Research boost for German UAS

Nieuws | de redactie

23 januari 2012 | Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) in Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia, will receive an extra €6 million for research. Region’s Education Minister Svenja Schulze emphasizes that UAS are especially strong in tackling interdisciplinary issues and should be supported accordingly.

In a public letter the regional government announced itwould make extra funds available for interdisciplinary research atthe 20 UAS in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).  With a totalvolume of €6 million, “FH Struktur” will run until 2015.

“Universities of Applied Sciences are excellent in building aconnection between academic research and practical application.What do not only need technological inventions, but innovation thatsolves the big challenges today’s society is facing. To supportthis, we need to create research communities and this is what thenew program is targeting,” the NRW Ministry for Innovation, Scienceand Research states.

Since 2010, a Social Democrat government is in charge of NRW,with almost 18 million inhabitants Germany’s most populous state.Led by Ministerpräsident Hannelore Kraft, the region put forward anumber of controversial laws. Among them was a quota for women holding professorships aimed toincrease the share of female professors from 16,6%.