Spotlight: The University Development Initiative 2030 Developing concepts for the future together

Dear readers

Very soon I will have completed the first 100 days in office. Fortunately, I have been able to engage in a lot of personal encounters, meetings and discussions both within and outside TU Braunschweig and I’m very grateful for the support I have received all around.

Professor Angela Ittel. Picture Credits: Kristina Rottig/TU Braunschweig

Within the university, I had the opportunity, among others, to take advantage of extensive visits with all six faculties; they have made me aware of our extensive disciplinary diversity and potential within our university and with external partners when it comes to synergies in research, teaching and knowledge transfer and exchange. I have also visited our centres, institutes and departments of our central administration. I would like to express my gratitude to all the members of our university who took the time to familiarize me with the range of innovative tasks, responsibilities and administrative duties they accomplish day in and day out.

Another highlight has been the appointments of new members of TU Braunschweig. To be able to welcome motivated and farsighted colleagues at the university and to learn about their vision, plans and future projects is a true highlight. It was particularly encouraging that all colleagues revealed a very positive attitude towards the extension of our internationalisation strategy – specifically in terms of increasing our English language teaching activities. This is and will continue to be a key component in developing our university further. Equally fascinating have been my first encounters with external partners and friends of TU Braunschweig, including the local Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the editorial team of our regional newspaper, the Braunschweiger Zeitung. I always receive a great deal of interest and gratitude for working together and sharing the same goals. This cannot be taken for granted and I am very delighted about it.

One of my key responsibilities is to be engaging closely with matters relating to the future strategic development of our university. I will be addressing this on the basis of the documents relating to the Excellence Strategy 2019, the corresponding assessments and the Overall Strategy 2030 formulated last year for the Wissenschaftliche Kommission Niedersachsen (WKN).

The starting point is the University Development Initiative 2030 that has just been adopted by the President’s Office and will promote the implementation of the defined activities. Over the next months, all members of the university, all departments and institutes will have the opportunity to become actively involved in this process of designing the future of our university. Together we will work towards a shared, future oriented model that will strive for comprehensive excellence throughout the university. This will furnish a guideline for future development not only for our members but also our external partners.

I am excited that we have received so much positive feedback on the process we have initiated and look forward to the exchange with all the various stakeholders in the following weeks and months. I am certain that, by proceeding in this way, we will be able to gradually introduce standards and measurements of comprehensive excellence at all levels at TU Braunschweig.

With kind regards

Professor Angela Ittel, President of the TU Braunschweig