The Kronach university campus celebrated its tenth anniversary with a special event on the Lucas Cranach Campus (LCC). Representatives from academia, politics, business, and civil society gathered at the Kühnlenzpassage to honor the campus’s development and discuss prospects for the future. Panel discussions, campus tours, workshops, and informational sessions highlighted the momentum the university campus has gained over the past ten years.
Since its inception in 2016, the Lucas Cranach Campus has developed into a major hub for education, innovation, and technology transfer in Upper Franconia. Today, nearly 500 students are enrolled at the campus, which spans approximately 8,500 square meters. Hof University of Applied Sciences offers the bachelor’s program in Vocational Education in Healthcare (B.A.) as well as the master’s program in Smart Society (M.Sc.). Coburg University of Applied Sciences is represented by the bachelor’s programs in Business Informatics 2.0 and Digital Business Models and Technologies, as well as the master’s programs in Autonomous Driving and Future Design. Following a musical opening by the Coburg University of Applied Sciences band and an introductory film, Hans Rebhan, Chairman of the Lucas Cranach Campus Foundation, District Administrator Klaus Löffler, and Dr. Tobias Haaf, Senior Director at the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts, opened the anniversary event.
From a Bold Vision for the Future to a Recognized University Campus
Hans Rebhan recalled the project’s beginnings and the original vision: to use the university campus to attract skilled workers to the region, breathe new life into vacant buildings, and strengthen the transfer of knowledge to local businesses.
“From the very beginning, we wanted to create a place where something new could emerge. In Kronach, it’s all about getting things done. The Lucas Cranach Campus was intended to be a laboratory for the future—a space where innovative degree programs could be developed without having to change existing structures. That is precisely where its particular strength lies to this day.”
Hans Rebhan, Board Member of the Lucas Cranach Campus Foundation
At the same time, he paid tribute to the vision and achievements of the late president of Coburg University, Prof. Dr. Michael Pötzl, as well as to the extraordinary commitment of long-serving professors Dr. Christian Zagel and Prof. Dr. Tobias Bocklet, who also serves as the Scientific Director of the Lucas Cranach Foundation. He also praised the political efforts of State Parliament Representative Jürgen Baumgärtner in support of the campus’s expansion.
District Administrator Klaus Löffler also looked back on the developments of the past ten years, emphasizing the human foundations of this success:
“A vision has become reality. The Kronach university campus is now a beacon for our region. No one writes such a success story alone. Hans Rebhan has inspired and brought together countless people for this project. Our collaboration is characterized by trust, professionalism, openness, and friendship.”
Klaus Löffler, District Administrator of the Kronach District
At the same time, Löffler looked ahead: “Our goal is to welcome 1,000 students to Kronach within ten years. With just under 500 students today, we are right on track at the halfway point. Now we need to further expand our partnerships with businesses and schools. I am convinced that the best chapters of this success story are still ahead of us.”
Söder Sends Video Message
Bavaria’s Minister President Dr. Markus Söder also emphasized the importance of the university as a regional hub in a video message and pledged his continued support:
“We wanted to offer young people in the region prospects for the future. It seems we are increasingly succeeding in doing just that. As the Free State of Bavaria, we will therefore continue to support its further expansion in the future.”
Dr. Markus Söder, Minister President of the Free State of Bavaria
Dr. Tobias Haaf, Senior Ministerial Director at the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts, conveyed greetings from Minister of State Markus Blume and highlighted the campus’s significance for the entire state:
“Here, students are encouraged to boldly put their ideas into practice. The Kronach university campus embodies in a special way the Bavarian state goal of equal living conditions in urban and rural areas. Over the past decade, far more than just a campus has grown here—a visible impetus for innovation has emerged for the entire region.”
Dr. Tobias Haaf, Senior Director at the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts
Universities Focus on Innovation, Practical Relevance, and Regional Responsibility
In the first panel discussion, titled “From Idea to Established Campus,” Prof. Dr. Stefan Gast, President of Coburg University; Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jürgen Lehmann, President of Hof University; Gabriele Riedel, Executive Director of the Lucas Cranach Campus Municipal Enterprise; Hans Rebhan, Executive Director of the Lucas Cranach Campus Foundation; Prof. Jürgen Wittmann from the Cham Technology Campus; and Prof. Dr. Christian Zagel, Program Director of Future Design, discussed the development of the higher education hub.
Prof. Dr. Stefan Gast emphasized Coburg University’s long-term strategy:
“We want to continue to actively engage with the region and expand our partnerships. Even as the financial conditions become more challenging, I am convinced that the campus will continue to develop very positively.”
Prof. Dr. Stefan Gast, President of Coburg University
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jürgen Lehmann particularly highlighted Hof University of Applied Sciences’ social responsibility. The university has been active in Kronach since 2014 with a research center and has also been offering degree programs there for the past five years. The goal is to develop innovative solutions for healthcare:
“We want to help ensure that people can live independently at home for as long as possible and do not have to move into a nursing home. We intend to research and implement the technical possibilities for this in Kronach as a model project. Our vision is that of a ‘quality-of-life manager.’”
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jürgen Lehmann, President of Hof University of Applied Sciences
Prof. Dr. Christian Zagel recalled the early days of the ZukunftsDesign degree program:
“The first job posting read: ‘We’re looking for adventurers and unconventional thinkers.’ That appealed to me, and I haven’t regretted it: Today, our students come from all over the German-speaking world. Their ideas are now even giving rise to new startups—18 startup ideas from 19 students and, in the meantime, even the campus’s first patent speak for themselves.”
Prof. Dr. Christian Zagel
Finally, Gabriele Riedel explained the mission of the LCC municipal enterprise:
“Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for all students to get started in Kronach. That’s why we provide housing and a starter package to help them settle in.”
Gabriele Riedel, Board Member of the Lucas Cranach Campus Municipal Enterprise
Close Partnership Between the University and the Business Community
The second panel discussion, “Between the Lecture Hall and the Real World,” focused on collaboration between academia, business, and local governments. The panelists were Jasmin Block, a student in the Future Design master’s program; Christian Grosch, coordinator of Business Informatics 2.0; Christina Härtlein from Scholz High Tech in Plastics, Mayor Angela Hofmann, Nikolaus Wiegand from Wiegand-Glas, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dietmar Wolff, Vice President of Hof University of Applied Sciences.
Jasmin Block described in particular the interdisciplinary nature of her degree program:
“Bringing different perspectives together and developing solutions collaboratively changes your own view of the world. It is precisely this openness that makes the program so valuable.”
Jasmin Block, student
Christian Grosch added:
“It always takes a willingness to experiment and a readiness to engage with differing perspectives to successfully combine theory and practice.”
Christian Grosch, Coordinator of Business Informatics 2.0
Christina Härtlein described her company’s experiences with graduates from the program:
“A speculative application from a Business Informatics student led to numerous joint projects. The hands-on training is exactly what our companies need.”
Christina Härtlein, Entrepreneur
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dietmar Wolff presented the emerging Center of Excellence in Nursing as an example of successful knowledge transfer. Staff from the fields of digitalization, nursing science, computer science, business, and medicine work closely together there:
“Knowledge transfer is the third mission of universities. Research alone is not enough—innovation must also find its way into practice, and we are creating the conditions for that here.”
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dietmar Wolff, Vice President for Teaching at Hof University of Applied Sciences
For Kronach’s Mayor Angela Hofmann, the greatest significance of the university’s presence lies in its impact on the city and the region:
“We keep young talent in our region, secure a skilled workforce, and bring knowledge directly to our businesses.”
Angela Hofmann, Mayor of Kronach
A Campus for Hands-On Experience
After the official ceremony, numerous visitors took the opportunity to explore the campus more closely. Guided tours of the FabLab, workshops on the topic of “curiosity,” and information booths on degree programs and the Kronach Innovation Center (IZK) offered hands-on insights into research, teaching, and knowledge transfer.
A Success Story with a Future
The anniversary event highlighted the progress Kronach has made as a higher education hub in just ten years. University President Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jürgen Lehmann concluded:
“What began as a bold idea has evolved into a recognized center for education, research, and innovation that connects academia, business, politics, and society. Close collaboration among all partners will remain the key to further developing this location and providing new impetus for the Kronach district and the entire region.”
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jürgen Lehmann, President of Hof University of Applied Sciences
