the planned platform. "Imagine having all your degrees, exams, grades that you have achieved in your life stored in one central secure place. No matter where you apply across Germany, your digital wallet is checked, e.g. by another university, and the appropriate modules are simply recognised," Dorner explains. He cites the EDV-Fachschule in Plattling as a regional example: "We already recognise achievements of the EDV-Fachschule Plattling for a computer science degree, which should be simple, automated and not involve a lot of paperwork and administration."

After the first project phase of a total of five months, expert reviewers will examine the nationwide ideas and release the concepts and strategies deemed worthy of funding for a two-year implementation phase.

Sinah Harm produced a promotional film for the Munich-based start-up democy for her Master’s thesis. The start-up offers an app for citizen participation. As part of the advertising campaign “What moves you?”, the film celebrated its premiere this week.

The Master’s thesis has brough Sinah further in many areas. Except for the camera and set sound, she has taken on all the tasks herself, even the catering and the implementation of hygiene measures. For the first time, she has also worked with children and non-experienced people. “The production brought out all my strengths, but also weaknesses, and was therefore very instructive,” she says herself, “you always develop further, you never stop learning, and that’s why my focus will always be on getting better with every project.”

The contact to democy cam about through friends. Sinah liked the idea of the start-up and personally likes advertising films with emotional stories, which is why she decided to work with democy as the topic of her Master’s thesis. Under the supervision of Prof. Schanze and in collaboration with cameraman Thomas Weishäupl, she realised the project. Sinah’s film can now also be seen on Youtube.

Many large corporations and companies rely on the TOEIC® (Test of English for International Communication) to fairly and validly assess the job-related English skills of their employees. Because applicants and staff managers often have two different understandings of “good” English, the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is offering the next TOEIC Listening & Reading Online Test in December. External candidates can also take part.

The TOEIC Listening & Reading Online covers the two areas of listening and reading comprehension. The two-hour multiple choice test is taken on the computer. All those who take the test are placed exactly in their personal language level according to their score and always receive a result – there is no such thing as failing. The next TOEIC Listening & Reading Test Online at DIT will take place on Friday, 10 December at 4 pm. The test date on Friday, 3 December, also at 4 pm, is obligatory. Registration is possible until 22 November at sprachenzentrum@th-deg.de. The examination fee is €130 (or €150 if a certificate is required). The number of participants for the exam is limited.

More information on the TOEIC test is available online at https://th-deg.de/en/students/language-electives#exams.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is offering a virtual information event on its Master's degree programmes, which are taught full-time, on Thursday, 11 November. Currently, prospective students can choose from 21 Master's programmes in the fields of business, technology, health and computer science. From 4 pm to 7 pm, the university will present the specific study contents, how to apply properly and which admission requirements apply. Those interested can connect to the online event via a link. There will be a virtual room for Master's programmes in "Technology", "Computer Science" and "Business, Health and Sport". The exact agenda of the information event and the necessary links are available at www.th-deg.de in the event calendar.

Parents looking for childcare can now contact the babysitter exchange at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). It provides experienced babysitters to families in need of childcare.

The babysitter exchange acts as an intermediary platform between students who like to look after children and already have experience and parents who are looking for a babysitter. The DIT's Family Affairs department puts babysitters and parents in touch with each other, who then make arrangements completely independently of the university. The aim of the babysitter exchange is to offer families a complementary service when looking after their children.

Previous experiences with the babysitter exchange have been positive throughout, as Jana Schmid confirms. She is a mother of two children and has been using this offer for several semesters. "The children are super enthusiastic about our babysitter. She has played with them, collected craft materials during a walk in the forest and made things with them. With the big daughter, she baked an extra recipe. That was an experience, of course," says Schmid.

The babysitter exchange is merely a placement platform. For this reason, the university accepts no liability whatsoever.

What does the word "truth" actually mean in a time when more and more data and more and more communication channels offer more and more opportunities to somehow convey virtually any opinion as truth? The already traditional "Deggendorf Forum for Digital Data Analysis" (DFDDA) under the direction of Prof. Dr. Georg Herde (Deggendorf Institute of Technology) asked itself this question. At the 16th forum event on Wednesday and Thursday, experts from tax auditing, tax consultancy and finance discussed the possibilities and limits of so-called artificial intelligence (AI). The motto of the event, which was virtual for the third time due to the Corona pandemic, was: "No signal - is the truth disappearing in the flood of data?"

Only recently, the Deggendorf Institute of Technology had dismissed its first graduates specialising in artificial intelligence, the Vice-President of DIT, Prof. Dr. Horst Kunhardt, told the audience in a welcoming speech. And he issued an admonition that all speakers at the conference echoed in one way or another: "We must never disregard the human being." At the end of all AI analyses, the critical mind of the human being is still needed, he said.

The guest speaker at the event, Prof. Dr. Klaus Mainzer, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Philosophy of Science at the Technical University of Munich, also spoke of "Responsible Artificial Intelligence". Mainzer has followed the development of AI and the expectations of AI on an international level and described in his lecture the path from the development of expert systems, which were supposed to support the doctor in diagnosis through purely logical reasoning from medical data, to the imitation of human brain functions and the search and detection of patterns in large amounts of data, to today, among other things, self-learning automats in automotive technology and the decoding of protein structures and thus the identification of viruses.

Mainzer took up the criticism that such systems are "black boxes", you can see what they find out, but not how they find it out. The systems are "trained like a dog. But in the end, you can still get bitten." Mainzer: "You need visibility, explainability." That means: an expert - a doctor, a specialist engineer - has to decide with his "domain knowledge" whether, for example, a medical diagnosis found automatically is plausible or not. The more influence technology has on people and their everyday lives, the greater the challenge for the training of people who work with this technology. Technology design is required; legal, social, ecological and economic criteria must be included in this design from the outset. Machine learning is "a huge success today", Mainzer said in the subsequent discussion. "But in the end, it is statistics" - with the uncertainties that come with it.

Using the example of the judiciary, Dr Tanja Ihden, FH Krems, who wrote her doctoral thesis in Bremen on "the relevance of statistical methods in jurisprudence", described successes and problems of argumentation with statistics. She is a member of the research unit "Statistics in Court", which was founded in 2014/15. According to Ihden, the number of court decisions in which statistical terms can be found has increased many times over in the past decades. The impetus for this comes from the judiciary itself, in almost all areas, whether it is the assignment of a DNA sample to a suspect, or reconstructions of an accident through scenarios, or the question of whether a man on whose computer photos from the borderline area of child pornography, which is not yet punishable, are found, is also very likely to possess prohibited photos. Judges are increasingly confronted with terms such as variance or confidence interval, which they must be able to correctly classify in their judgements, says Ihden. Being able to read statistics and evaluate statistical reasoning has become a key qualification for judges, he said.

Tawei (David) Wang, PhD, Associate Professor and Driehaus Fellow, Driehaus College of Business, DePaul University, Chicago, USA, demonstrated how risky the use of social media by employees can be for a company. His study shows how social media data can be used to find security weaknesses in companies' computer systems. Wang and colleagues used the LinkedIn network for their research, but consider the result transferable to other networks. They extracted thousands of personal data with information on current and former professional activities, areas of responsibility and locations and formed an exposure index for the company from the results. The result was a positive relationship between this index and the number of data breakdowns in the company's computer network.

The challenges posed by growing computing capacities, new processes and new procedures, such as AI, in companies also place new and expanded demands on auditing. Karsten Thomas, Partner IT-Assurance at BDO AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft, gave examples of where new, constantly developing tools can also help the auditor to improve the efficiency and quality of the audit. He does not see any fundamental competition between the goals of quality and efficiency. A high degree of automation also reduces the susceptibility to errors and can relieve the auditor. It could also make it easier to recognise anomalies. Thomas presented concrete tools from auditor practice. Outliers in analysed data are a particular challenge. The effort to clarify and assess them is high. There is great hope for AI procedures, but Thomas does not yet see their use at this point. One reason he gave was that, depending on the company, not every anomaly has to be an error, and that it is difficult to obtain training data for machine learning in companies with their individual design of data systems and processes.

A special form of mass data analysis for tax purposes was presented by Markus Ettinger, Diplom-Finanzwirt (FH) in the large and group tax audit of Schleswig-Holstein. The Foreign Tax Act stipulates how transfer prices between related parties or companies and their subcontractors are checked for taxation purposes to see whether they correspond to market realities. Transfer prices between comparable, unrelated third parties are used for this purpose. Ettinger described, according to the title of his presentation, "Visualisation and Benchmark Studies in Transfer Pricing". For this, comparable companies and criteria for comparability must first be found. Using example data, Ettinger described how a combination of machine screening, ideally interactive methods of visualisation and critical scrutiny of each individual step can be used to compile a comparison set on which the tax classification can be based, as long as the boundary conditions remain unchanged.

At the end of the conference, DFDDA Chairman Prof. Dr. Georg Herde posed the question in his own contribution that bridged the various topics of the conference: "Artificial Intelligence - A Solution for Auditing?" He started from the statement: "New techniques are giving AI a strong impetus." But what does AI "understand" about company data as it is available to the auditor? What correlations does it recognise on its own? From structured company data, the auditor extracts a multitude of tables - which, however, interact in a defined way, which is not automatically recognisable in the tables. And even in a flat table, only a human can recognise the meaning of the entries: Which chart of accounts was used? What kind of date is in the date field? Depending on where a posting record is, it can be wrong or right or even meaningless. From these and other considerations, he derived a perspective for developers: the input fields must be strongly standardised, but already an assignment of the attributes to the data fields cannot be done by an AI, but must be queried anew for each client and executed by hand. "There is no automatic testing of a programme logic," said Herde, referring - mutatis mutandis - to an insight made by the British computer scientist Alan Turing in 1937. In addition, framework conditions such as company structures, prices or laws are constantly changing, so that an AI system would have to be constantly retrained. "These and other problems of AI systems are currently not solvable," Herde noted. Research in this area is therefore important and sensible, he said.

His conclusion: "If an AI system does not say how it arrives at a result, then the examiner can only believe the results. Then he doesn't test."

And the DEGGs? It is becoming more and more part of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). The AI Centre of the Faculty of Applied Computer Science had already moved in last spring. Now, at the start of the winter semester, up to 120 students can be supervised in presence on around 1,600 square metres of the former medical care centre. In addition, laboratories have been set up for research and work on digital topics. Topics that are also relevant for the further digitalisation of the regional economy.

Prof. Andreas Fischer is the head of the Laboratory for Network Technologies: "Not only classic internet technologies are explored here, but also new types of distributed intelligent applications," explains the DIT scientist. Artificial intelligence algorithms could, for example, help to better plan resources in large-scale data centres, detect anomalies in data traffic or quite practically speed up the forwarding of packets.

Another new addition to the DEGGs is a laboratory for high performance or quantum computing. Prof. Dr. Peter Faber is the boss here. Under his guidance, topics in computer science are served that require extraordinarily high computing power. "Our main focus is on so-called parallel computing" says Faber, meaning that in such cases several variants of a problem are solved simultaneously. For example, an AI can search different areas of a high-resolution image for specific objects at the same time. Parallel processing is also the speciality of quantum computing - the two research fields complement each other perfectly here at DEGGs.

The DeepLearning lab is the realm of Prof. Andreas Berl. Small autonomous vehicles, robotic arms and humanoid robots characterise the first impression. Highly sophisticated AI workstations with access to fast servers in the background allow students to quickly achieve their own successes and thus apply theoretical knowledge directly in practice.

"At the AI Centre, we want to prepare Deggendorf students in the best possible way for the revolutions in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Industry 4.0, Internet of Things, High Performance Computing and Quantum Computing," confirms Prof. Berl. The three labs offer special practical courses on topics such as network technologies, deep learning and high performance computing or quantum computing. The response has been enormous. Well over 3,000 applicants from all over the world wanted one of the 120 places on the new English-language Bachelor Artificial Intelligence and Master Artificial Intelligence & Data Science programmes. Berl is very pleased about this: "We are proud that the degree programme became known so quickly outside Germany." He also hopes for more applicants from Germany. After all, studying in English boosts career opportunities enormously.

On 16 August, the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy approved the SMARD project - "Simulation of Metal Anomaly Research Detection". It will be funded with a good 0.85 million euros. Of this, 447,000 euros will go to the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). Together with the project partner Mesutronic Gerätebau GmbH, DIT will research an innovative further development in the field of metal detection and integrate it into existing series solutions.

Existing detection concepts for anomalies caused by metal contamination in the industrial manufacturing sector must be evaluated and their concrete implementations tested in detail. There are solutions for evaluating changes in the electromagnetic field caused by metals. However, these solutions are only partially suitable in test environments for anomaly tests with hard real-time requirements, as is the case in manufacturing systems. Existing approaches with threshold-based algorithms are only conditionally suitable for use in the validation of future detection systems for product anomalies due to rigid decision criteria. Other anomaly testing approaches, such as image processing or artificial intelligence algorithms, are not yet established in the field of metal detection. However, the integration of such advanced methods in anomaly environments provides significant added value for safeguarding future systems. Lack of research activity in this context testifies to the relevance of the project.

The aim of the project is to research and develop an AI-based evaluation method for metal detectors in the industrial manufacturing sector. This detection system, developed on the basis of an electromagnetic FEM process and an AI-controlled software analysis, enables improved detection of metallic contaminants in a manufacturing product with simultaneous reliable non-detection of non-contaminated products. The AI-based learning is performed using the electromagnetic simulation results of the FEM software Ansys (EM) Maxwell. In addition, the thermodynamic influences on the overall system consisting of the detection unit and the test product are investigated, analysed and included in the AI algorithm.

On Friday, 12 November, 2021, the second edition of the international Digital Health symposium DigiHealthDay (DHD), will be hosted by European Campus Rottal-Inn, Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT-ECRI).

The international symposium DHD-2021 tries to capture how digital technologies are transforming health and care around the world, featuring keynotes, parallel sessions, impulse talks, and a panel discussion including distinguished experts in the field of Digital Health. Leading international experts from Germany, United Kingdom, United States, India, Hungary, Poland, Sweden, Italy and other countries will provide knowledge and information on the future of healthcare during the day of the symposium. The main highlight event of this year is the panel discussion "The Future of Digital Health Data: Achieving the Opportunities, Addressing the Anxieties, Responding to Risks".

Scientific Session, EFMI Session, Student Session, and CONEDIG session are hosted parallel. In the Scientific Sessions, selected academic papers in Digital Health will be presented. The Students Session is the stage for recognising sprouting talents. At CONEDIG Session, The Consortium of Educational Institutions in Digital Health (CONEDIG) will converse on educational reforms, goals, and challenges in Digital Health.

The organiser of the event, Prof. Dr. Georgi Chaltikyan, is proud to host honorary Klaus Holetschek - Minister of State for Health and Care as well as honorary Bernd Sibler - Minister of State for Science and the Arts (Bavaria), who will open the event with their welcome addresses. Another milestone for the DHD is the partnership with one of the key Digital Health events in Germany, ‘Munich Digital Healthcare Summit'. For further information visit the DHD-2021 website: https://th-deg.de/digihealthday

The event is endorsed and sponsored by the Bavarian State Ministry of Health and Care (StMGP), Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), International Society for Telemedicine & eHealth (ISfTeH), International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA), European Federation for Medical Informatics (EFMI), German Society of Digital Medicine (DGDM), German Telemedicine Society (DGTelemed), Bavarian Telemedicine Alliance (BTA), Armenian Association of Telemedicine (AATM), Town of Pfarrkirchen, Roche, Russian-Armenian University (RAU), People's Friendship University of Russia (RUDN), National Healthcare University of Ukraine (NHU), and DigitalHealthNews.eu (media partner).

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) supervises and supports students in various phases of the start-up process. Also when it comes to making the emerging start-ups better known and building up their network. On 27 October, the DIT Startup Campus invites you to the virtual event “meet the team”. The founding teams will each talk about their business idea for 15 minutes and then want to engage in an exchange with the audience.

Among others, the team ti4f will introduce itself. Ti4f was funded by a start-up scholarship at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology and has already founded a company. The three-member team is still looking for a strategic partner or investor, for example. Thomas Brunner, Constantin Vogel and Hamidreza Abolpourmoshizi are developing an end-to-end digitalised process chain in one-off production. The event starts on 27 October at 4 pm and takes place via Zoom. Not only students, employees and partner companies of the university can participate, but also anyone who is interested in the topic of business start-ups. Registration is possible via DIT’s seminar platform: www-th-deg.de/seminare. The zoom link will be sent out afterwards.

15-minute talks with companies, presentation on dual studies and reports on experience – this is the motto of the Dual Speeddating Bavaria, at which the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is also represented as one of a total of nine universities in Bavaria. The event is organised by hochschule dual – Bavaria’s network for dual studies. Pupils and prospective students can take part and find out more online between 25 October and 19 November 2021.

The virtual speed dating offers pupils of the 11th and 12th grade, as well as first-year students the opportunity to get in touch with DIT and its partner companies. Eleven practical partners at DIT – including Micro-Epsilon, Zollner, Berger Bau and Continental – will be present and will offer individual short talks about the combined study programme and studies with in-depth practical experience. Registration for a speed date is possible from 25 October via an online portal and will be supplemented by lectures from the universities in the afternoon. In the lecture "Dual ans Ziel! - your opportunities at the DIT" on 25 October from 5 to 6 pm, DIT will introduce itself and draw attention to the wide range of dual study programmes in the fields of business, technology, information technology and health. Speed dates with DIT and the companies will then take place between 8 and 19 November by appointment via video chat or telephone call. The entire programme is free of charge and is intended as a first point of contact on the subject of dual studies. Registration is possible via the following link: www.duales-speeddating-bayern.de.

With Prof. Dr. Simon Zabler, the Faculty of Applied Computer Science at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) gains an expert in the field of imaging techniques with a focus on computed tomography.

The passionate physicist already dealt with X-ray imaging in his Master's thesis and has not been able to get away from it since. For Zabler, computed tomography is not only an interdisciplinary field that combines computer science, mathematics, physics and mechanical engineering, but it is also constantly reinventing itself. This is precisely the attraction of "digital photography with three-dimensional pixels", as Zabler describes computed tomography. He remained faithful to computed tomography throughout his professional career. Whether during his doctoral thesis at the Hahn-Meitner Institute in Berlin or as a PostDoc at the Max Planck Institute in Potsdam, where he watched cellulose drying in wood. Research and teaching have also accompanied Prof. Zabler for a long time. He already taught materials science at the TU Berlin and then set up a research group for X-ray microscopy and scattering at the University of Würzburg.

One of the reasons Zabler chose the professorship at DIT is that top international researchers have the opportunity here to bring their field of research into teaching. He himself has a German-French double degree in physics and is at home on the international stage of science. Zabler is therefore particularly looking forward to building up a broad network at DIT around computed tomography and machine vision in order to carry out exciting and, above all, international projects. In addition, industry and university work together here in Lower Bavaria in an uncomplicated and results-oriented manner. According to Zabler, it is precisely this networking that offers a great opportunity to direct the focus and knowledge transfer in applied research towards the current requirements of industry.

Zabler also pays special attention to the young talents at DIT and how he can make research fun for them and accompany them on their way. In return, students can expect clear communication, accessibility, fair rules, enthusiasm for the subject matter and readable documents from him. Attendance, critical examination of the material and honest feedback are points that Zabler demands of his students.

Honesty is important to the new DIT professor, who describes himself as compulsively honest. He does not look away when mistakes are made, whether by others or his own, and when injustice occurs. The best prerequisites for changing something. Honest as he is, he also admits that he can only explain things really well when he has understood them himself. Even if he is not always the tidiest and most punctual, he is an unteachable optimist at work. He can also be persuaded to do just about anything with chocolate and / or a good cappuccino. It is therefore not surprising that Zabler not only likes to feast in his free time, but also cooks himself. Preferably in company. He is also interested in history and international politics, but one week a year is devoted entirely to the forest. That's when he is out in the forest with the Bergwaldprojekt e.V. and 25 adults, planting trees and re-wetting bogs.

Since 1 October, Prof. Dr. Florian Wahl has held the new research professorship for "Sensor-based AI Systems in Care" at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). In addition to his teaching at the university, the 36-year-old conducts research at the Grafenau Technology Campus (TC). The aim of the new research professorship is to make healthcare more future-proof with the help of sensor technology and artificial intelligence, and thus in particular to counteract the growing care gap between those in need of care and care staff. The professorship was created as part of the Hightech Agenda Bayern's AI competition.

Prof. Wahl's research bridges the gap between the fields of wearable, so-called embedded sensor systems for data collection on the one hand and their evaluation using artificial intelligence on the other. Wahl first studied technical computer science at Esslingen University of Applied Sciences and then completed his Master's degree in "Embedded Systems" at TU Eindhoven. In 2019, he was awarded his doctorate at the University of Passau and received the university's dissertation prize. Since 2018, Wahl has been a research assistant in the "Applied Artificial Intelligence" research group at TC Grafenau.

"My research goal," Wahl explains, "is to enable as many people as possible to live independently and self-determined lives at home for as long as possible." To achieve this, he says, in the future, the assessment of needs and accompaniment of care must be supported via intelligent monitoring. Using sensor technology. In his doctoral thesis, the DIT scientist already developed sensor glasses that measure the heart rate and recognise the wearer's everyday activities. These could now also be used in the field of care, because more than 91 per cent of people over 60 already wear glasses, making it unnecessary to carry additional equipment for recording and evaluating important health parameters.

In addition to researching new types of body-worn and ambient sensor technology and artificial intelligence methods, another goal of the new appointee is to initiate the establishment of an AI care model region. In future, people in need, carers, relatives, doctors, medical supply stores and others will be brought together here to identify the added value of new technologies. Not only own developments, but also products from companies and research results from other universities will be examined, so that synergies from the combination of different methods can be leveraged.

The central focus of Wahl's research professorship is thus on supporting all actors in health care with the help of continuous monitoring of various health markers as well as forecasting health trends. In this way, both decision-making quality, for example the distribution of care places, and care quality, such as quick help in an emergency or a long life at home, can be improved. Ultimately, this enables more efficient management of existing personnel and financial budgets.

If you like the idea of owning your own company but don't quite know what the business idea could be yet, you don't have to give up on this dream right away. The Startup Campus of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) showed how students can take the first steps towards their own startup at the GROW Startup Workshop. In the 5-day seminar at the end of September, students from different disciplines developed concepts for start-up ideas with innovation potential. The Hans Lindner Foundation and primeAcademy, which are experienced in the field of entrepreneurship, were also present.

In the theory part of the start-up workshop, the students learned how to develop their own business idea and what is important in the process. For example, assessing their own competences and those of others, which creativity techniques help and how to develop further in a team. The week of the event was then used to form teams, develop concepts and, in the end, convince an invited jury. The idea of a mechanical seawater desalination plant by the FLOAT team was the most popular. All teams that took part in the Startup Workshop have the chance to apply for the exclusive "Kickstart Incubator" funding programme. The Startup Campus is on hand to advise those interested in founding a company. They can also draw on the network of start-ups at DIT. Everyone has already met at the start-up regulars' table.

Just under a year before the actual opening, the Technology Campus (TC) Vilshofen is picking up speed. On 21 September, a meeting with msg services ag took place in Passau. As an IT service and IT consulting company, msg services ag is active in a variety of areas. In particular, the topic of security was examined more closely. The first common points of contact were found. Further exploratory talks are already planned for the near future.

"In addition to cooperation within the framework of publicly funded research and development projects, we can also imagine practical training scenarios being developed at TC Vilshofen with the help of msg services ag," says Stefan Anthuber, Operational Manager at TC Vilshofen. In addition, added value for teaching at the university is also conceivable, explains the Scientific Director of TC Vilshofen, Prof. Dr. Martin Schramm: "The Bachelor's degree course in Cyber Security, but also in other IT degree courses, could be enriched by insights into practice on the part of msg services ag."

Cooperation with industrial partners and the associated transfer of knowledge and technology to industry - but also vice versa - is a core task of the Technology Campuses at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). This also applies to the new TC Vilshofen, which is expected to officially launch in September 2022 with the topic of cyber security. The necessary networks are already being set up for this. The TC Vilshofen can also draw on contacts from the ProtectIT Institute at the DIT. In particular, small and medium-sized enterprises in the region are to benefit from the Technology Campus.

Data security is an absolute success factor of digitalisation. Without cyber security, not even a private laptop can be operated today. And certainly not Industry 4.0, autonomous driving or telemedicine. This is proven by the thousands of digital attacks on companies, public institutions and private individuals that happen every day. The goals of the research and project work at TC Vilshofen are to harden systems against attacks, to find anomalies and attacks in network traffic, and to develop the necessary response measures to IT security incidents.

At the start of the winter semester, the Host Family Programme of the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) enters the next round. The programme brings locals and students together to promote cultural exchange. Students and host families arrange to meet as often as they like within the framework of the programme for joint excursions, coffee and cake, games evenings or similar. Interested students can register now.

The Host Family Programme enables international students to make contacts outside the campus and to get to know the Bavarian culture and way of life better. Andrea Ebertseder from the Centre for International Affairs at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) establishes contact between students and host families. Previous experiences, such as that of Hashem Alshawabkeh, show that the programme is a complete success for both sides. He is an international student at ECRI and took part in the Host Family Programme last semester. The programme exceeded all his expectations and made the last few months as exciting and enjoyable as possible, he says. Through his host family, he not only learned about important cultural differences between Bavaria and his home country, but also visited some of the highlights of the region, such as the Whitsun race at the harness racing track or the jazz festival in Burghausen.

But not only the international students benefit from the exchange. The programme also offers many advantages to the host families. All the students speak English, but many can also speak German very well. This offers the perfect opportunity to speak English casually and thus deepen their vocabulary. In addition, they get to know the respective country of the students, its 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, please contact Andrea Ebertseder (andrea.ebertseder@th-deg.de) from the Centre for International Affairs at DIT/ECRI by email.

The Host Family Programme is a non-profit organisation at DIT that is dedicated to the integration of foreign students. At ECRI in Pfarrkirchen, the programme started for the first time in the winter semester 2019/20 with six host families and ten students.

After three semesters of distance learning, the start of the winter semester 2021/22 on Monday, 4 October was a welcome occasion for the students of the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) to come back to campus. A comprehensive programme was offered on site for the students present, while everyone else was able to attend the opening of the semester via live stream.

About 40 students came to be welcomed by Campus Director Prof. Dr. Horst Kunhardt and Dean Prof. Dr. Georg Christian Steckenbauer. The rest were connected online. Afterwards, the service facilities of the university were presented, the organisation of the courses was explained and the students were given techniques for self-management during their studies. Finally, the student association RESP e.V. took the attendees on a tour of the campus and showed them the labs, refectory, library and all the stations at ECRI that are relevant for the students.

In the afternoon, the students had the opportunity to exchange ideas with the heads of the degree programmes and to clarify important questions about the respective degree programmes at the World Café. At the end of the day, the students were invited to a small Welcome Back Party in front of the campus building. With music and free drinks, they had the opportunity to get to know their fellow students in a relaxed atmosphere and to exchange ideas before the start of lectures.

The International Office of the university had already made all the arrangements in advance to make the arrival in Germany and the start of the semester as pleasant as possible for the international students. For example, they receive intensive support in finding accommodation or with administrative tasks such as dealing with the authorities. For international students who first have to go into quarantine after arriving in Pfarrkirchen, there is a shopping service offered by the International Office. To support students, there are also international tutors who answer questions, help students and also organise events. Just in time for the start of the semester, they organised a get-together on Tuesday, 5 October to get to know each other. For students who have not yet made it to ECRI, this was also offered virtually.

In total, over 330 new students started their studies at ECRI at the start of the winter semester 2021/22. This brings the campus to over 1,050 students.

Lectures began at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) on 4 October. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the university was filled with life again for the first time on Monday. The new start on the Deggendorf campus was open and cheerful. The semester is planned with face-to-face classes for all students. The 3G rule and mandatory masks apply.

The picture on campus was dominated by the welcome programme for first-semester students. They gathered information from student clubs and departments of the university and got into conversation with each other. Interacting with them were first-semester mentors and students from higher semesters. The beautiful weather invited them to make use of the beach chairs that will acompany the campus for another two weeks. A big attraction was "Deggster", the university's new mascot, whom students showered with high fives and photo requests.

The new students were welcomed outdoors by Science Minister Bernd Sibler and University President Peter Sperber, among others. Sibler emphasised: "As Bavarian Minister of Science, I am very pleased to welcome you here at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology Institute of Technology on your Freshers' Day as you start a new and exciting phase of your lives. You have made an excellent choice with the Deggendorf Institute of Technology, because here the megatopics of the future - digitalisation, AI, care and computer science - are being tackled in a cleverly developed range of courses and with remarkable research projects. With our High-Tech Agenda Bavaria, we are making our universities throughout Bavaria fit for the future so that they can further expand their leading position in research and teaching. I am particularly pleased that you can start your studies in presence, because direct contact on site and personal exchange are indispensable, especially for you as first-year students."

To ensure that this face-to-face teaching remains, DIT currently applies the 3G rule and masks are compulsory in buildings and lecture halls. President Peter Sperber did not rule out the possibility of having to switch to a 2G rule in the course of the semester. He suggested taking advantage of the vaccination offer on campus. Those who wanted to could also get vaccinated directly. A vaccination bus came to the university for this purpose. The inspection service has also started work. Random samples are taken to check the 3G certificates.

On Friday, 8 October, the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) will host the Science Bench for the second time. Professor Dr. Michelle Cummings-Koether will take a seat on the Science Bench between 9 and 11 a.m. and exchange views with the public on the topic of "Intercultural Competence as the Key to Success?".

Science does not always have to take place in the lecture hall. That's why ECRI brings science outside with the Science Bench, more precisely to the town square in Pfarrkirchen. The topic of intercultural competence in particular is an area that is becoming increasingly important in a society characterised by diversity, globalisation and digitalisation. It is an area that affects everyone and can also harbour faux pas alongside opportunities.

Prof. Dr. Cummings-Koether is an interculturalist and deals extensively with intercultural management and communication in an international environment. This includes areas such as project management and leadership skills, as well as soft skills. These are not only important at work or in international negotiations, but can also make a difference at the regulars' table at home. Interested citizens can ask Prof. Dr. Cummings-Koether directly how exactly. During a little chat on the science bench.

Fundamentals of medicine, economics and society, statistics and data analysis. These are just some of the courses offered through the early study programme at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI). Pupils from the 10th grade onwards can register now and get a taste of university life.

All those who would like to attend lectures while still at school can choose between different subject areas and topics in the winter semester 2021/22. Lectures are offered in the fields of tourism, engineering and digital health.  In addition to the traditional lectures, the early study programme also offers general science electives (AWP), such as Business Storytelling. The lectures and AWPs all take place virtually and in the afternoon. Early students also have access to the entire range of courses offered by the virtual university of Bavaria (vhb). Via the vhb platform, they can also take courses, also from other universities, and complete them with a certificate.

An important prerequisite for early study is an interest in English, because the lectures at the international ECRI are all held in English. Those who take up this challenge can take an exam at the end of the semester. If you pass, the ECTS points (credit points in studies) you have earned can possibly be counted towards a later degree programme. If you realise that the effort is too great or that the subject is not right for you, you can easily withdraw at any time.

Registration for the early study programme is possible until Monday, 4 October, by contacting Andrea Ebertseder (andrea.ebertseder@th-deg.de or phone 0991/3615 8863). The early study programme is organised and supervised by the MINT team of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology. More information on the early study programme, the application process and the complete course programme can be found on the internet at www.th-deg.de/fruehstudium.

For the first time since the Corona pandemic, a large number of international exchange students have returned to campus at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). They are attending the orientation weeks to prepare for the start of their studies on 4 October. They are being looked after by the International Office team.

Almost 60 of 76 international exchange students who will be studying at DIT for the winter semester 2021/2022 were there. Some of them have been in quarantine for several days. Thanks to the university’s shopping service and welcome packages, however, they survived this well and are now looking forward to their first impressions in Deggendorf. Eight exchange students are completing their stay abroad at the European Campus Rottal-Inn in Pfarrkirchen. The international students, who are in Pfarrkirchen or had to start their semester abroad either in quarantine or from their home country due to the current entry regulations, will participate in the orientation weeks via live broadcast.

The screening of the award-winning film production "Neighbours" by students of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) continues. The second documentary about residents of the Deggendorf Anchor Centre will be presented for the first time on Tuesday, 5 October. Luise Kinseher, known as Mama Bavaria, will host the screening.

The project "Neighbours - Encounters with Residents of the Deggendorf Anchor Centre" was created through a cooperation between the Caritasverband für den Landkreis Deggendorf e.V. and  DIT. People from the facility told their stories, and students from the DIT documented them in professional video portraits. Under the direction of Prof. Jens Schanze, two films were made. The second part will now be shown for the first time. On Tuesday, 5 October 2021, 6 pm, the film presentation will take place in the Kapuzinerstadl Deggendorf, Maria Ward Platz 10. Admission is free. Registration via email to asyl@caritas-deggendorf.de is necessary. A 3G proof is also required.

At the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT), Dr Oliver Neumann will take over research and teaching in the field of technology management and management of technical projects from 1 October. New technologies and innovations drive science and business. For new ideas to be successful on the market, professional innovation and technology management is needed, which often goes hand in hand with the management of technology projects. At DIT as a research-strong university, where many current and highly relevant issues are dealt with, Oliver Neumann sees some points of contact from his 10 years of experience in industry.

"Technology and innovation projects are successful when the focus of all activities is the customer benefit and at the same time the technological feasibility and the economic viability of the technology or idea are considered in a balanced way," says the new DIT professor. Neumann has experienced what it means to take these three pillars into account in the project management of technologies and innovations as a project manager at the BMW Group in quality management and as a project manager at Robert Bosch GmbH in product development. Oliver Neumann started on the path towards technology and project management as a student. He studied technically oriented business administration in Stuttgart. This was followed by five years as an academic assistant and doctorate at the Chair of Organisation at the University of Stuttgart. Oliver Neumann's 15 years of experience in science and business now form the basis for the university professorship. He is particularly looking forward to working with students and colleagues in the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Industrial Engineering. The broad spectrum of competences at the faculty is the ideal breeding ground for looking at the same issues through different lenses and thus learning from each other. Neumann would like to concentrate the part of his working time that he will devote to research in the future particularly on Industry 4.0, combined hardware and software projects and the evaluation and measurement of the success of technology and innovation management with a focus on manufacturing companies. The research is to be application-oriented and state of the art. Privately, he spends the vast majority of his time with his wife and two children. Whenever possible, he tries to enjoy live music. Jogging is a particularly good way to clear his head for new ideas.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) has appointed Dr. Anke Hoffmann as a professor. The expert for innovative business models in retail and online trade comes to Deggendorf to teach Retail Management and Customer Relationship Management. Most recently, in her professional life, she has been working on digital transformation and the use of artificial intelligence in retail.

Anke Hoffmann was, among other things, Director of Strategic Marketing and Customer Management at Breuninger, Divisional Director of Marketing and E-Commerce at Görtz, and Head of Business Development at mytheresa.com. She had already decided on a career in science before her appointment to Deggendorf. She is transferring from the International School of Management to DIT. The combination of future-oriented teaching and research areas and a dynamically growing, internationally oriented university with a high reputation in such a dreamlike setting is unique, she explains her decision. For her area of research, she is looking forward to practical and application-oriented projects in a network of university and regional companies, especially on digitalisation, digital transformation and customer centricity. Both for this and for related topics such as Change Management or New Work, she could make a valuable contribution with her knowledge and experience.

Professor Hoffmann has recently completed her third studies. At the Ludwig-Maximilian-University in Munich, she complemented her diploma and doctorate in economics and marketing with a master’s degree in philosophy, politics and economics. She wants to approach her protégés at DIT with the still very fresh experience of being a student herself and with a high academic standard. One can expect from her a high degree of practical relevance and topicality, an active exchange and critical discourse at eye level.

On 13 and 14 September, the DACHS Symposium took place for the twelfth time – for the third time at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). At this international symposium, professors and lecturers of computer science, business informatics and other computer science-related courses of study meet. They exchange ideas to further develop their teaching content and get to know other pedagogical teaching concepts. Projects and questions of applied research also find their due place in the round. About 25 people took part in this year’s symposium, the majority on site in Deggendorf, the rest virtually. Prof Dr Johannes Grabmeier was responsible for the organisation. The DACHS Symposum is a joint initiative of the universities in Deggendorf in Germany (D), Hagenberg/Upper Austria (A), Biel in Switzerland (CH) and Ljubljana in Slovenia (S). The name DACHS was derived from the abbreviations of the four countries.

The spectrum of topics at this year’s conference ranged from concepts for programming education, creativity and problem-solving techniques in computer science studies, updating and interlocking a software technology teaching module, student participation in computer science education, further developments in logic programming, the presentation of new master’s degree programmes in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science and High Performance Computing / Quantum Computing at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology, teaching concepts in corona times, electronics testing and assessment instruments, through to research projects in AI-based researcher networking, graphics techniques, an energy data reallab, electricity charging optimisation for cars and information on the planned new technology campus in Vilshofen.

On several occasions, the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) has already brought scientists into conversation with citizens. Very simple, eye to eye. On a comfortable bench in front of the town hall. On the upcoming Friday, 17 September, it is time again. This time Anna Schmaus-Klughammer, research assistant and expert for telemedicine and global health at the DIT, will take a seat on the bench for chatting with people.

“Telemedicine – is it really necessary?”, one might ask. After all, what do you have a general practitioner for? “Yes, and yes”, Schmaus-Klughammer says. “Our health care is not only governed by personal and local factors, but also by national and even international ones.” Currently, the Corona pandemic makes this very clear to us. Especially patients with chronic diseases, e. g. rheumatism, had to face great challenges during the pandemic with all its dangers and social restrictions. They continuously have to check their health status, medication as well and its effect. “In fact, due to the pandemic, many more patients have actually used video consultation hours for their check-ups”, Schmaus-Klughammer reports. But other tele-health assistants such as apps or so-called wearables, which help patients check their current status regularly, are also said to be on the rise. “Health care”, according to Schmaus-Klughammer, is becoming increasingly digital. However, this does not mean that the virtual tools will replace general practitioners or specialists. On the contrary. It is about a reasonable and helpful extension of the patient service.

In fact, the DIT scientist even goes a great step further regarding this topic: “Of course, telemedicine not only simplifies health care for citizens in Deggendorf or Germany, but also worldwide.” Covid-19, for example, raises the question of how digitalisation in health care can ensure equity for all in the global distribution of vaccines. The security of our own society also depends on it. After all, it is a small wheel in a more or less entirely globalised system. For example, 90 percent of all industrial and consumer goods are transported from A to B via sea freight. Therefore, they are on the move worldwide. And Schmaus-Klughammer names another aspect which is far more direct for many citizens: “Many people long for being able to travel carefree to distant countries again. In turn, tourism is oftentimes the most important source of income in these countries.” Very frequently, the term ‘globalisation’ is used in a negative context, “but in the end, most of us will have to admit that they are quite globalised themselves”, says the DIT scientist. Those who engage in a conversation with Mrs. Schmaus-Klughammer on the Science Bench next Friday will learn how global digital health care is already being successfully practised today, using the examples of the ADAC and telemedicine. “These days, the topic of health requires much more far-sightedness. From the responsible institutions and also, undoubtedly, from individuals themselves”, says Schmaus-Klughammer. She is already looking forward to the Science Bench on 17 September. “I would like to meet as many citizens as possible, exchange views with them and answer their questions.” She is happy to share her knowledge, but she is also keen to learn more about people’s viewpoints on the street. And it is precisely this exchange, the friendly and open conversation on eye level, that is the aim of the DIT Science Bench.

Unpack your laptop and get started - working can be that easy. The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) provides five co-working spaces in the premises at ITC1, which can be rented free of charge. On 22 September at 4pm, the university will be offering a virtual information event on the subject.

"Our co-working space is open to all interested parties, regardless of whether they are employees, freelancers, founders or entrepreneurs," affirms Lisa Geib, Digitalisation Officer at DIT. Potential users do not have to have a connection to the university. Geib is sure that this offer will go down particularly well with home office users, commuters and all creative minds who want to benefit from on-site collaboration. The highlight: the rooms can be rented free of charge until the end of 2022 as part of the DIT project "Digitalisation in Dialogue".

"The first day is extremely easy," Geib knows, "pack up your laptop and get started on site." The space concept at ITC1 offers everything needed for creative work in a community: five well-equipped workstations, meeting and rest areas, flexibility and plenty of space for collaboration. Meeting rooms with video conferencing technology as well as telephone boxes are available. DIT co-workers also benefit from the direct connection to the Gründerzentrum für Digitalisierung Niederbayern (GZDN). There is still free capacity to get started at short notice. Anyone who would like to learn more about the DIT Co-Working Space is cordially invited to the virtual information event on 22 September at 4 pm. Registration for the event and further information on the topic at coworking@th-deg.de and at www.th-deg.de/en/business/coworking.

With the project "Digitalisation in Dialogue", DIT promotes the exchange between higher education institutions and business in relation to the topic of "digitalisation". The focus is on learning from each other, identifying market needs and future trends.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) has increased staff for teaching statistics. Prof. Dr. Stefan Hagl is now working full-time at the university. He is leaving the private sector and wants to concentrate on research in addition to teaching.

Stefan Hagl has been associated with DIT since 2005. First as a lecturer and since March 2012 as a part-time professor. He is pleased that from now on he can strengthen teaching in statistics and data analysis/data science as a full-time professor; both at the Faculty of Applied Economics and now at the Faculty of Applied Computer Science. Students often have a "barrier in their minds" when it comes to mathematical methods and applications. His goal is to make students understand the necessity and the fun of it. Stefan Hagl is sure that his experience as a data analyst at Acxiom Deutschland GmbH will help. Analysing data for customer-oriented marketing is the company's core business and Stefan Hagl's expertise; especially the statistical methods used for this. He worked at Acxiom from 2006 to 2021, most recently in a senior position for the EMEA region, i.e. Europe, Middle East and Africa. His wife and children fully support his decision to become a professor in his home region of Lower Bavaria. He finds compensation in extensive mountain and alpine tours, cycling tours and in the gym.

The start-up SEPP of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) wants to conquer the market of domestic vegetable cultivation next year. SEPP farming has the vision of cultivating self-sufficient gardens with the help of a robot. It is supposed to help with watering and weeding so that the dream of having one's own vegetable garden is no longer a question of time. The team still needs reinforcement in product development (focus on software). In particular, we are looking for a co-founder with project experience. The idea of the vegetable robot will be funded by the FLÜGGE programme starting this autumn, so that the team can grow. Anyone who would like to contact the start-up can do so by e-mailing Andreas Stockinger at andreas.stockinger@th-deg.de.

Over 1,000 pupils at 21 Lower Bavarian schools took part in Digimania+ over the past two years. The computer science workshop at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) received significant funding of almost 300,000 euros from the European Social Fund (ESF). Digimania+ is now presented as a success story on the ESF website. The funding will end in September, but the DIT will continue to offer computer science programmes for schools.

The Digimania+ computer science workshop was a complete success, as those responsible around Andrea Stelzl, head of the MINT team at DIT, are aware. Even at the beginning, the demand from schools was very high, the need could hardly be met, Anna Kaiser remembers. The project manager is particularly proud that over half of the participants were female. 18 DIT students from a wide range of disciplines worked on the project. They were able to acquire valuable basic pedagogical and didactic knowledge. Digimania+ consisted of three modules that were offered to entire classes from the eighth grade onwards. Besides practical programming, media didactics was also on the curriculum. The programme will not disappear in the drawers, the people in charge are sure of that. Rather, the individual elements will be incorporated into DIT's diverse range of offers for schools. "The high demand for our computer science workshop proves the role this component plays in our regional educational landscape," Anna Kaiser affirms. In addition, thanks to Corona, many new learning methods and competences have been acquired, courses have been digitalised and made sustainably available via platforms. They also want to pass on this expanded knowledge, whether virtually or in person.

On 21 September, the one-week intensive language courses at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) will start again. Once again, external students are welcome to improve their language skills or learn a completely new language, as there are still free places available for the courses!

Czech, Spanish, Italian, Chinese or English: the Deggendorf Institute of Technology offers beginner and advanced courses for many languages. As was the case last year, these take place mainly virtually and are supplemented by self-learning phases. Only the last day of the course, including the exam, takes place in presence at the campus in Deggendorf on 28 September. The course fee for pupils, trainees and students (also from other colleges and universities) is €39, for all other participants €120. The culmination of the language course is a final examination on the last day of the course, which, if passed, results in a certificate of proficiency.

Interested students can find the exact course programme 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 the DIT Language Centre: sprachenzentrum@th-deg.de.

In autumn 2019, the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) launched Germany's first Bachelor's degree programme in Artificial Intelligence (AI). After just under two years, Lucas Fobian is now Germany's first AI bachelor's graduate.

"AI experts are currently in high demand on the market," reports Prof. Dr. Patrick Glauner. He adds: "However, companies cannot wait three to four years for the first graduates." In addition to the regular start of the new degree programme, DIT therefore offered a one-time programme called "lateral entry". This enabled professionals with a technical degree or those who had changed their field of study to acquire AI skills in just two years. A concept that originated with the then and now retired programme coordinator Prof. Dr. Dr. Heribert Popp.

Lucas Fobian, now the first graduate, was immediately convinced: "During my studies in general computer science, I realised that I was particularly interested in the sub-field of AI. Fortunately, DIT offered lateral entry at exactly this time. This meant that large parts of my basic studies could be credited to me." He carried out his Bachelor's thesis in cooperation with the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office (BLKA). Here he developed an AI from the field of "predictive policing" to forecast residential burglaries. Prof. Glauner supervised this Bachelor's thesis and proudly reports: "The BLKA is very satisfied with the results. It has been confirmed that our AI graduates are excellently qualified for the implementation of AI applications." Currently, almost 15 more "lateral entrants" are working on their Bachelor's theses. They will complete their studies in the coming weeks and will then also be available to the labour market.

More information on the DIT's AI degree programmes can be found at www.th-deg.de/ai-en . If you have any questions about the AI degree programmes, please contact Prof. Glauner directly at patrick.glauner@th-deg.de. Applications for a place on the programme are still possible until 15 August.

Finally another celebration on campus. Last weekend, the graduates of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) said goodbye to their university. As you would expect, ceremonially with gown and hat. But outside, with distance and hygiene concept.

But the event was no less festive for that. Spread over three days, students who graduated between March 2020 and March 2021 could have the campus all to themselves. With a DJ, bars and food, seating and a special illumination, the campus was prepared especially for them. But first there was the presentation of the certificates, speeches and the honouring of a total of nine graduates for their theses. Everything was done virtually and in the presence of friends and family who could join in via stream. The most beautiful moment, the hat toss, then followed open air. A total of 450 graduates said goodbye. For the first time, students of the degree programmes in Business Psychology and Nursing Dual were also present. The graduation ceremony was planned and designed by the DIT Alumni Department in cooperation with the Master’s students in Media Technology and Production. Their motto: “Glow up with us!”

On Tuesday, 20 July, the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) was pleased to receive a donation from the Bezirksverband der niederbayerischen Sparkassen to the ECRI’s Support Association. This will enable the campus to support projects and students in an even more targeted way.

Campus Director Prof Dr Horst Kunhardt, together with Dean Prof Dr Georg Christian Steckenbauer and Coordinator Georg Riedl, welcomed the two representatives of the Bezirksverband der niederbayerischen Sparkassen at ECRI. As chairman of the Bezirksverband, District Administrator Michael Fahmüller came to the campus together with the chairman of the Sparkasse Rottal-Inn, Martin Ruhland. In their luggage they brought a donation cheque for € 2,500 for the ECRI support association.

After the welcome, the visitors were given a brief overview of what is happening on campus and an outlook on the coming months at ECRI. At the moment, lectures are still held online or hybrid, but ECRI is trying to quickly switch back to face-to-face teaching despite planning uncertainties. This plan met with great approval from everyone involved. As Ruhland emphasised, ECRI contributes to the local economy and thus to the future of the region with its international campus, for which he is very grateful. Fahmmüller, who as the chairman of the Bezirksverband has particularly supported the donation of € 2,500, once again emphasised the importance of the campus in terms of manpower and cultural life in the region.

The ECRI support association has been active in supporting students in recent months, despite Corona. For example, the association supported the graduation ceremony or helped students who were in distress due to the pandemic.

One of five specific pilot regions in Bavaria and Austria, Braunau-Simbach is a partner in the "INTERREG Project AB291". As part of the project, the region held a workshop with the aim of developing ideas and approaches for the health tourism use of forests in Braunau-Simbach. The lead partner is the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) in Pfarrkirchen.

As part of a joint workshop, the five-member project team together with Georg Bachleitner from the Braunau-Simbach city, tourism and location marketing invited several stakeholders and experts from the fields of "forest, health and tourism" to the Simbacher LOKschuppen on Wednesday, 21 July. In addition to some local guests from Braunau-Simbach, workshop participants from supra-regional project partners and institutions were also welcomed, such as the Bavarian State Ministry in Munich, the State Forests Wasserburg or the Office for Food, Agriculture and Forestry in Pfarrkirchen.

With their local know-how as well as their many years of competence and expertise, the participants make an indispensable contribution to the joint development of ideas and approaches on how forest spaces can be used for health tourism in the specific context of the Braunau-Simbach pilot region. The premise of all joint considerations and efforts is always to be able to create added value for local providers and stakeholders as well as visitors and guests without damaging natural resources.

In joint presentation and discussion rounds as well as in targeted group work on various project topics, the 17 workshop participants gathered important insights and assessments on possible target groups, forest-related offer possibilities or necessary structures and partnerships that are fundamental for a sustainable use of forests in the future. The workshop was hosted by Prof. Dr. Christian Steckenbauer, Dean of ECRI and experienced tourism expert.

The results of the workshop will be used to take a further step towards deriving specific offers for the Braunau-Simbach pilot region, but also to make them transferable and applicable to corresponding destinations together with findings from the other four pilot regions. Georg Bachleitner also sees this as an important step for the future: "The sustainable, health tourism use of forests, especially in regions for which forest use seems commonplace anyway, will be a future-oriented challenge for destinations".

In this ambitious project, an interdisciplinary, cross-border project consortium consisting of a total of 14 renowned partners is approaching the topic of "forest, health and tourism" from different angles and is jointly developing sustainable approaches in five selected pilot regions (in addition to Braunau-Simbach, also Tennengau, Bad Birnbach, Neureichenau, Traunsee-Almtal) as to how local forest areas can be used for health tourism and to create added value.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology is building a new technology transfer centre in Vilshofen: Today, the groundbreaking ceremony for the "Bavarian Centre for Digital Security" (BayZDS) took place with Minister of Science Bernd Sibler. The BayZDS sees itself as a point of contact for companies from all over Bavaria on issues of digital security in the fields of automotive technology, manufacturing technology and mechanical engineering, energy production and distribution, the process engineering industry, intelligent transport systems and medical technology. The focus of the work is on applied research, technology transfer and basic research. Science Minister Bernd Sibler emphasised: "With its focus on digital security, the BayZDS will deal with a highly topical and at the same time timeless subject. Because if we want to use digital technologies reliably, they absolutely have to be secure. With its tenth technology campus, the Deggendorf Institute of Technology is proving that it can not only develop cutting-edge technology, but is also very aware of the responsibility that comes with its use."

The Free State is funding the forward-looking project together with the town of Vilshofen: for example, the Free State is providing the start-up financing of just under 7.3 million euros via the Hightech Agenda Bayern, while the premises will be provided by the town of Vilshofen for the first five years. "We are investing in Vilshofen in one of the focal points for Bavaria as a business location," said Sibler. The technology campus in Vilshofen - and thus the tenth technology transfer centre of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology - is scheduled to go into operation in 2022. To date, the Deggendorf Institute of Technology operates the Technology Campus (TC) Freyung for applied computer science and bionics, the TC Teisnach for optoelectronics and optical manufacturing technology, as well as another TC for industrial sensor technology, the Technology User Centre Spiegelau for processing hot glass, the TC Cham for mechatronics, the Logistics Campus Grafenau, the TC Weissenburg for plastics technology, as well as the TC Parsberg for digital manufacturing together with the OTH Regensburg and the "Modern Mobility" research centre in Plattling. In addition, the Deggendorf Institute of Technology has set up another location in Hutthurm as a branch of the TC Weißenburg. Technology transfer centres of the Bavarian universities of applied sciences are an essential pillar of the successful Bavarian regionalisation strategy. Their research focus is aligned with the regional economic structure. Science and industry work closely together to develop technologies in an application-oriented manner, to facilitate access to them for regional companies and to facilitate contacts with students and thus future, highly qualified specialists.

On 29 July, the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) will once again come to town. On the bench at the Oberer Stadtplatz between the town hall and Pustet this time: the DIT expert for artificial intelligence (AI), Prof Dr Patrick Glauner. From 10.30 am to noon, he would like to talk to citizens about how data and its analysis are already changing our health care and will change it even more in the near future.

The complete mapping of an individual’s genetic make-up is no longer a big deal. You can already get the date for a few hundred euros. In a few years, experts say, they may be as normal as a complete blood count. So the door to individualised medicine is open. “The crucial thing, however, will be how we can use the data, for example from a personal genetic make-up, in an ethically sensible way,” says DIT professor Patrick Glauner. This requires the development of technologies such as artificial intelligence to be able to evaluate and interpret the enormous amounts of data. In addition, blockchain technologies to ensure the necessary data security and quantum computers to realise the necessary computing power. The market for the analysis of genetic data alone is expected to be worth $40 billion by 2030. Accordingly, research and work on this is being carried out at full speed worldwide. The first successes are already emerging in cancer therapy. Not only has the connection between certain genetic constellations and the development of cancer been proven, but also that with individually achieved treatment successes. In radiology and dermatology, AI has long provided valuable diagnostic support thanks to pattern recognition. "The concern that this technology will eventually replace real doctors is unfounded," says Glauner. Rather, the technology is an additional, data-based expertise. The analysis result of an AI, which can incorporate a virtually infinite amount of data into the evaluation, combined with the personal medical experience delivers the best possible treatment suggestion. "But in the end, it is always the human being, the doctor, who decides together with her patient," assures Glauner. Nothing will change in that regard. Of course, the topic of data processing in medicine also has a great ethical dimension. Citizens are welcome to talk to Glauner about this, too. An ethical dimension on two levels, by the way. On the individual level, it must be ensured that everyone can decide for themselves who gets access to personal data. Interesting at this point: In the US, there is already a business model of lending your data to universities or pharmaceutical companies. For a fee, of course. On the societal level, the question arises whether we shouldn't all make our data available to research in anonymised form - or even have to. Because it's clear: only when really large amounts of data, keyword Big Data, come together, does a picture emerge, an interpretation with a high degree of reliability. For the benefit of all those who suffer from incurable diseases today and cannot be cured due to a lack of understanding of these diseases. Many questions, then. Questions that move people. Not only computer scientists and doctors. "Some of them can certainly be answered at the DIT Science Bench," Patrick Glauner is sure.

The details and conditions of participation have now been announced for the previously announce “Anton Fink Science Prize for Artificial Intelligence (AI)”, which will be awarded for the first time by the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) in 2022. Individuals, start-ups, universities, research institutes, foundations or even companies can win. The prerequisites are ground-breaking achievements in the research, development or practical application of AI. The prize is endowed with €10,000.

“Industrial production and mechanical engineering are at the core of our prosperity,” says entrepreneur Anton Fink, explaining his personal motivation for offering this award. The first focus of the current call for entries is therefore also on AI applications related to Industry 4.0 topics. At the same time, Central Europe is increasingly on its way to becoming a service society. “Therefore, the second thematic focus of the current call is on AI applications in the area of Service 4.0,” says Fink. The award is intended to recognise and promote corresponding digital innovations. Applications with projects, research results or teaching offers are accepted from Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. The deadline for applications is 31 December 2021. Applications must include information on the projects, research results or teaching offers, a sketch of the innovation created by them and a CV of the applicant. Individuals aged 18 and over who are resident in Germany, Austria or the Czech Republic are eligible to apply. But also, groups or companies that have their headquarters in one of the countries mentioned. These must then appoint a natural person to make the application and take responsibility for it. Submissions are accepted in both German and English. Prof Dr Patrick Glauner, who is primarily responsible for the Science Award on the part of DIT, explains that the jury is commited to treat all information made available to it in the context of the competition as strictly confidential and will use it solely for the purpose of conducting the competition. “However,” Glauner explains, “we recommend that all participants secure any patent applications before publishing them as part of the competition.” This is because the presentation of the ideas or projects could eliminate novelty protection. The award ceremony is planned for Spring 2022. The jury includes Bavarian Science Minister Bernd Sibler and the founder Anton Fink himself.

Details on the call for entries are available at www.th-deg.de/ai-prize

Under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Thomas Spittler, the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) is breaking new ground in virtual teaching formats together with the Catalan University of Vic (UVic) in Spain.

Together with Juan Antonio De Los Cobos and Montse Romera Mas from UVic, Prof. Dr. Thomas Spittler and Anna Schmaus-Klughammer, LLB (hons.) from ECRI conducted a teaching project on e-health with students from Spain, Deggendorf and Pfarrkirchen. A total of 30 students from Nursing and Physiotherapy and Health Informatics took part in the project from home.

At the beginning, all relevant contents on e-health, serious games and gamification, law and ethics as well as robots in nursing were gone through. Afterwards, the students were given a concrete task to apply the knowledge they had learned in practice. In six internationally mixed teams, each consisting of equal numbers of students from Spain, Deggendorf and Pfarrkirchen, the students were to implement the use of gamification in a concrete example. The task was to support a patient with a new hip joint, who had to reactivate his motor skills after surgery, in his rehabilitation by playing games. For this, the students had to research to find out which measures are recommended after such an operation. Based on this, they had to find solutions on how to advance recovery with the help of gamification or a concrete game. Legal aspects and the question of whether results that the patient achieves in the game should also be recorded in the patient's electronic medical record and whether this makes sense or not were also important.

The students developed a wide variety of ideas and rehabilitation games during the project. For example, a virtual pet was created whose state of health adapts to that of the patient. If he achieves good results during the exercises because his condition improves, the virtual pet is also healthy and happy. If the patient regresses, the pet also shows a deterioration in health. Other ideas included the integration of artificial intelligence to optimise exercise progress and thus help the patient recover more quickly, but also the use of virtual reality elements and even a connection between the exercise bike and an app.

The positive feedback from students and teachers as well as the excellent international virtual collaboration rounded off the collaborative teaching project. With the success of the first collaboration in mind, the participants are already planning the next joint project.

If you're looking for inspiring and informative talks, you'll quickly find them on the internet at TED. The world-famous conference and the TED Talks provide the material that can be found on Youtube with millions of views. Such a TED Talk will also take place in Deggendorf on 7 August. It is the first major event for which the campus of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) will be open this year. Students have found ten speakers who will speak on the metaphorical topic "We build bridges".

They all follow the motto of TED: Ideas worth spreading - thoughts worth spreading. Most of the speakers will speak English. They are DIT employees, students, professors, CEOs and founders. They want to share their thoughts, ideas, experiences and visions in thematically colourful presentations. Technical, cultural, spiritual, educational, personal and physical aspects will be touched upon. The student association TEDxDIT is behind the event. The members are very keen to attract people from the region to their event. The detailed programme can be found at www.tedxdit.com. Tickets can also be purchased there. Pupils pay 7 euros, students 10 euros and adults 20 euros.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) received the news with great joy and relief that the Budget Committee of the Bavarian State Parliament has decided to grant a heritable building right to parts of the Metten Monastery. This was another important step for the planned expansion of the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences (AGW). In just a few years, up to 1,400 young people should be able to study in Metten on almost 5,000 square metres.

"It's wonderful," says DIT President Prof. Dr. Peter Sperber, "that the next milestone has now been reached with the support of Science Minister Sibler." The health science degree programmes are very popular, he said. New Bachelor's and Master's programmes are also being added all the time. "Space for students, teaching staff and AGW researchers in the Landau as well as in the DEGGs is becoming increasingly scarce," Sperber said. The goal of a joint campus for all health scientists in Metten is therefore more than desirable, he said. The sooner, the better.

Minister Sibler, who is not only responsible for science, but also for culture in Bavaria, points out another important aspect. In addition to the expansion of the university, he also wants to revitalise the historical building fabric of the important architectural monument of Metten Monastery. "The conversion and renovation represent a structural and economic solution that will ensure the permanent preservation of the historically significant building," says Sibler.

In 2022, the Technology Campus (TC) Vilshofen will become the 13th building block of the successful model of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) to regionalise research. The ProtectIT Institute, previously located at DIT, will find its new home there in the “Technology Transfer Centre for Digital Security”. The topics for scientists in Vilshofen: IT security, e.g. in automation technology, critical infrastructures, electronic systems in automobiles and avionics as well as so-called embedded systems. Projects already started will be continued at the new research location.

At regular and even shorter intervals, we hear about strategic hacker attacks in the media. They paralyse universities, hospitals, companies or authorities and take them hostage. The topic of cyber security, i.e. securing IT structures and organisational data, must therefore be at the top of the agenda in the age of digitalisation. “With the Technology Campus in Vilshofen, DIT,” says the future scientific director at the TC, Prof Dr Martin Schramm, “is expanding its research in an area that undoubtedly has the highest economic and social relevance.” There has also been a bachelor’s degree course in cyber security at DIT since the end of 2019.

One example of the future scientific work at TC Vilshofen is SKINET (Proactive Security through Artificial Intelligence in Automotive and Industrial IT Networks). The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and is based on cooperation with various industrial companies as well as other research institutions. The core idea of SKINET is the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to detect cyber threats at an early stage and to be able to initiate suitable countermeasures. Areas of application for the technology are vehicles and industrial production facilities, which are subject to ever-increasing networking. And are thus a potential target for attack by hackers. The improvement of detection and reaction mechanisms makes it possible to significantly optimise the security of networked systems.

Another project is called ASSiST, which is currently in the application phase. ASSiST is intended to support citizens in their private IT security. After all, defence against digital attacks is not only relevant for companies and states. With the increasing use of digital devices and one's own smart home, the risk of becoming a victim of cyberattacks is rising. Many are not directly aware of this risk. The evaluation and identification of certain risk indicators is intended to sustainably improve awareness of safe digital use. Among others, the city of Vilshofen is involved in this research project.

"Cooperation with regional and national partners promotes the transfer of knowledge and technology between research and industry. And we," explains Prof. Schramm, "as a university of applied sciences, have a particular obligation here." Direct cooperation with partners in the region will also take place within the framework of contract research, services and further education programmes. In addition to developing and implementing new research ideas.

The European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) offers with the newly launched Adult University all education-seeking adults the opportunity to listen to scientific lectures from research areas at DIT. The lecture “DeinHaus 4.0 – Länger Leben Zuhause mit Technikunterstützung” on 22 July will kick things off and is open to everyone interested.

Getting older catches up with us all at some point. Having to leave your own home because of it is a nightmare for most people. To counteract this in the future, DIT is looking at digital assistance systems and how they can make everyday life easier for seniors in the “DeinHaus 4.0” project funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of Health and Care. In a one-hour lecture as part of the Adult University, Prof Dr Horst Kunhardt will go into detail about the project and the individual aspects. Particularly exciting is how digital helpers can support the residents. Participants of the lecture at the Adult University will hear about the possibilities which already exist in this are, how “DeinHaus 4.0” is used in practice and which scientific findings are implemented in the project, and much more. Using the concrete example of “DeinHaus 4.0”, Prof Kunhardt will discuss the challenges of ageing and how they can be mastered with the help of science and digitalisation.

The lecture will take place on 22 July at 5 pm at the ECRI campus in Pfarrkirchen. Prior registration is necessary for participation. Interested parties can register, either by emailing andrea.ebertseder@th-deg.de or by calling Andrea Ebertseder at +49 991 3615 8863. On the day of the event, participants’ contact details will be recorded on site via the app “darfichrein” using a QR code. If needed, ECRI staff will assist with this step. Other requirements for participation are wearing an FFP2 mask and social distancing.

Five new and well-equipped co-working spaces have recently opened in Deggendorf’s ITC1. The special feature: the rooms can be rented free of charge until the end of 2022. The Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is making this offer as part of the Digitalisation in Dialogue” project. The co-working space is ideally suited as a home office, for freelancers, commuters or start-ups, for example.

The rooms can be rented as needed through the university. The space concept at ITC1 offers everything that makes co-working hearts beat faster. Anyone who wants to use one of the workstations only needs a laptop, mobile phone, pen and paper. Everything from desk chairs and Wi-Fi to lockers for personal belongings and a coffee kitchen is available. With additional video conferencing and meeting corners as well as creative spaces, the result is a comfortable working environment. Here, very different professions and personalities come together. Anyone who would like to find out more about the DIT co-working space can do so at a virtual information event on 21 July at 4pm. Registration is possible by e-mailing coworking@th-deg.de. Information can also be found online at https://www.th-deg.de/en/business/coworking.

The first East Bavarian STEM Days took place online on 2 and 3 July and were full of educational content and many personalities active in the STEM field. Mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology (STEM) are the subjects that are considered to have great future potential when it comes to finding skilled workers for the German economy. That’s why it’s important to get young people excited about these subjects. STEM education is a big topic. At the East Bavarian STEM Days there were many impulses to strive for a STEM career. Whether in the STEM talk, in lectures on topics such as quantum computing or the report on the career path of a NASA employee.

Under the patronage of regioFORSCHA and the Deggendorf Insitute of Technology (DIT) and the STEM Region of Lower Bavaria as organisers, other universities and STEM stakeholders have joined forces for the East Bavarian STEM Days. They wanted to make their commitment to STEM more understandable, to immerse themselves in topics in a concrete way and to inspire the audience. They found interested spectators in around 500 pupils, teachers, parents, grandparents and other interested people.

On Friday morning, some school classes even used the programme to enrich their lessons from grades 5 to 11. A programme highlight on Saturday morning was the STEM Talk with Science Minister Sibler, DIT President Peter Sperber, Petra Griebel from regioFORSCHA, Dr Monika Christl from Jugend forscht, Waltraud Erndl in her function as spokesperson for the Association of German Secondary School Teachers and Andrea Stelzl from DIT, Universities are an important partner in STEM education, said Minister Sibler. Good framework conditions are needed to get schoolchildren interested in STEM subjects. Extracurricular activities are also important to prepare the young generation for increasing digitalisation. Petra Griebl and Waltraud Erndl agreed that a close network to and among STEM stakeholders would be helpful. What the STEM Days offer is exemplary, Monika Christl emphasised, and the most important thing is to maintain curiosity, ask the “why” questions and make use of offers such as the East Bavarian STEM Days, was Prof Dr Peter Sperber’s appeal at the end of the talk.

The current programme of the STEM team at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology can be found online at https://th-deg.de/en/study-with-us/dit-at-schools#network. The next big event is the regioFORSCHA on 15 and 16 July 2022 in the Deggendorf Stadthallen.

The last days of the application period at the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) are approaching. Prospective students still have time until 15 July to apply for a place in the coming winter semester.

The international campus offers a total of seven study programmes in the fields of tourism management, medical informatics and engineering. A special focus of ECRI is the Bachelor’s programme International Tourism Management / Health and Medical Tourism, which was awarded the ESPA Innovation Award by the European Spa Association (ESPA). Students learn about the specifics of business and tourism in this degree programme. In addition, key qualifications, implementation skills and the ability to innovate are developed. Students here have their fingers on the pulse of time and also get to the bottom of current trends from the scientific side in the modern and high-quality equipped eHealth and Smart Tourism Labs. The main focus lies on innovations such as artificial intelligence or eye tracking, which are increasingly being used in the tourism sector, especially in health and medical tourism.

For those who prefer to study computer science or technology, the bachelor’s degree programmes in Health Informatics, Industrial Engineering or Energy Systems Engineering are the right choice. For those interested in a Master’s degree, ECRI offers the study programmes Digital Health, Medical Informatics and Global Public Health. The latter is particularly exciting as it is a joint degree together with the Savonia University of Applied Sciences in Finland.

With English as teaching language, ECRI is the only completely English-speaking campus in all of Bavaria. This makes studying at ECRI in Pfarrkirchen particularly attractive for internationally oriented prospective students. Prospective students can find out all about the degree programmes and how to apply on the ECRI website: https://th-deg.de/ecri-en.

No topic is discussed more emotionally than climate change. While almost 90% of Germans agree in principle with the increased use of green energies, it becomes more critical when this is going to happen at their own doorstep. This absolutely has to be resolved by politics and science.

The East Bavarian university network TRIO is trying to do this in the first week of July with an unusual campaign. Five scientists will sit on a bench in five different cities, the so-called “Science Bench”. In Amberg, Deggendorf, Landshut, Passau and Regensburg – in the middle of the city. Anyone who wants to can sit down and chat with our scientists for a little while. They can talk about wind turbines, smart grids, electromobility, rural development, digitalisation, healthcare, or ideas and concerns related more closely or more broadly to the energy transition. Prof Dr Thomas Sauer, Scientific Director of TRIO, says: “On the one hand, with TRIO we want to intensify the exchange between the eastern Bavarian universities and the economy, but above all we also want to get in touch with the people in our region and make it understandable what is happening at the universities and colleges. That is precisely the goal of the Science Bench campaign. Here, researchers and interested citizens can meet and discuss in a very informal way.”

Climate change is, of course, only superficially a purely ecological issue. After all, the various approaches to solve the problem of minimising our CO2 footprint as quickly and sustainably as possible extend into all areas of life. And they will stop at no one. “Our researchers are keen for people to understand what options are available, where we stand, how things are connected and, above all, what all this means for them,” says Dr Jörg Kunz, responsible for science communication at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology and coordinator of the TRIO-Science-Bench campaign. That’s why you go to the city. To exchange ideas at eye level. “We want a dialogue,” Kunz continues, “we don’t want a lecture on the marketplace, but also to record what moves people and what ideas they have for a better world.”

The Science Bench is a communication format that goes back to an idea of Prof Katja Becker, President of the German Research Foundation. The charm of this kind of science communication lies in the personal closeness that is created between people on the street and researchers. Of course, you only reach a handful of people this way. But they are different from those who visit an Open Day or a Long Night of Science, for example. We speak of “passive supporters”, who generally do not take advantage of such offers by colleges and universities, but without having a negative attitude towards science. “It is estimated that about half of the people belong to this group,” Kunz report. He says that science has recognised that much more integration and participation of the population is needed. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research is therefore also focusing on participatory science communication projects in the Year of Science 2022. Under the motto “Nachgefragt!”  Kunz is pleased about this development: “With the Science Bench, we in Eastern Bavaria have already gone one step ahead, so to speak. But the nice thing is, there’s more to come.”

The International Office of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) traditionally organises the International Week every year. The highlight of the week was the virtual event "Taste the World", where international students cooked their favourite dishes from their home countries.

Virtual events are currently on the increase and participants are often already tired of sitting in front of screens. However, the opposite was the case at the first virtual format "Taste the World" organised by DIT's International Office. Participants were given a "Taste the World - to go box", which they could pick up in advance at one of the many DIT locations. The fact that the participants came not only from Deggendorf, but from the locations in Pfarrkirchen, Cham and the total of 12 Technology Campuses shows that food connects people like no other medium.

"Taste the World" offers a somewhat different journeys around the world, which not only makes foreign countries tangible, but also offers a first taste, and that in the truest sense of the word. This year, the event featured three courses from two continents. The starter was "Bread Upma", an Indian speciality.This is a bread with flavourful spices, herbs and tomatoes. The main course came from South Korea. "Kimbap" - a Korean sushi roll. Finally, "Baghrir", a traditional North African pancake made of semolina, was cooked, which is also a popular dessert in Morocco. Everything was prepared by the students at home. Via zoom, the participants could also recreate the dishes in their own homes with the ingredients from the "Taste the World - to go box".

Previously, the event was always held on site at the campus in Deggendorf, but that was not possible this year. Therefore, the idea of the boxes and the transmission via Zoom came up, which in the end hit like a bomb. The consistently positive feedback from the participants and the fact that the offer was equally well received at all DIT locations underline the unifying character of cooking and feasting together. Not only students and staff took part in the first virtual "Taste the World", but DIT President Prof Dr Peter Sperber also cooked at home himself. The student assistants, who prepared the boxes and then distributed them to the respective locations, ensured that everything ran smoothly in the run-up to the event. Due to the great response and the consistently successful event, the International Office is considering offering "Taste the World" again on campus in the future, but also as a virtual format.

During the International Week from 21 to 25 June, numerous other events were offered in addition to cooking together at "Taste the World". For example, there were various information events about semesters abroad and internships, or the traditional Erzählcafé/KULTURcafé, where international students reported on their home countries, this time about celebrities in the various countries. The international tutors and the student association ESN were also actively involved in the International Week. They helped organise quiz and game nights. The Bavarian Crash Course, which taught international students about Bavarian culture and language, was very popular.

The International Office looks back on an informative and entertaining International Week, which not only united people from different countries and cultures, but also the university family across campuses.

The second edition of the international WURI ranking (World's Universities with Real Impact) also certifies that our university is among the best in the world. Overall, the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) occupies an outstanding 29th place in the global comparison. In the category “entrepreneurial spirit”, DIT even managed to position itself among the top ten in an excellent fifth place. In terms of crisis management, the Lower Bavarian university also made it into the top ten with seventh place. And was able to compete with the big names of the international academic landscape. The results of this year's WURI ranking were presented in mid-June.

"We are listed after Princeton but ahead of Berkeley in the category ‘entrepreneurial spirit’. I am immensely pleased about that. The WURI ranking shows that the small ones can definitely keep up with the big ones when it comes to innovative and creative approaches," says the President of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology, Prof. Dr. Peter Sperber, happily. Academic institutions apply for the new ranking with their programmes and projects. This year, entries were accepted in the categories of Industrial Application, Entrepreneurial Spirit, Ethical Value, Student Mobility and Openness and Crisis Management. In addition to entrepreneurship and crisis management, the Deggendorf University of Applied Sciences applied in the category of Industrial Application and took a very good 29th place there. The programmes are judged on how innovative, feasible and effective they are. In this way, the WURI ranking aims to establish a new approach. Smaller, young and specialised universities have the same chances here as the large and established universities. In addition, all participating institutions are invited to participate in the evaluation process. They assess the contributions of the other universities and colleges, which in turn can lead to new impulses at their own university. The WURI ranking is organised by the Institute for Policy and Strategy on National Competitiveness (IPSNC) in South Korea and is supported by the Hanseatic League of Universities (HLU) in the Netherlands, the Institute for Industrial Policy Studies (IPS) in Seoul, the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) in Geneva and the Tailor Institute of Franklin University (FUS) in Lugano. The results are available on the internet at https://www.wuri.world/wuri-ranking-2021.

The Corona pandemic has demonstrated the challenges that global health problems can bring. In order to be able to cope with such problems in the long term, it is necessary to approach them from an international perspective of digital health. That is why the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) is offering a virtual workshop series with international experts from the healthcare industry in the run-up to DigiHealthDay-2021. The English-language workshops are free of charge. Those interested can now register at www.th-deg.de/digihealthday.

ECRI offers a total of five workshops on the topic of Digital Health in the DigiHealthDay-2021 series until mid-July. These are carried out by internationally recognised experts from Germany, the United Kingdom, India and the USA. These workshops will focus on patient safety in the context of digital health products, how radiology images can provide business insights, the importance of high-quality health data and its trusted use for health systems learning, artificial intelligence and big data analysis in healthcare, and the need for a telehealth accreditation program.

The virtual workshops are the prelude to DigiHealthDay-2021, an international online symposium, which will take place virtually on 12 November 2021. The events are aimed at everyone who is interested in digital health, whether academics, healthcare institutions, companies and start-ups, authorities or students. Further information about the event can be found on the homepage at www.th-deg.de/digihealthday.

The most important prize for foreign students at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) was awarded by university president Prof Dr Peter Sperber on 10 June 2021. This year the award goes to Daniel Rodriguez Perales, who comes from Mexico. He is being honoured for successful academic achievements and voluntary commitment at DIT. The prize of the German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst = DAAD) is endowed with € 1,000.

The DAAD prize, which has been awarded for more than ten years, is intended to help put faces to the large numbers of international students at German universities and to connect them with stories. Daniel Rodriguez Perales’ story begins with his visit to a German school in Mexico. He has had contact with German culture and language since childhood. Especially during several visits on school exchange. Studying in Germany has been his wish ever since. With the start of the Bachelor’s programme “International Tourism Management / Health and Medical Tourism” at the European Campus Rottal-Inn, this wish came true. Due to his commitment in student associations, as a tutor for international students and for an aid project for students in difficult situations, he has become this year’s recipient of the DAAD award. In the meantime, he is in the final phase of this studies and can very well imagine staying in Germany for a subsequent Master’s degree and later working in the health industry. Daniel Rodriguez Perales would like to use the € 1,000 for his Master’s degree. The next DAAD prize will be awarded in summer 2022.

For many young people from the region, the time has come to set the course for their studies. It is application time at the universities of applied sciences in Bavaria and thus a peak period for the counselling centres there. In this context, the Centre for Studies at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) is offering a study information day on 18 June. Pupils and prospective students will be able to find out everything they need to know about studying and higher education. For all those who have already applied, DIT wants to provide decision-making aids for starting their studies. The ViSIT Students’ Info Day takes place online.

The ViSIT will focus on DIT’s Bachelor’s programmes. Professors, lecturers and students will present the degree programmes or give lectures on them. The audience can ask questions at any time. There will be a broad advisory and support programme on the subjects of studies, orientation studies, dual studies and semesters and internships abroad. There will also be the opportunity to take part in a study orientation workshop.

So that every participant can quickly identify the relevant topics and put together their personal programme, the events of the faculties are assigned to five topic clusters: Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Health and English Language Programmes. In order to offer interested parties as many options as possible, all faculties will present their programmes twice at different times. More information is available at https://th-deg.de/en/virtual-info-day.

The Centre for Studies at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology is the general advisory service for prospective students. The staff provide independent advice; their work focuses on the interests, goals, perspectives and questions of prospective students. The Centre for Studies offers a broad support programme for students, teachers and parents. This includes, among other things, information and advice on the choice of study with targeted assistance, even with very comprehensive questions, through orienting and decision-supporting individual counselling, information events, webinars and lectures at schools. Contact: Alexandra Niewöhner, Head of the Centre for Studies, alexandra.niewoehner@th-deg.de, +49 991 3615 373

In the presence of Bernd Sibler, Minister of State for Science and the Arts, and Vice President Prof. Waldemar Berg, University President Prof. Dr. Peter Sperber transferred the position of Chancellor of the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) to Birgit Augustin today. Together with Dr Stefanie Duarte-Fernades as deputy chancellor, Augustin will be in charge of the administration at DIT from 1 June. She has already been responsible for this task on an interim basis since January 2021.

"I am very happy we were able to win over Ms Augustin as a long-time employee and intimate connoisseur of our university for the important function of chancellor," said DIT President Sperber in high spirits. Sperber was equally pleased with the choice of Duarte-Fernandes as deputy chancellor. With the female dual leadership of Augustin/Duarte-Fernandes, DIT has now excellent leaders in the administrative management. The extra diversity in the university management is also very welcome. Minister of State Bernd Sibler sees it the same way. As it is well known, he wants to promote the advancement of women at universities in the Free State. Especially in research, but not only there. "In order to develop the full potential of our universities, we need highly qualified women - both in research and teaching as well as in administration. I am very pleased that the office of Chancellor at DIT is now in the hands of Birgit Augustin, who has been very familiar with the university for years. With her and her deputy, there are now two women in the strong management team at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology. This makes the university exemplary - as in many other areas. On the part of the Free State, we want to promote the advancement of women even further with our new Higher Education Innovation Act," said the Minister.

In her new task, Augustin, who was born in Mettingen, wants above all to be an integrative link in the field of tension between academic freedom and state authority. "That," says Augustin, "is not always easy, given all the legal framework conditions that have been set and must be observed." The biggest challenge in the next few years will be the implementation of the Higher Education Innovation Act (HIG). Its goal is a considerable streamlining and deregulation of the universities in Bavaria. "Even though we don't yet know exactly what the HIG will look like in the end," Augustin explained, "one of our main tasks will be to guide our colleagues at DIT along the new path and to create appropriate structures." The change, she said, must take place not only in laws and position papers, but also in the minds of university employees. With Dr. Duarte-Fernandes, Augustin knows she has a competent and pragmatic colleague at her side. The lawyer has been at DIT since 1 February 2020 and heads the Legal Affairs and Real Estate Department.

The pandemic has opened up another field that is currently changing the work at the university in a lasting way. "We have learned that both teaching and office work do not require a one hundred percent presence at the DIT," says the new chancellor. Hybrid forms of teaching and working are the future. For this, she says, it is necessary to design functioning models that will also contribute to a better work-life balance for employees. And at least in the university administrations, digitalisation is to be vigorously promoted. Augustin says: "In just a few years, our previously paper-based way of working should be history. We will develop a largely paperless office."

It remains to be seen how much time Birgit Augustin will have for her hobbies nature and sports. But the 51-year-old is positive: "The most important thing is health. Then all challenges are manageable. In dealing with each other, Augustin wishes for what the philosopher Reinhold Niebuhr once so aptly formulated: "I wish for the serenity to accept things I cannot change; the courage to change things I can; and the wisdom to distinguish one from the other."

On the occasion of the first anniversary of the cooperation between the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) and the FOSBOS Pfarrkirchen, Campus director Prof Dr Horst Kunhardt and Headmaster OStD Wolfgang Schneider met for an exchange. At the meeting, they reflected on the implementation of the goals set out in the cooperation agreement, summed it up and worked out further possibilities for cooperation.

Originally, attendance events were planned within the cooperation, such as mutual observation by teachers and lecturers, as well as cultural events. Since these cannot take place due to the prevailing pandemic, the meeting focused on the time after Corona. Headmaster Schneider and Campus director Kunhardt pushed for joint projects such as a poetry slam, language events or taster and trial lectures. After the pandemic, these are to become a permanent part of the cooperation and established as regular measures. Both partners are already looking forward to even more intensive cooperation.

The cooperation between ECRI and FOSBOS is intended to promote pupils and students in the STEM field. In addition, the cooperation between the two institutions will intensified and promoted in educational and professional terms. Intercultural exchange and the improvement of foreign language skills is an important goal of the cooperation agreement, along with the reduction of the “dropout rate” in the degree programmes.

OStD Schneider expressed his gratitude at the meeting for the uncomplicated, friendly interaction. Thanks to the use of the lecture rooms at ECRI, the FOSBOS classes could be held smoothly even during the pandemic.

People want to stay healthy and active into old age, which brings with it increased illnesses for which we need an answer. This requires digital transformation in the healthcare system to bring prevention, diagnosis and treatment into harmony. Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a central role here, because more and more data is being collected and generated in the healthcare system. The problem: these have to be evaluated and put into context. AI can help with this. This is exactly what the new OPENvhb course "Health Data Analytics" by Prof. Dr. Thomas Spittler of the European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) is about.

The course is the perfect introduction to the topic of data processing in the health sector. Here, prospective students and those interested in the subject from business and the health sector learn the basics of data analytics. Specifically, it is about the possibilities of what AI can do with data from the healthcare sector and how it can be used for prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Prospective students can familiarise themselves with the topic and find out whether studying health informatics at ECRI is an option for them.

In the English-language online course "Health Data Analytics", participants learn everything about data analytics in the health sector in 15 units of 45 minutes each and are rewarded at the end with a certificate of participation issued by the virtual university of Bavaria (vhb) and the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). Course contents include the analysis of different types and sources of health data, the evaluation of the quality of these data and appropriate interpretations of the meaning depending on the data source and intended use. However, ethical considerations and challenges in health data analysis are also covered in the course.

The course is free of charge and open to all interested parties. Enrolment takes place via the vhb platform. For more information and registration: https://open.vhb.org/blocks/ildmetaselect/detailpage.php?id=235

The European Campus Rottal-Inn (ECRI) has signed a partnership agreement with Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, Inc. (HIMSS), the world’s largest Digital Health membership organization. The ECRI is the first academic institution in Germany to join the HIMSS Partner Innovation Exchange.

The cooperation with HIMSS is a huge step for the campus and offers several benefits for students, professors and staff of the ECRI. This includes free access to unlimited tools, resources, webinars and more at the HIMSS Member Center. Especially for students of Health Informatics, Digital Health or Global Public Health this is a valuable advantage and they also profit from the cooperation for their studies.

By signing the partnership agreement ECRI also became the first academic institution in Germany to join the HIMSS Partner Innovation Exchange. This is an initiative to convene key digital health influencers to further the organization’s mission to transform the health ecosystem through information and technology. The HIMSS Partner Innovation Exchange promotes a mutually beneficial collaboration for applicable benefits and services including also educational opportunities among others. For ECRI this is particularly important in regards to the DigiHealthDay series and its promotion among relevant audiences.

HIMSS is a trusted coach, advisor and thought leader in health information and technology. It is the largest Digital Health membership organisation in the world encompassing more than 80.000 global individual members, 650 corporate members, and over 470 non-profit organizations. It is a one-stop-organisation for all Digital Health-related information, knowledge and advice, and offers an unrivalled perspective on what’s happening in the world of health and care IT.

The Deggendorf Institute of Technolgoy (DIT) applied for the International Regensburg Short Film Week with several student works from the Media Technology course programme. Four films were successful and will now be shown online form 21 May to 6 June.

For the young filmmakers at DIT, this event is a big deal and of course they all have the desire to reach as many viewers as possible. In the regional window programme section, the regional film scene shows itself to be diverse and offers something for every taste. DIT productions are the short films “2100”, “Rotlicht” and “Wahlkampf”. The film “Accept”, which has already won international awards, will be screened from 22 May in the Donaublut programme section, which is dedicated to genre contributions from the region. Tickets for online access to the festival are available at https://kurzfilmwoche.filmchief.com/hub.

Film descriptions:

2100: Director: Lea Blöchinger, Cinematographer: Moritz Grötsch, VFX: Alexander Steil, Script: Regina Portje, Sound: Tim Miller, Editing: Lukas Haselberger, Kammerspiel, 5 min, Masterseminar "Kurzfilm", Supervision: Prof. Jens Schanze

In the year 2100, war and destruction reign. Nikita lives isolated in a bunker. In a video message she asks why no one has done anything about the foreseeable catastrophe.

Rotlicht: Director: Julia Meinhardt, Animation, 3 min, Supervision: Prof. Joerg Maxzin

One night, a little red light leaves her "workplace" to go in search of love. During her journey she encounters some problems...

Wahlkampf: directed by students of the elective subject documentary, documentary film, 20 min, supervised by: Prof. Jens Schanze

Five men are running for the office of Lord Mayor of the city of Deggendorf. The CSU wants to defend not only the office but also the absolute majority in the city council. While the SPD is foregoing its own candidate, the AfD is putting one up for the first time. What dynamics are emerging in a community of 30,000 inhabitants in eastern Bavaria?

Accept: Director: Manuel Klavers, Camera: Maximilian Stahl, Set Sound/Sound Design/Mixing: Paul Bickhoff, Mystery Drama, 18 min, Bachelor Thesis, Supervision: Prof. Jens Schanze

After the death of her father, a girl has to hide her true self in order to lead a normal life with her family. When she is pursued by threatening figures, she has to face her fears and accept herself.

In a new project, researchers at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) have been pursuing the idea of equipping charging points for electronic vehicles with multi-functional features and generating added value for users, cities, municipalities and operators. Classic charging stations for electronic cars are now often seen in public areas/ parking lots. They are accessible to everyone. Simply plug in your car, pay and charge or refuel. Theoretically, however, charging points could be equipped with many more functions than just charging. This is being investigated in the project entitled “CrossChargePoint”, which is assigned to the Technology Campus Freyung.

For example, additional energy storage facilities could be created where charging points are installed. This would result in many advantages: Fluctuating demands on the local power grid could be better absorbed. The rapid and simultaneous charging of several electronic vehicles is possible. Or the energy is converted by electrolysis and power-to-gas so that gas- or hydrogen-powered cars can also be refuelled. In the “CrossChargePoint” project, the special requirements of different regions due to different geographical, climatic and economic conditions are taken into account. This and the development of a prototype that should be applicable on a larger scale in the future with only a few adjustments is the main challenge of the project. Ten partners from four different countries have joined forces for the project. Experts from Israel, Austria, Germany and Switzerland, from various companies and research institutes will work together over the next three years to develop this electromobility project. The team from Freyung is responsible for developing the simulation and planning software. For the planning and operation of a CrossChargePoint, conditions are collected and integrated into the simulation and optimisation tool, which specifies the optimal locations, sizes and technologies – such as an energy management system – for new CrossChargePoints by entering the required data. A special focus is also on developing a plan to enable easy energy transfer to other regions with different economic, infrastructural and geographical conditions. For the team at the Technology Campus Freyung, this project led by Professor Dr Javier Valdes offers a great opportunity to advance topics that have already been worked on in the transport and energy sectors in recent years. For this purpose, Professor Dr Wolfgang Dorner, the head of the Technology Campus Freyung has built up a team with extensive experience through the development of projects such as Increase, Cross Energy or e-Road. The project is funded by the Horizon 2020 programme of the European Union.

Tamas Nemes attends the grammar school of the Regensburger Domspatzen. The 17-year-old is interested in studying Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT). That’s why he is currently taking the course Algorithms and Data structures in the so-called early studies programme there.

“In order to better understand the algorithms underlying AI, I started an early study programme in March,” Nemes reports. The secondary school student benefits from this special offer at DIT for pupils: “The lectures are highly interesting. And working independently on the associated tasks is a lot of fun for me.” Previous knowledge of computer science was not required for participation. The 16-year-old pupil Anna Daiser is also convinced by the early study programme. The early study programmes was introduced for highly talented pupils in high school. While they are studying for their A-levels, they can already participate in University lectures in different study fields. She appreciates that the lectures are well structured and that “the content is conveyed in an understandable way.” Digital teaching has also opened up completely new possibilities for the early study programme, reports lecturer Prof Dr Patrick Glauner: “My course is now taken by interested people from all over Germany. We couldn’t reach them at all before.” Another example is Christian Normann, who did the early study course from his home in Rheinland-Pfalz. He describes his experience as follows: “Last semester I had taken the Computer Vision course. The accompanying robotics project was very educational and I enjoyed it a lot.” Incidentally, the application deadline for the winter semester 2021/2022 at DIT is currently open, until 15 July. From 1 October, prospective students such as Nemes, Daiser or Normann will be able to train as AI experts in seven semesters. For this purpose, DIT offers an AI Bachelor’s programme, optionally in German or English. Participants in the DIT early study programme will then have a good idea of what to expect at the university. Enquiries about early study can be directed to the DIT STEM team at fruehstudium@th-deg.de. More information on the AI degree programmes can be found at www.th-deg.de/en/ai. If you have any questions about the AI degree programmes, Prof Glauner will also be happy to answer them directly at patrick.glauner@th-deg.de or +49 991 3615 453.

Next year, the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT) will award the “Anton Fink Science Prize for Artificial Intelligence” in the amount of € 10,000 for the first time. This is the highest amount of an award that DIT has presented in the past. As the name suggests, the new “Anton Fink Science Award for Artificial Intelligence” is intended to contribute to strengthening teaching, research and development explicitly in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). On 18 May, founder and DIT Honorary Senator Anton Fink made the agreement official with his signature on the cooperation agreement.

As a pioneer in the university landscape when it comes to AI, the DIT can use this award to strengthen, the region in this promising field in parallel to successful initiatives such as the AI Campus Bavaria. Founder Anton Fink has been associated with DIT for many years and would like to see many applications for the science award. The topic of AI fascinates him and he wants to support DIT in a meaningful way. For DIT President Sperber, the advantages are obvious: such a prize will make DIT better known as an institution in the AI scene. In addition, important contacts will be made from which the university will benefit. The prize will be announced for the first time at the end of the year, around October or November 2021. Applications will be accepted from Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. The jury consists of DIT professors Prof Dr Dr Heribert Popp and Prof Dr Patrick Glauner, DIT President Prof Dr Peter Sperber, from Austria FH Prof DI Dr Stefan Huber, from the Czech Republic Assoc. Prof Ivo Bukovsky, PhD and Minister of Science Bernd Sibler. The award will be presented in spring 2022 and is to be continued annually.