Visit by Federal Minister for Building Klara Geywitz - BTU cooperates with Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development

The Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) and the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) will cooperate more closely in research and teaching in the future. A corresponding cooperation agreement was signed today in the presence of Federal Minister of Construction Klara Geywitz.

The Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) and the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) will cooperate more closely in research and teaching in the future. BTU President Prof. Dr. Gesine Grande and BBSR Director Dr. Markus Eltges signed a cooperation agreement today, Tuesday, January 10, 2023, in the presence of Federal Minister of Construction Klara Geywitz. The agreement is about close cooperation in the field of urban and regional development as well as transformation research. One focus is on the regions affected by the lignite phase-out.

Prior to the signing ceremony, Klara Geywitz gave a lecture on "The Future of Building - The Future of Cities" to students of architecture, civil engineering, urban planning, and architectural and art history. In the discussion that followed, the minister spoke with the budding planners and builders about how the young people envision sustainable cities geared to the future.

Federal Minister Klara Geywitz said: "As future planners, architects and civil engineers, the students at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg are the designers of the modern cities of tomorrow. Our cities as a whole are facing major challenges, such as the provision of affordable and climate-appropriate housing or the creation of vibrant urban districts and neighborhoods. We need to build more efficiently and in a more climate-friendly way in the future. The existing building stock must also be comprehensively renovated. Because it is in the cities that the question of how we tackle climate change as a whole will be decided. To achieve all this, the entire construction industry must become more efficient, faster and more digital. These students will do their part to make that happen."

BTU President Prof. Dr. Gesine Grande: "I would like to sincerely thank the Federal Minister for her initiative in showing our students a valuable insight into the federal political view of the future of construction and the sustainable development of cities with her lecture and the discussion. Our students of architecture, urban and regional planning, civil engineering, and architectural and art history learn how closely the two are linked from the very beginning when they carry out joint projects and practice teamwork during their studies. For them, too, the deepening of cooperation with the BBSR is enriching when it allows them to gain insights into various projects in building, urban and spatial research and to contribute creatively."

Dr. Markus Eltges, director of the BBSR: "I am pleased that the BBSR, with its competence center in Cottbus, will cooperate even more closely with the BTU in the future. The BTU plays a key role in research on structural change in Lusatia. Together

Implementing application-oriented projects makes research for sustainable development of cities and districts in all areas affected by the lignite phase-out even more effective - for example, in the areas of international exchange of experience, transformation research or support for regional development projects. The aim of this cooperation is to link departmental research and university research in a meaningful way for the benefit of people and companies in the cities and regions."

The framework cooperation agreement between the BBSR and the BTU is aimed at close cooperation on research projects and projects. In addition to the professional exchange and scientific expertise, the partner institutions see significant potential in the preparation of student research projects and doctoral theses by students and scientists of the BTU, but also in the cooperative use of research infrastructure or joint scientific publications. Joint appointments as well as the assumption of teaching assignments within the framework of study programs and the participation in examinations at the BTU by scientific employees of the BBSR are also part of the plans of the research partners.

In addition to Prof. Dr. Grande and Dr. Markus Eltges, Dean Prof. Dr. Bernhard Weyrauch for the BTU Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Urban Planning, Prof. Dr. David Müller, Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Law and Society, and the Head of the Information, Communication and Media Center (IKMZ), Dr. Claudia Börner, signed the agreement.

The Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) is a departmental research institution reporting to the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB). It supports the BMWSB by providing scientific policy advice on tasks relating to housing, real estate and construction as well as urban and spatial development. In addition, the BBSR prepares funding and investment programs, implements them together with the municipalities and administers them. The BBSR has locations in Bonn (headquarters), Berlin and Cottbus (Competence Center Regional Development). The Competence Center Regional Development had officially started its activities in Cottbus on May 23, 2022. The aim of the institution is to accompany structural change in the Lusatian, Central German and Rhenish coalfields with its scientific expertise and to support cities and municipalities in developing prospects for the future. By the end of 2023, 56 positions will be created at the BBSR.

The Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) contributes to shaping the major future issues and transformation processes worldwide with scientific findings and practical solutions. It bears a special responsibility for future-oriented and sustainable development in the region of structural change. Interdisciplinary clusters and close cooperation with scientific and economic partners enable profiling, international connectivity, and successful contributions by scientists to solving the challenges of the future and implementing the sustainability goals. With the profile lines "Energy Transition and Decarbonization", "Health and Life Sciences", "Global Change and Transformation Processes" and the cross-sectional topic "Artificial Intelligence and Sensor Technology", the BTU is expanding its core competencies and bundling its strengths in teaching and research across institutes and faculties. BTU offers its students a challenging course of study, individual support and the opportunity to learn from and with each other with curiosity and openness. Of the 6,800 students, 40 percent come from abroad; the proportion of women is 43 percent.

Contact

Ilka Seer Press Officer at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg Corporate Identity Department T +49 (0) 355 69-3612 ilka.seer(at)b-tu.de

Christian Schlag Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) T +49 (0) 228 99401-1484 christian.schlag(at)bbr.bund.de

Spokesperson

Ilka Seer
Referat Corporate Identity
T +49 (0) 355 69-3612
ilka.seer(at)b-tu.de
Federal Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Construction Klara Geywitz during her guest lecture to the students (Photo: BTU, Sascha Thor)
BTU President Prof. Gesine Grande and Dr. Markus Eltges, Director of the BBSR, sign the cooperation agreement (Photo: BTU, Sascha Thor)
The partners with Federal Minister of Construction Klara Geywitz (3rd from left), to the right (from left to right) BTU President Prof. Gesine Grande, BBSR Director Dr. Markus Eltges and Dr. Claudia Börner, Head of the BTU Information, Communication and Media Center. To the left of the minister (from left to right) are the deans Prof. David Müller (Faculty 5) and Prof. Bernhard Weyrauch (Faculty 6). Photo: BTU, Sascha Thor
Federal Minister of Building Klara Geywitz gave her lecture on the topic "Future of Building, Future of Cities" to around 500 students and employees of the BTU in the university's Audimax (Photo: BTU, Sascha Thor)