Manage traffic with artificial intelligence? Forecast solar power with high-performance computers? Store municipal data securely in the cloud? These are all aspects of the digital transformation that both small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and public institutions are increasingly having to address. The new European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) have the vision of fostering this transformation in Europe together. The »EDIH Thuringia – Bauhaus.Mobility Hub« will be set up within this European network from summer 2023 as a regional centre for digital innovations in Thuringia. One particular focus will be on digital technology in the fields of mobility, logistics and energy, which are central to the economy and administration in Thuringia. The »Bauhaus.Mobility Hub« will develop a broad range of training programmes, experimentation facilities and consulting services to this end. The regional digitalisation centre is moreover committed to a digital transformation in other fields of expertise in Thuringia such as optics, mechanical engineering and medical technology by establishing network partnerships throughout Europe.

Learn, test, invest, network

The »Bauhaus.Mobility Hub« is coordinated by a team at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar led by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Uwe Plank-Wiedenbeck. He emphasises the importance of digitalisation: »Digital technologies offer excellent opportunities to address the major challenges of our time, be that climate protection, the linking of urban and rural spaces, or the optimised deployment of skilled labour. This requires capacity building, the courage and opportunity to experiment with new technologies, and access to funding, support and networks.«

Maximilian Wunsch, who also works at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and is the managing director of the Bauhaus.Mobility Hub, adds: »The services we will in future offer as the regional centre for the new EDIH network are a joint initiative by committed stakeholders from all across Germany. This shows the potential for digitalisation in Thuringia and opens up possibilities for national development. We will work with BPV Consult GmbH (Koblenz/Erfurt), the Advanced System Technology branch of Fraunhofer IOSB (Ilmenau), highQ Computerlösungen GmbH (Freiburg), NT Neue Technologien AG (Erfurt), Ilmenau University of Technology, Bauhaus Weiterbildungsakademie Weimar e. V. and countless network associates to give digitalisation in the region a significant boost.«

The Free State of Thuringia has actively supported establishment of the EU digitalisation centre since the conception and application phase by providing a close link to the innovation strategies and digitalisation initiatives of the Thuringian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Science and Digital Society (TMWWDG).

Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee emphasises the role of the »EDIH Thuringia – Bauhaus.Mobility Hub« in this:
»The Bauhaus.Mobility Hub consolidates the synergy effects between the EU’s digitalisation programme and our Thuringian digital strategy. Tremendous potential exists to further advance the digital transformation of Thuringia’s economy and industry. I readily welcome the planned focus on key growth areas for Thuringia’s SMEs, such as AI technologies in the field of autonomous driving, cybersecurity for critical infrastructure, and strengthening the digital skills of skilled workers. The close cooperation that already exists will thus be continued with launch of the digitalisation centre and the regional integration of the transfer initiative into the Thuringian economy furthered.«

On the European level, the Representation of the Free State of Thuringia to the European Union (as part of the Thuringian State Chancellery) will foster networking between the »Bauhaus.Mobility Hub« and European institutions and Thuringia’s partner regions.

Malte Krückels (State Secretary for Media and Europe and Plenipotentiary of the Free State of Thuringia to the Federal Government) discerns special opportunities that an EDIH in Thuringia will bring:
»Integration of the Bauhaus.Mobility Hub into the network of EDIHs also creates new opportunities for Thuringian businesses and administration in the form of Europe-wide networking and access to (digital) skills, opportunities for cooperation and an experience exchange. The Thuringian State Chancellery will actively support networking in Brussels and with our partner regions.«

Millions of euros in funding for the digital transformation

Together with the »Bauhaus.Mobility Hub«, 150 other European Digital Innovation Hubs in the network that extends from Iceland to Cyprus provide digitalisation support locally. Within the »Digital Europe« programme with a budget of 7.5 billion euros, clear headway is to now be made in the digital transformation by 2027. Around 6 million euros will be invested in Thuringia over the coming three years to set up and run the »Bauhaus.Mobility Hub«, half of which is expected to come from EU funding and the other half from state funds. In the long term, the »Bauhaus.Mobility Hub« transfer initiative should evolve into a permanent transfer institution within the Thuringian innovation landscape and link the region closely with the EU’s digitalisation activities.

For more information, see www.bauhausmobilityhub.eu.

In case of questions and information on cooperation opportunities, contact the coordinators of the Bauhaus.Mobility Hub. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Uwe Plank-Wiedenbeck and Maximilian Wunsch, both from the Chair of Transport System Planning at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, can be reached by email (hello[at]bauhausmobilityhub.eu) or telephone (+49 (0) 36 43 / 58 44 71).