BTU and SI seal their co-operation

On Monday, 26 January 2026, BTU and SI signed a cooperation agreement to consolidate their collaboration in studies and research as well as their commitment to the region. The partner institutions want to sustainably develop and strengthen joint projects on Sorbian culture and language (Sorbian studies). In doing so, they are building on many years of experience.

Prof. Gesine Grande, President of BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, says: "The cooperation agreement we are signing today takes our collaboration to a new, institutionalised level. It creates a binding framework for joint teaching and research, for the supervisor of theses and doctoral studies, for new key research areas and, last but not least, for greater visibility of the Sorbian language and culture at our university."

"Lusatia as a location for both institutions is changing rapidly. Therefore, the transformation and cultural heritage of the region are just two examples of fruitful joint research. The perspectives are often different and bringing them together helps us to move forward - a completely new framework is now being created for this," emphasises Prof. Dr Hauke Bartels, Director of the Sorbian Institute.

Joint seminars on the Sorbian/Wendish language and culture, the supervision of theses and doctoral studies as well as joint research projects, in particular in minority research, are planned. Joint meetings and conferences, the acquisition of third-party funding and the mutual use of infrastructures, libraries, digital resources and the Sorbian cultural archive are also part of the cooperation. The Lower Sorbian language is also to become more visible on campus and in public.

The two institutions can already look back on a number of joint activities. As recently as March 2025, SI and BTU organisedin Cottbus/Chóśebuz, a transdisciplinary forum on the digital culture of the Sorbs/Wends.SI academic staff members regularly give lectures on Sorbian/Wendish topics at BTU, most recently in the OPEN BTU public lecture series.

Contact

Madlen Domaschke
Sorbian Institute
Scientific Communication and Public Relations Officer
T+49 (0) 3591 49 7254
E madlen.domaschke(at)serbski-institut.de