Management for the Lusatia Science Park

Since March 2023, Ariane Derks has been the managing director of the "Lusatia Science Park" (LSP) project. In her position, she is responsible for setting up an operating company for the technology and innovation park, which is being created as one of the outstanding structural development projects under the auspices of the BTU in Cottbus.

I am very excited about the opportunity to develop the Lusatia Science Park with all the committed stakeholders for and together with the region," says Ariane Derks. "We have a unique opportunity here to shape change, shape innovation, strengthen the economy and thus continue to sustainably improve the quality of life in the region. After all, many initiatives have already been successfully launched and are being implemented."

In the LSP, the final 420 hectares will develop into an innovation landscape with international appeal, which will combine excellent basic and applied research with innovative spin-offs and numerous company settlements.

Through Arm 1 (the so-called state arm) of the Lusatia structural support programme, funds of around half a billion euros are currently committed for projects in the Lusatia Science Park. Over 200 million euros have already been earmarked for the project through Arm 2 (the federal arm).

"In Ms Derks we have been able to recruit a very experienced colleague who will now provide significant support for the development of the Lusatia Science Park with her great expertise," says Prof. Dr Michael Hübner, BTU Vice President for Research and Transfer. "Ms. Derks has a very demanding task and will now enter into coordination with the city of Cottbus, WISTA in Adlershof and the state of Brandenburg and develop the necessary steps for developing the operating company and its tasks. I am very much looking forward to the cooperation!"

The establishment of the operating company, which will be responsible for site management, is crucial to the establishment of the Lusatia Science Park. The state of Brandenburg, the university and the city of Cottbus have already set up a joint task force to clarify site development issues, the organisation of the sponsors and operator models.

Building on this, a 26-member project group currently being formed at the BTU is dedicated to the long-term development of strategic and operational guidelines as well as governance for the operating company. In addition, the project group is planning to set up the infrastructure of the LSP with the aim of bundling the structural change initiatives in Lusatia.

"My new colleagues at the BTU have already done extensive preliminary work for the Lusatian Science Park in close cooperation with the federal government, the state and the city. We can now build on this and develop our work responsibly," emphasises Ariane Derks and adds: "We are looking forward to this and are looking for new colleagues who want to successfully shape change with us at the Lusatia Science Park and recognise the opportunities for the region."

Short vita Ariane Derks

Ariane Derks graduated with a Bachelor's degree in International Business Administration and completed a Master of Business and Engineering (MBE) scholarship, which took her not only to Berlin but also to the USA and Japan.

Most recently, Ariane Derks was Managing Director of the Deutscher Marketing Verband e.V. and DMV GmbH and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at thyssenkrupp AG. She was Principal Director in Health & Public Service and a member of the board of the Accenture Foundation. In addition, Ariane Derks was Managing Director of the location marketing initiative of the German government and German industry (represented by the BDI) "Germany - Land of Ideas", where she initiated and implemented numerous projects in politics, business and society.

Kontakt

Kristin Ebert
Kommunikation und Marketing
T +49 (0) 355 69-2115
kristin.ebert(at)b-tu.de

Anne-Kathrin Rensch
HVP Forschung und wissenschaftlicher Nachwuchs
T +49 (0) 355 69-4454
anne-kathrin.rensch(at)b-tu.de
Ariane Derks (Foto: privat)