From 2026, Hof University of Applied Sciences, together with OTH Amberg-Weiden and Ansbach University of Applied Sciences, will enable students to write their own doctoral theses as part of the new doctoral college REDIG – Resource Efficiency & Digitalization (“campuls-digital” reported). This means that the educational institution is officially involved in one of Bavaria’s doctoral centers and is creating new scientific perspectives for young researchers on site.
Six professors from Hof have been appointed to the doctoral college: Prof. Dr. Claus Atzenbeck, Prof. Dr. Robert Honke, Prof. Dr. René Peinl, Prof. Dr. Tobias Plessing, Prof. Dr. Tobias Schnabel and University Vice President Prof. Dr. Dietmar Wolff. The university contributes its particular strengths in the areas of digitalization, sustainable water and energy systems and artificial intelligence.
University President Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jürgen Lehmann emphasizes:
‘We are delighted that we will be able to offer many talented young scientists the opportunity to earn their doctorate on site in future. This strengthens our position in the competition for talent and reflects the enormous development of our research.”
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Jürgen Lehmann, President of the University
Significant step thanks to the Higher Education Innovation Act
With the Bavarian Higher Education Innovation Act of 2023, universities of applied sciences and technical universities were granted the right to award doctorates in particularly research-intensive areas for the first time. Hof University of Applied Sciences is now one of the institutions actively shaping this new potential.
Ceremonial recognition at Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences
The newly established Bavarian doctoral centers and their first graduates have now been honored at a major event at the Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt (THI). Around 200 guests from science and politics celebrated this milestone for the Bavarian science system, which now covers a broad spectrum from advanced building technologies to digital innovations and sustainable development with a total of 22 doctoral centers.
Science Minister Markus Blume spoke of a “piece of Bavarian scientific history”. Representatives from university associations and expert committees also emphasized the importance of the new doctoral centers for innovation, regional development and practical research.
A strong network with a future
The event made it clear that the first doctorates awarded are just the beginning. Many more doctoral students will benefit from the close cooperation between universities, industry and society in the future – and Hof University of Applied Sciences will play a central role in this network as a new location for excellent, application-oriented research.
