A central cooperation agreement for the establishment of the “Care Competence Center” in the district of Kronach was recently signed in the Mitwitz moated castle. As a representative of the university, Chancellor Ute Coenen co-signed the agreement, which establishes Hof University of Applied Sciences as a permanent partner in the project.
“As Hof University of Applied Sciences, we are very pleased to be actively involved in this district-wide supply network in the future,” explained Ute Coenen.
The cooperation is an expression of our commitment: we are contributing our research expertise and our networking in order to sustainably strengthen local care provision. This is a forward-looking project that combines research and practice in equal measure.”
Ute Coenen, University Chancellor
Five modules as cornerstones
Hof University of Applied Sciences is thus one of several partners of the Care Competence Center, which is set to begin its work from mid-2026. The aim is to create an interdisciplinary network based on five central modules:
- an advice and coordination center,
- a digital platform,
- decentralized care guides,
- Housing advice with modern care technologies,
- as well as targeted recruitment of specialists and training.
Nicole Laurinat, Head of Concept at Kronach District Office, explained the principles and objectives of the cooperation agreement: the project is based on the living environments of older people and those in need of care, the networking of all stakeholders, a holistic approach, digital and innovative approaches as well as continuous evaluation and further development. Nicole Laurinat formulated the consistent use of the “outpatient before inpatient” principle, the reduction of regional differences in care, the securing and recruitment of specialists, transparency regarding needs and services, sustainable and economical care and support structures as well as the autonomy and social participation of older people and those in need of care as goals.
“We are laying the foundations for this today with our signature. Once our funding application has been approved, the work will begin – and I am certain that we will tackle it with the same energy, cohesion and conviction with which we developed this concept,” emphasized District Administrator Klaus Löffler, who thanked everyone involved. At the same time, he signaled that the door was open for other potential partners.
Role of the university
As a scientific partner, Hof University of Applied Sciences will be responsible in particular for monitoring, evaluating and developing digital and innovative models in the care sector – for the benefit of those in need of care, relatives and care providers.
Voices from the world of politics
At the signing ceremony, Kronach District Administrator Klaus Löffler called the project “a strong alliance of all partners” and emphasized that the Care Competence Centre is a first far beyond the district. Bavaria’s Health and Care Minister Judith Gerlach praised the project as exemplary:
The ‘Competence Center for Care’ in Kronach is a very successful example of how a district is actively tackling the shaping of care locally. Numerous applications for funding for care initiatives have already been received under our ‘GutePflegeFöR’ funding guideline, but so far no application has included a comparable district-wide care concept.”
Judith Gerlach, Bavarian Minister of Health and Care
According to Gerlach, the new competence center will create a unique cross-agency network that brings together various municipal and care stakeholders. She particularly welcomes the fact that topics such as the digitalization of care and securing a skilled workforce are also being considered and promoted as part of the ‘Care Competence Centre’ – the findings from the scientific monitoring should therefore also be available as a blueprint for other districts.
Background: Demographic change in the region
The district of Kronach is one of the regions in Bavaria most affected by demographic change – with 77 out of every 1,000 inhabitants in need of care (2023 care statistics). This means that the need for care is far above the Bavarian average. At the same time, the shortage of skilled workers is increasingly noticeable; relatives often feel overwhelmed or left alone. The Care Competence Centre aims to provide coordinated, decentralized care, outpatient provision and needs-based support for people in the district.
Current cooperation partners
- Towns, markets and municipalities in the district of Kronach
- Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund district association Kronach
- Bavarian Red Cross District Association Kronach
- Caritas Association District of Kronach
- Diaconal work of the deanery districts Kronach-Ludwigsstadt/Michelau
- Nursing service Foidl
- Helios-Frankenwaldklinik
- AOK Bavaria
- Federal Employment Agency
- Hof University of Applied Sciences
