Off to New Shores!
No one is an island. This proverbial phrase by the English poet John Donne alludes to the human need for social closeness. But it also applies to TUM Campus Heilbronn.
To enrich its own research and teaching and to create added value for the regional economy, those responsible at TUM in Heilbronn have been focusing on international exchange and networking since 2019. Since then, partnerships have been initiated with some of the world’s most renowned universities. And the math is working out. Because the results show how much everyone involved is benefiting.
“TUM in Heilbronn is like an academic startup,” says Daniel Gottschald, Managing Director of TUM Campus Heilbronn gGmbH. “We test, research, and build bridges to the surrounding industry to inspire, learn, and become part of the regional ecosystem. Hence, it’s only natural that we follow the same ambition in terms of international partnerships.
To be successful today, you have to seek collaboration with like-minded people.
One example is the exchange with County Cork, Ireland. As the crow flies, it is a good 1,300 kilometers from Heilbronn. But it feels much closer. The challenges are similar, the population structures are comparable, and both share the goal of transferring scientific findings to the regional economy. Those responsible in Heilbronn and Cork have recognized this – and in 2022 took the first steps in a collaboration that is set to last for a long time.
“I don’t think a region or a university can survive on its own in this day and age. You have to cooperate,” says Cork County Regional Director James Forgarty. He is in close communication with the two local universities, UCC and Munster Technical University. They, too, are expected to benefit from networking with TUM – especially when it comes to using technology and the possibilities of the digital age.
Linkages at Key Junctures
There have already been collaborations with the French HEC since 2020 – with students from both locations at the heart of them. Annual visit opportunities have been available for them since then as part of the Summer School. Those enrolled in the Master’s in Management & Innovation can also embed stays abroad at the HEC as a regular part of their curriculum.
Initial talks are underway with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on cooperation in the area of startup promotion and culture. And finally, scientific collaboration with the renowned Oxford Internet Institute is also in full swing. Since October 2021, the two educational facilities have been conducting joint research on the major topic of artificial intelligence, also focusing on essential aspects beyond technology – such as the social, ethical, and societal implications. Interested parties have already been able to marvel at the initial progress and findings in webinars, some of which are open to the public.
In short: at the Heilbronn Campus, things are moving toward the future with seven-league boots – not least thanks to a steadily growing academia and the latest partnerships. No one wants an isolated island life here anymore. A line just before the end credits of the classic movie “About a Boy” sums it up: “Some are parts of island chains. Beneath the surface of the sea, they are clearly connected.”
Slider: Off to new shores!
