Application meets research: this was the motto of the first campus tour at Hof University of Applied Sciences, which was attended by 42 participants. The new series of events was organized by the IHK for Upper Franconia Bayreuth and Hof University of Applied Sciences in cooperation with the HWK for Upper Franconia. The focus in Hof was on the topics of climate change and environmental protection.
Close cooperation between companies and science is particularly important when it comes to the challenges of climate change. This was also emphasized by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Valentin Plenk, Vice President of Hof University of Applied Sciences. The researchers are not just theoreticians, but “technicians who are proud to find solutions to problems that companies have in practice”. According to Plenk, this is the only way to create innovation: the company as the problem solver, research as the solution developer. This is why Hof University of Applied Sciences is working with companies on 150 projects and developing practical and implementable solutions.
Craftsmanship implements research ideas on water resilience
One such innovative project was presented by Prof. Günter Müller-Czygan, Head of the Institute for Sustainable Water Systems (inwa) at Hof University of Applied Sciences. In his application example, he posed the question “How can we become more water resilient?”. Due to climate change, cities are increasingly having to cope with droughts and high temperatures on the one hand, but also heavy rainfall and flooding on the other. One solution to this is the “sponge city”: a city with open water areas and more recreational areas, green facades and roofs and less sealed surfaces, so that water can also drain away easily.
According to Müller-Czygan, the implementation of such a sponge city does not lie solely with urban planners and architects, but also with the trades in particular. Roofing companies could, for example, offer greening areas made of special textiles as additional products and also install them directly on the customer’s roof. This also applies to exterior walls in façade construction. Müller-Czygan also sees application potential in photovoltaics: the installation of solar panels could be combined with green areas underneath. This ensures that the systems are cooled. Bricklayers also play an important role for the sponge city, as waterproof seals are also needed for masonry, for example.
Research for practical applications at Hof University of Applied Sciences
In addition to application examples, the campus tour also provides on-site insights into research work that serves practical purposes. At Hofschule Hof, participants learned about work in laboratories in the fields of aquaponics and photocatalysis.
The Campus Tour event series
The Campus Tour event series shows how practical research can support companies. It presents innovation projects and also facilitates an exchange between science, the skilled trades and SMEs.
The new hybrid offer from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Upper Franconia Bayreuth and the Chamber of Crafts for Upper Franconia offers companies the opportunity to get to know practical research directly and make it usable for their own day-to-day operations. The focus is on concrete, practicable solutions rather than theoretical approaches. Companies gain an insight into what regional universities have to offer and can obtain targeted advice on individual issues in a direct exchange with experts.
Participation is possible both online (lectures) and on site (additionally with a campus tour). The next campus tour event will take place on October 7, 2025 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. with a focus on metal construction and machining at the University of Bayreuth.
