Building Bridges between Science and Civil Society

After a welcome address by Professor Elke Feifel, THI Vice President for Transfer, Sustainability, and Entrepreneurship, the participants were given an insight into the ‘Mensch in Bewegung’ project and various transfer rooms at the university. The subsequent World Café workshop - moderated and prepared by Dr Gerhard Schönhofer from the ‘Mensch in Bewegung’ knowledge transfer project - served to develop concrete approaches for closer cooperation. It became clear that knowledge transfer is more than just the exchange of research results - it requires low-threshold access, strong networks, and clear contacts.

Particular importance was attached to the creation of meeting spaces. Existing networks such as the ‘Engaged City Steering Group’ play a role here, as do new initiatives aimed at promoting dialogue between science and society. The question of how students can be more closely involved in transfer processes and used as multipliers to attract new target groups was also discussed intensively. Internship and training programs could build bridges between theory and practice and at the same time strengthen the transfer of knowledge to social institutions, museums, or educational projects.

Another focus was on digital inclusion. To enable as many people as possible to participate in technical developments, easily understandable educational programs are needed that are specifically aimed at educationally disadvantaged groups. At the same time, the need to prepare scientific findings in such a way that they remain understandable without losing precision was emphasized.

The participants agreed that binding and sustainable structures are needed for the transfer of knowledge. As a regional driving force, the THI plays an important role in this context. Regular dialogue between the university, the city, and social stakeholders can help to ensure that joint projects are not only initiated but anchored in the long term. The Open Transfer Round made it clear how important active dialogue is for the transfer of knowledge and innovation.

‘Mensch in Bewegung II’ is a joint project of Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences and the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt. Together with partners from politics, business, and civil society, the universities are developing a regional platform for the exchange of knowledge and for the inter- and transdisciplinary shaping of the pressing issues of our time. The project is being funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the state of Bavaria with around 10 million euros over five years (2023-2027) as part of the ‘Innovative University’ funding initiative.