It is a scientific milestone for Hof University of Applied Sciences: from 2026, it is expected that students will be able to complete their own doctoral theses in some research fields at the educational institution, which was founded in 1994, and obtain the corresponding academic degree. The background to this new right to award doctorates is the university’s now confirmed participation in the REDIG (Resource Efficiency and Digitalization) doctoral center of the East Bavarian Technical University of Applied Sciences Amberg-Weiden and Ansbach University of Applied Sciences.
As confirmed by OTH Amberg-Weiden, Hof University of Applied Sciences will in future deepen the research profile of the joint doctoral center with its expertise in the fields of digitalization, sustainable water and energy systems and artificial intelligence.
The integration of Hof University of Applied Sciences will create further synergies in application-oriented research, which will strengthen both scientific exchange and the interdisciplinary transfer of knowledge with practice in the context of doctoral projects. In addition, the university has an equally broad corporate network as in Amberg-Weiden and Ansbach.”
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Weber, Vice President Research, Development and Transfer OTH Amberg-Weiden
The aim of REDIG is therefore to promote interdisciplinary research approaches and to intensify the scientific debate on the topics of resource management, Economy & Society 4.0 and data science.
Six professors involved
With the admission of Hof University of Applied Sciences, six Hof University lecturers will become members of the doctoral college. These are Professors Claus Atzenbeck, Robert Honke, René Peinl, Tobias Plessing, Tobias Schnabel and University Vice President Dietmar Wolff.
In future, these colleagues will be able to supervise their own doctoral students at Hof University of Applied Sciences in the three subject areas mentioned. As a rule, these will be our academic staff who have already completed their Master’s degree.”
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Valentin Plenk, Vice President Research, Development and Entrepreneurship Hof University of Applied Sciences
Result of a development
The task of the supervising scientists in the REDIG doctoral college is to help the doctoral students to develop into independent scientists and experts in their field, both formally and in terms of content. University President Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jürgen Lehmann emphasizes:
“We are happy that we can now offer many very talented young academics the opportunity to earn their doctorate locally. This strengthens our position in the search for talented minds and also reflects our enormous development in the field of research.”
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jürgen Lehmann, President of Hof University of Applied Sciences
Start next year
The opportunity to complete a doctorate at Hof University of Applied Sciences in this way is expected to be available from spring 2026. “We are currently working on establishing the necessary organization between the three universities on this issue,” says Prof. Dr.-Ing.
About the doctoral college REDIG
The doctoral college “REDIG” (Resource Efficiency and Digitalization) is a joint programme of the Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule (OTH) Amberg-Weiden, the Ansbach University of Applied Sciences and soon also the Hof University of Applied Sciences. The aim of REDIG is to promote interdisciplinary research approaches and to intensify the scientific debate on the topics of resource management, Economy & Society 4.0 and data science. The focus is on process and product innovations with the aim of responsible use of resources through engineering and scientific know-how (MINT), combined with the potential of digitalization and artificial intelligence. Research synergies range from resource-efficient energy supply with the associated analysis and process technology, robotics and control technology, sustainable and market-oriented production to data science in the health sciences, taking into account IT security and knowledge management. In terms of social sustainability, humans are included in their digital interaction and as actors in transformation processes.
The Doctoral Centre at OTH Amberg-Weiden, with Dr. Markus Ringer as Managing Director, coordinates all doctoral studies and works closely with the supervising professors of the doctoral college REDIG in cooperation with the three partner universities Amberg-Weiden, Ansbach and Hof. It serves as a central business and contact point for doctoral candidates and supports them throughout the entire doctoral process.
