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How to prepare for the hitherto unknown challenges of tomorrow's societies?. Mai, 2010. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Steinbach Trondheim, 15. October 2010. P rofile.
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How to prepare for the hitherto unknown challenges of tomorrow's societies? Mai, 2010 Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Steinbach Trondheim, 15. October 2010
Profile • The Technische Universität Berlin regardsitselfas an international well reputateduniversityplacedatthe German capital in thecenterof Europe: • Third largest Institute of Technology in Germany • Research and Education conducted in combination of natural sciences, engineering and humanities • Fundamental and applied research: • Fundamental research in its classical meaning • applied research centred on problems relevant to society today and in the future • Regional, national and internationalnetworking
Facts and figures Students 29.234 female (ca. 34%) 9.967 comingfromabroad (ca. 20%) 5.923 Professors/Chairs 323 incl. Visiting Professors etc. 396 Scientific Assistants 2.246 General staff 4.379 Doctorates (2009) 376 Habilitations (2009) 24 Budget: State funding (2009) 251,1 Mio. € Third partyfunding (2009) 125,2 Mio. €
Is really everything hitherto unknown about future challenges ? • A positive perspective for our future can only be anticipated if the following challenges are met successfully: • climate change • urbanisation • infrastructure • resource management, intelligent handling of • water, the gold of the future • energy (efficiency) • food • health in an aging society • These fields not only require inventions and innovations but also sufficient finances
Is really everything hitherto unknown about future challenges ? • What we do not know: • a comprehensive list of all the sub-problems • the regional placing of the problems • additional pivotal problems not listed yet (surprises)
Deficits in our current organisations to face the challenges • Education • New, scientifically „deepdrilling“ but narrowcurricula • Missingbalancebetween mono-disciplinarity, interdisciplinarityandtransdisciplinarity • killingstudentcreativity • missingpersonalitydevelopment • Research • Hype-research • financialefficiencyasguidingprinciple • appliedresearchregardedassecondclassscience • not enoughyoungscientists
Deficits in our current organisations to face the challenges • Setup organisationofuniversities • The average time constantfor a „professor´slife“ at a universityistoolong (25-30 years) torespondstructurally fast enoughtonewchallenges • Politicallyinducedfinancialconstraintslimitthenumberofdoctorates in an irresponsibleway • The structurestosupportentrepreneuralactivitiesare not adequatelydevelopedat all instutesoftechnology
How to prepare for the future • Education • Place „methodolical skills“ based on a sound basis of fundamentals in to the centre of Bachelor curriculum development • This way generalists are trained with a high ability to transfer their skills to quite different problem • areas almost instantaneously • Place Master curricula preferable on the interface of two disciplines , but keep them broad and away from hype-topic • Try to focus on system´s approach in order to balance specialisation for a following doctorate and generalisation enough to keep the graduates placable in different disciplines
How to prepare for the future • Education • Ensure and promote student creativity e.g. student formula 1 • Contact the schools and tackle the “maturity problem” of our first year students togetherBeware of “producing robotics”; nuture constructive criticism and self-confidence even it becomes less cosy for us lectureres
Deficits in our current organisations to face the challenges • Research • Introduce„problembasedresearch“ • Facultiesandschoolsare not adequatestructuresforfutureresearch. Research todayisdone in interdisciplinaryteamssometimesformingevennewtransdisciplinarysciences. Combine researchersprojectwisefrom all relevantfacultiesandprovidethemwiththeirownbudgetApplythepictureof an americanbureauwithmovableviewshieldsplacedindividuallyaccordingtoeachproject´srequirement • Cultivate„riskyresearch“ • 15% ofthebudgetof a universityshould not besubjecttofinancialefficiencyassessment.
How to prepare for the future • Setup organisationofuniversities • Maketheuniversitystructuremore flexible andsupportyoungscientistsatthe same time: • 50% ofchairsaredefinedmonodisciplinarytocultivatethe mono-disciplines on the Bachelor level • 20% ofchairsaredefinedinterdisciplinaryand5%as „seedchairs“ • 25% of all chairsare time limitedassignmentsforyoungscientiststorespondtostructuralprojectneeds