Cross-border research

RWU is a member of the scientific association Vierländerregion Bodensee - since the end of last year the successor organization of the International Lake Constance University (IBH). A balance sheet of the year 2022.

In 2022, the boards of the International Lake Constance University (IBH) approved more than one million euros for funding cross-border projects in research, teaching and knowledge transfer. In 2023, three cross-border innovation labs on the topics of sustainable mobility, circular economy and sustainability of IoT in construction will also start with a volume of 11.7 million euros. At the end of last year, the IBH was dissolved and the Wissenschaftsverbund Vierländerregion Bodensee took over its tasks. The Science Network is the first European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) in the Lake Constance region. It comprises 25 universities and colleges. Its headquarters are at the University of Constance.

The majority of the approved funding in 2022 will go to the program focus "Talents & New Work". Among other things, this will support projects aimed at making the four-country region more attractive for skilled workers, enabling more effective access to companies for graduates of the network's 25 universities and colleges, and promoting startup strength in the region.

For example, the "Future Skills" certificate program of the Universities of St.Gallen and Konstanz will enable students to prepare for a successful career entry in a targeted manner. With the Entrepreneurship project, the science network is laying the foundations for stronger networking and competence development among twelve university startup centers in the region. One focus is on startups that create ecological and social innovations.

Making borderless studying a reality

"The strengths of the science network lie in the diversity of the universities involved and the diversity of the neighbors - without having to overcome language barriers. The 'Certificate Future' program has already been launched. Students from all member universities can participate in it free of charge. In this way, we are utilizing the special potential of the network, expressly including Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Together, the program aims to make students fit for the profound changes in the world of work," said Baden-Württemberg's Minister of Science Petra Olschowski.

A contribution to international attractiveness will also be made by an agreement, agreed in 2022, to open seminars to students at the Verbund universities from the coming winter semester. "This will make borderless studying in the four-country region a reality," says a delighted Dorothea Debus, Vice-Rector for International Affairs at the University of Konstanz and a member of the Executive Board of the Science Network. The University of Konstanz coordinates the implementation of this module mobility.

The institutional realignment of university cooperation was completed in 2022. At the end of the year, the International Lake Constance University was dissolved after 20 successful years. Its tasks have been taken over by the newly founded scientific association Vierländerregion Bodensee. The Science Network is the first European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) in the Lake Constance region. It comprises 25 universities and colleges with around 115,000 students and 20,000 researchers. Its headquarters are at the University of Constance. Gernot Brauchle, rector of the PH Vorarlberg, was elected as founding chairman. Markus Rhomberg was appointed managing director.

Three labs find sustainable solutions for the region

The promotion of technological, economic and social innovations for the sustainable development of our living space is at the heart of the labs initiated by the science network. These innovation networks with partners from science, business and society will start this summer with a duration of 48 months. They are funded by Interreg VI Alpenrhein-Bodensee-Hochrhein and have a total volume of 11.7 million euros "With the Labs, we have been able to create one of the largest networking processes in the history of cross-border innovation cooperation," says a delighted Gernot Brauchle, Chairman of the Science Network and Rector of the Vorarlberg University of Teacher Education. Around 120 organizations from science, business and society from all 10 countries and cantons in the four-country region were involved in the Labs' set-up phase.

The Labs will develop and implement solutions in the sectors of transport, buildings, the textile industry and the food and nutrition industry. "The Labs are an ideal example of how societal challenges can be tackled and solved together with the competencies of large companies, SMEs and the universities of the four-country region," explains Marco Tittler, Vorarlberg's regional economic councillor. The labs are led by the HTWG Konstanz, the FH Vorarlberg and the University of St.Gallen. Practical partners in the Labs include, for example, ZF Friedrichshafen AG, logistics service provider Gebrüder Weiss, bag manufacturer Freitag, Bosch Smart Home, Zumtobel AG, Stadtwerke St.Gallen, Digital Liechtenstein and the cities of Constance, Winterthur and Dornbirn.

Strengthening social cohesion in the four-country region

In the program priority Social Cohesion, the science network is funding four projects with a volume of more than 600,000 euros. "These cross-border projects develop solutions for improving the culture of conflict in the four-country region and aim to further professionalize the work of actors in this field in study programs," explains Horst Biedermann, Rector of the PH St.Gallen and member of the Executive Board of the Science Network.

The Administrative Academy of the Four-Country Region of Lake Constance, initiated by the International Lake Constance Conference, also contributes to the further strengthening of cross-border thinking and action. The science network is involved in the establishment and implementation of this continuing education program. "With the IBK Administration Academy, we are creating a breath of fresh air for cross-border cooperation between administrations in the region. We are pleased to have a strong partner on board with the Wissenschaftsverbund. Because we can only tackle and solve the major challenges in mobility, education, youth or ecology together," Horst Schädler, Government Secretary of the Principality of Liechtenstein and responsible for the Academy, is convinced.

 

Background

The scientific association Vierländerregion Bodensee organizes and supports the cooperation of 25 universities and colleges in the four-country region of Lake Constance. Top international universities, universities of applied sciences, colleges of education as well as colleges of art and music work together under its umbrella, across the different types of higher education institutions and borders. More than 20,000 researchers work at the member universities. They comprise around 115,000 students. The aim of the scientific network is to develop, test and implement solutions for the current and future challenges of the four-country region together with experts from the field. It supports its members and partners through project funding and offers for competence development. On December 28, 2022, the scientific association Vierländerregion Bodensee EVTZmbH officially started its work. It has taken over the tasks of the International Lake Constance University, which was dissolved on December 31, 2022.

 

Text: Wissenschaftsverbund Vierländerregion Bodensee / Prof. Dr. Markus Rhomberg