Launch of strategic university partnerships

Through the programme, the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar will receive almost one million Euros within the next four years for internationalisation measures and projects with three partner universities: Tongji University in Shanghai, Moscow State University of Civil Engineering (MGSU) and the University of California, San Diego.

Kick-Off for a multitude of international projects

An event on 26 September 2013 was the official kick-off for the partner projects. Muriel Helbig and Anne-Maria Stresing from the International Office as well as a multitude of participants, attended the event.  Happily, Prof. Elena Gogina, Vice Rector for Education and Methodological Activities, as well as a student from Moscow, both from MGSU, could also be present that afternoon.

The volumes of DAAD funding is exceptional and unique in the history of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar: from 2013-2016, more than 30 participants from all four faculties are bound together in over 100 individual measures on three continents. The measures being funded include guest speakers and lecturers, short-term- and research stays abroad as well as summer schools and participation in conferences. At the event, Helbig and Stresing talked about the entire relationship of the DAAD funding and the concrete application and accounting modalities.

Open to further ideas and participants

During the initial round, the project participants who were present had the opportunity to introduce themselves and their research interests as well as their respective partner abroad, as a network should also be built internally between departments and projects in the sense of an  »internationalisation at home.«   The high motivation and priority of assisting the participants with their projects and preparing individual measures was tangible. It also became clear that the project can grow further and should. Participation from further specialty fields is welcome.

Completely in  step with the Bauhaus concept: »Bordercity«

The project »Bordercity« is an interesting sample project for demonstrating in detail what the strategic partnerships can look like. It focuses on interdisciplinary collaboration and international networking in order to create solutions for a regional problem  around the Tijuana River area in San Diego. On the American side, the Tijuana River is used as a discharge canal; however, on the Mexican Side it is used as drinking water. Completely in step with the Bauhaus concept, urban planners, architects and designers will attempt jointly to find solutions for the worsening state of the water supply.

Altogether, four departments from the Faculties of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Art and Design are involved. This November, 15 students will spend eight days in San Diego in order to work alongside American students to examine the problems of the border river region. They also would like to solidify the partnership with the partners at UCSD.

Internationalisation is highly integrated in German universities.

President Prof. Dr.-Ing. Karl Beucke once again expressed his gratitude for the engagement of all the participating departments and colleagues at the kick-off event and emphasised how highly integrated internationalisation has become at German Universities. The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is thrilled to have the chance through the DAAD to strengthen and expand its new and longstanding partnerships.

The DAAD programme »Strategic Partnerships at the Intersection of Art.Design.Science« is supported by funds from the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF).

The following departments and chairs are involved in the »Bordercity« project: Prof. Dr. phil. Frank Eckardt, Chair, Social Science Urban Research Prof. Dr.-Ing. Eckhard Kraft, Chair, Biotechnology in Resource Management Prof. Liz Bachhuber, Public Art and New Artistic Strategies Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Londong, Chair, Urban Water Management

Strategic Partnerships
Goals and Content (Sample)

Moscow State University of Civil Engineering (MGSU)

• joint DFG research applications in the field of building information modelling
• joint master’s degree programme in the field of civil engineering  
• expansion of cooperation in the Faculty of Architecture

Tongji University, Shanghai

• further advancement of the already high standards of quality in the existing double-degree  programme  
• new double-degree programme in the field of building materials
• development of new formats: courses within the Bauhaus Summer School, joint centres of excellence, (FabLab), short-term studies abroad  


University of California, San Diego

• establishment of the joint workshop series »Technology and Art«
• DFG application for the establishment of a joint engineering doctoral programme  (Grad School)
• development of a doctoral programme (Artistic Practices in a Scientific Context)

An overview of the overall project Strategic Partnerships can be found on the International Office website:  

www.uni-weimar.de/strategic-partnerships

Contact:

Dr. Anne-Maria Stresing
Project Coordinator for Strategic Partnerships
Tel.: +49 (0) 36 43/58 23 84
E-Mail:  anne-maria.stresing@uni-weimar.de