Communications and Marketing
"Success story and potential for the region" - H-BRS celebrates its 30th anniversary
"A strong sense of community and the firm will to make a difference by working together with others were and still are the guiding principles that have driven us," said University President Marion Halfmann at the ceremony in the packed Audimax. A lot has changed since the H-BRS was founded as part of the Berlin-Bonn equalisation scheme. in 1995, a total of 60 students started the Business degree programme in temporary facilities at the Sankt Augustin and Rheinbach campuses. In the following years, the range of courses was quickly expanded: computer science, chemistry, materials technology, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and technical journalism were soon added, and the third university location was later established in Hennef with the social insurance degree programme. Today, a total of 9,000 students are enrolled and there are around 40 degree programmes. H-BRS is practice-orientated, strong in research, currently has more than 100 doctoral students and is one of the third most well-funded universities in NRW. It has an international character and has more than 90 partner universities worldwide.
Röttgen: We, the people in the region, are really proud of you
The speech was given by local member of the Bundestag Norbert Röttgen. The CDU politician said that a special week lay behind him. A chancellor was elected on Tuesday and a pope was elected on Thursday, which came as a complete surprise. "And on Friday, we are celebrating 30 years of Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg. That's a dramatisation that is sensational." Röttgen has closely followed the founding and development of the university, having been a member of the Bundestag for about as long as the university has been in existence. "Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg is a unique success story," he said. "It represents potential for the entire region and beyond. And that is why I would like to congratulate you most sincerely on behalf of the population. We, the people in the region, are really proud of you." When the university was founded, it was the right idea to invest in the region's potential and to see science as the basis for educating people. After all, the most important resource was, is and always will be the individual. This idea has been realised with the H-BRS and is an example of public structural policy. At the same time, the university is always aware of its social responsibility in addition to its technical expertise. "I have every confidence that you will continue to be as successful and positive as a place of study, as a centre of academic excellence and also as a social player as you have been in recent years," said Röttgen.
Celebratory event under the motto "Yesterday - Today - Tomorrow"
The university organised the celebratory event to mark its 30th anniversary under the motto "Yesterday - Today - Tomorrow". In a humorous panel discussion with moderator Sebastian Tittelbach, contemporary witnesses recounted anecdotes from the university's early years before newly appointed professors and student representatives took a look at the present and reported on what teaching at H-BRS looks like today. Tomorrow was represented by the new President's Office, which was officially introduced during the ceremony. In addition to University President Marion Halfmann and Chancellor Angela Fischer, the new members of this body are Peter Muck (Vice President Teaching and Learning), Teena Chakkalayil Hassan (International Affairs and Digitisation) and Johannes Steinhaus (Research and Transfer).
Halfmann: aspiration to be a driver and companion for change
The university has a lot planned, emphasised President Halfmann in her speech. The new university development plan is currently being drawn up. "We will continue to aspire to be a driver and facilitator of change and to make a difference for the better at all levels. We provide solutions to problems in our society, we transfer knowledge for Bonn and the Rhein-Sieg district and we offer prospects for every individual who learns, teaches, researches and works at our university," she said. Three priorities are already clear: the Sankt Augustin Campus and Rheinbach Campus are to become even more attractive. This further development is independent of the renovation of the Rheinbach Campus due to the flood damage in 2021, which will be accompanied by modernisation and should be completed by the middle of next year. Cooperation with regional educational institutions is then to be expanded - not only with universities such as the University of Bonn or Alanus University, but also with schools in the region. And last but not least, the following applies to the university: "We are working on remaining a strong community and preserving a bit of the spirit of optimism from 30 years ago," said Halfmann.
The Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg has arrived and is perceived as a permanent fixture in the higher education landscape of North Rhine-Westphalia and beyond, the President continued. "Nevertheless, we still feel young and wild enough to take on new things, to dare to innovate and we want to change the world at least a little bit in the coming years through research and teaching, which we are focussing even more strongly on needs," said Halfmann. "The future of Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg will be at least as dynamic as its past."
Big research showcase
After the ceremony, the public was able to get an idea of the innovative topics that researchers at H-BRS are currently working on. Research institutes and all five departments of the university (Management Sciences, Computer Sciences, Engineering and Communication, Department of Natural Sciences, Social Policy and Social Security) took part in the research showcase. H-BRS's research focuses include security research, resource and energy efficiency, visual computing, life sciences and health as well as AI and autonomous systems.
Vice President Steinhaus: Research strength expanded
"Thanks to the significantly improved conditions for research, our scientists have been able to successfully expand our research strength with their diverse topics," says Vice President Research and Transfer, Johannes Steinhaus. In this context, it is very positive that H-BRS now offers the opportunity to complete a doctorate via the NRW Doctoral College, a facility run by the North Rhine-Westphalian universities of applied sciences. "We have also recently acquired more project funding in basic research. In addition to our research strength in practical projects, this also offers us new opportunities in important areas," emphasises the Professor of Materials Science. Maintaining this research strength as comprehensively as possible will be the greatest challenge against the backdrop of the impending austerity measures that universities will face in the coming years.
Biomedical research, AI and autonomous systems
H-BRS researchers provided information on the interdisciplinary DFG network "CytoTransport - Mechanisms and Modulation of Cellular Transport Processes", for example. When transport processes in cells do not function properly, this often results in diseases such as metabolic disorders, high blood pressure, kidney and lung damage or inflammation. A team of scientists at the university is investigating the underlying processes. A better understanding of the processes is a prerequisite for developing new therapeutic strategies.
Another research focus at the H-BRS is on the future topics of human-centred privacy, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems. Research, teaching and transfer in this area are bundled at the Institute for AI and Autonomous Systems (A2S). The institute presented the "Centre for Assistive Technologies (ZAT) Rhine-Ruhr" project, for example. This project focuses on the question of how digital cognitive assistance systems can be customised and proactively adapted to people's needs. The researchers presented their work in a very practical way using several robots.
Other current research projects deal with concepts and technical possibilities for using hydrogen in the implementation of the energy transition, resource conservation and the use of recycled plastic in plastics production or sustainable land management in sub-Saharan Africa.
Students organised the summer party
At the same time, guests had the opportunity to talk to each other during the festive day - at the research show, at a reception for companies and researchers or at the alumni meeting.
Of course, the students are crucial to the success of a university. They contributed to the success of the festive day at H-BRS in several ways. "We are very pleased that we were able to help organise the big day of celebrations to mark the 30th anniversary of H-BRS and that we were able to contribute the perspectives of the student body and talk about our wishes for the future during the panel discussion," said Marie-Louise Kerpa, Deputy Chairperson of the AStA, and Kai Sebastian Bühner, Chairperson of the Student Parliament. At the end of the festive day, the AStA and all student committees and other university groups also invited students, alumni, employees and guests to a large summer party. "The anniversary celebration is a wonderful opportunity to toast 30 years of H-BRS together, to get into dialogue and to experience the campus as a lively place of exchange," said the two student representatives.
Contact
Daniela Greulich
Deputy Head of executive department Communications and Marketing/Press and Public Relations, Press Officer
Location
Sankt Augustin
Room
E 237
Address
Grantham-Allee 20
53757, Sankt Augustin
Telephone
+49 2241 865 641