With a clear focus on future topics, practical teaching and professional innovation, Prof Dr Matthias Drossel is taking over as the new Dean of the Faculty of Interdisciplinary and Innovative Sciences from Prof Dr Gerald Schmola, who is moving into the position of Vice President. Prof Drossel has held the Chair of Applied Healthcare since 2022 and is also committed to the further development of health and nursing sciences far beyond the campus. In addition to his work at Hof University of Applied Sciences, Prof Drossel is also involved in the Association of Nurses in Bavaria and the Federal Association of Teachers in Health and Social Care.
Image: Hof University of Applied Sciences;
He is now facing the challenges and opportunities of his new role as Dean – for the faculty, its students and the future of innovative sciences.
Prof Drossel, congratulations on your new role: what visions and goals do you associate with your new role as Dean?
“My most important vision is to further develop the fourth faculty. No question: the currency of a university is student numbers and third-party funding for research. But we are well positioned here: Our topics of health, care and social affairs are central to society, but also to the economy. Positive regional development also only works with a stable environment: liveable, health-promoting, good infrastructure in the social, health and care sectors. With our interdisciplinary approach, we are right on top of the cross-cutting issues of digitalisation and design. Our communication design department also provides a link to the topics of participation and information transfer.”
What specific developments are foreseeable here?
“The current megatopics in the social sector and in health and care provision are Internationalisation, digitalisation, professional development. Participation, information and empowerment, especially in the areas of prevention and health promotion, also play an important role. The aim is to supplement the topics with existing profiles of study programmes and others, precisely tailored to regional developments in rural areas.”
…what specific contribution can we make here regionally and nationally?
“We can already have a supra-regional impact through appropriate research contributions and through our research group. Internationalisation as a genuine “welcome and good integration” issue remains central to supplementing skilled labour potential with international people and meeting demand. After all, it will not work without them in the future. And it will certainly not work without intercultural skills on both sides. Those who are invited, but also all employees in the existing system, should be aware of this.
And last but not least, it should be mentioned that we as a university have great potential thanks to colleagues who have enormous experience in technology acceptance and who know how this can be promoted – especially from the business sector. There is a lot that can be transferred to the healthcare sector. However, some of this needs to be adapted and further researched by us.”
As a professor, you are also active in professional policy committees. How do the university and students benefit from this connection?
“Close networking in professional policy and specialist committees is important in order to always be directly aware of the issues that are changing, but also to influence them at an early stage. We also always have to work on our external appeal and how we are perceived. As an institution in north-east Upper Franconia, this is not always easy.”
One current topic is the recruitment and integration of foreign nursing staff. How do you see the role of Hof University of Applied Sciences in this development?
“We are already very active through our involvement in projects such as BIAP – an ESF project focussing on the integration of foreign nursing staff into the workplace. By researching the skills profiles of foreign nursing staff, we have a head start in terms of how they can achieve the perfect labour market fit.
Sometimes we are also a little too early, see our now paused Master’s in Cross Cultural Nursing Practice. Everyone tells us that we had a great idea and have set up a great programme – but that it will probably only work in a few years’ time. And here we are again:
The health and care market in Germany needs a push, but is somewhat sluggish. However, we will never tire of emphasising our intercultural expertise. And our expertise in this area is already appreciated and integrated everywhere.
Prof Dr Matthias Drossel
We can make a good contribution through individual measures in education, but also through the systematic, skills-oriented development of expertise in our study programmes. In the current political situation, this is not always easy, but we are keeping at it. We are convinced that we can benefit from these competences.”
What importance do you attach to interdisciplinary collaboration within the university and with external partners – be it business, healthcare or international?
“Interdisciplinary collaboration is a key prerequisite for effective university development. The major challenges in the health and social sector, the shortage of skilled workers, the quality of care, digitalisation and demographic change cannot be solved in isolation, either disciplinary or institutional. Student councils must work together. This works to some extent within the faculty, but it will also require intensive dialogue with the other faculties. At a university of applied sciences, this creates particular added value, as theory, practice and innovation come together directly. At the same time, close collaboration with external partners from the healthcare sector, industry and international universities is key for us. In this way, we create impulses for practice. International collaborations also broaden this perspective. Research also only works with partners in practice – in the hope that German “projectitis” in the healthcare sector will eventually be transformed into regular funding.”
What would you like to give students and staff as your personal mission statement or motto for this term of office?
“Spirit! When students and staff share a common spirit, it shows that everyone involved is doing the right thing. This is exactly the feeling I always get at Hof University of Applied Sciences. If I can give you a mission statement or motto, then it is above all a wish: active participation and the search for solutions! Openness, but also critical discourse and a critical mindset. At the end of the day, there is also a real sense of responsibility and commitment. We can all make the world a little bit better every day! Is that a platitudinous attitude? No, it’s a way of life.”
Thank you very much for the interview and good luck!
