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Acquisition seminar for employees: “The first appointment is always on site!”

Cold calling for industrial projects is not everyone’s cup of tea. It involves making initial contact with people you don’t know, but who you consider important for planned projects: How do I get in touch with them? In order to learn tips and tricks here, Hof University of Applied Sciences has offered further training for its academic staff. The important thing here is to create a real situation in which concrete practice can be carried out. The seminar was led by Hans-Lothar Busch, a trainer in the field of acquisition meetings, with representatives from a company and the district administration office taking part as real sparring guests.

Trainer and seminar leader Hans-Lothar Busch with the group of academic staff; Image: Hof University of Applied Sciences

Public funding is decreasing, in some cases even current funding lines are being suspended.”

Trainer and seminar leader Hans-Lothar Busch

This means that funding for planned projects is uncertain or may even be suspended. In many cases, academic staff can therefore no longer be funded and have to leave the university. For this reason, other sources of funding are coming to the fore, be it international donors such as the EU or the targeted approach of industrial companies.

Sparring sessions as a highlight

The so-called “sparring sessions” were particularly popular at the one-day seminar: In the bilateral exchange between Klaus Gruber from the district office and Michael Dölz, senior engineer at the Institute for Hydrogen and Energy Technology at Hof University of Applied Sciences (iwe), there was a lot of brainstorming about joint project ideas. “The customer’s voice in combination with sparring was really good,” said Dölz in the subsequent feedback session. Klaus Gruber also greatly appreciated the exchange, as he wants to further expand the existing cooperation with the university.

Michael Dölz from iwe in conversation with Klaus Gruber, District Office Hof; Image: Hof University of Applied Sciences

Silke Held from the Frank Walder company had a similar experience. The textile specialist had a sparring session with Bastian Scharnagl, research assistant at the Institute for Information Systems at Hof University of Applied Sciences (iisys). They quickly discussed a virtual dressing room and how to get the rendering, i.e. the display of images, right. Later, there was an exchange with the textile experts from the Münchberg campus, where they also looked at which ideas could be implemented together.

Silke Held from Frank Walder in conversation with Bastian Scharnagl from iisys; Image: Hof University of Applied Sciences

An important factor: networking

The 22 participants agreed that it was good to think outside the box and that the learning material was also well prepared. The summary in the so-called “Golden Rules”, which the speaker had transferred to two pocket cards and distributed, was also very well received.

“Networking is also important in any case,” said Busch. He advised establishing and approaching contacts on Linkedin or other social media channels, for example. Other formats such as trade fairs and congresses were also discussed, as well as how to strategically use your own presentations to make yourself and your academic work visible.

Also very important: If you are talking to the customer and want to get to know them better: The first appointment is always with the customer! Listen to him, ask him questions and hold back with the presentation of your scientific expertise.”

Trainer and seminar leader Hans-Lothar Busch

Then there is a good chance of really understanding the problems and finding a joint solution later on. At the same time, the prejudice that cooperation with a university involves vast amounts of bureaucracy can be dispelled.

The seminar was financed by the Vice President for Research and Development, Prof. Dr.-Ing.

Anne-Christine Habbel

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