The professors and scientists at Constance University of Applied Sciences held lengthy discussions regarding their intention to develop special research priorities. The University’s goal was to “further stabilise research and improve the University’s profile by setting up clearly visible interdisciplinary priorities,” said Professor Gunter Voigt, Vice President for Research at Constance University of Applied Sciences. The new institutions belong to the Institute of Applied Research, which supervises and coordinates the University’s research activities. All the new institutes work in an interdisciplinary fashion.

The Institute for Materials Systems Technology Constance has three research areas: metallic materials, polymer technology and insulation materials. The Institute’s professors, Paul Gümpel, Carsten Manz and Gunter Voigt, belong to the faculties of mechanical engineering, electrotechnology and IT technology. Their research goes beyond pure materials science, in that they also focus on the interaction of the materials with the environment, i.e. disciplines such as tribology and corrosion. On the other hand, they also include the production and processing of materials. The individual areas are structured such that Professor Gümpel carries out research on metallic materials, Professor Manz on polymer technology and Professor Voigt on insulation materials.

At the Institute for Optical Systems, the professors Claus Braxmaier, Matthias Franz and Bernd Jödicke focus on optics as a cross-sector technology. They teach at the faculties for mechanical engineering, informatics and construction engineering. The professors’ common research priority has for quite some time been developing synergistically across faculty borders. Their goal is to combine expertise in optical measurement technology with expertise in image processing and rapid signal processing. The professors are supported in their work by their colleagues, Carsten Manz, Werner Kleinhempel, Oliver Bittel, Rüdiger Reiß and Klaus Durst.

Research at the Constance Institute for Corporate Governance is a “holistic design of business management research in the field of corporate governance,” said Professor Josef Wieland, who plans to investigate the latest developments in economically, legally and socially responsible company management in close cooperation with his colleagues, Professor Werner Volz and Professor Peter Franklin. Aspects relating to compliance and risk management, i.e. the integrity of business processes and corporate governance with a particular focus on international standards are an important part of his work, as are the demands on small- and medium-sized companies. Subjects like intercultural management, financing and controlling are also of great importance in this research.

All projects will initially be funded through the University. It is hoped that the institutes’ applied research areas and the cooperation with the industry will in the medium and long term mean that they are able to finance themselves through the acquisition of third-party funds.

The projects are also closely integrated with teaching. Students are part of the processes and the latest insights and findings are taught in lectures, taking into account both the theoretical and practical aspects.