Conference in Zittau focusses on the transformation of Lusatia through science
Lusatia is used to change like hardly any other region in Germany. Cities and regions from Cottbus to Hoyerswerda to Zittau experienced phases of upswing through industry and mining - followed by a profound break in all areas and a long-lasting decline after reunification: jobs were lost, families have been torn apart since then, the region aged above average.
Currently, a possible trend reversal is emerging: With the phase-out of lignite coal-mining, a new innovation environment is being created in Lusatia. Science, business, administration and civil society together shape new perspectives for the region. Within this regional network, science gives impulses and provides knowledge and ideas. In order to coordinate the next steps on this path together, a conference was held in Zittau at the beginning of November: Transformation knowledge as a problem area of social change was the focus.
Representatives from science, politics, business and society came together to shed light on the change in Lusatia from different perspectives. The central questions:
- What contributions can science make to the Lusatian municipalities in structural change?
- What are the prospects for innovations in the regional economy?
- What added value do major projects such as the German Centre for Astrophysics (DZA) bring?
The conference analysed the change in an interdisciplinary manner, looked at technical innovations, took a closer look at social developments and devoted itself to humanities issues. In essence, it is always about the question of how knowledge can be brought directly into practice and vice versa, how impulses of practice should be taken up by science.
Zittau's Lord Mayor Thomas Zenker praises this approach in his welcome speech: "What I have often missed in the previous discussions is finally being taken up today - namely the humanities perspective on the transformation in Lusatia. This is a very important aspect that we must make understandable together and make public.”
The German Centre for Astrophysics has also recognised this communicative task. Günther Hasinger is the scientific managing director there and describes the role of science in change processes as follows:
"Transformation betrifft uns alle – in Wirtschaft, Politik, Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft. Umso wichtiger ist es, dass diese Konferenz genau an der Schnittstelle von Wissenschaft und Praxis stattfindet. Wissen ist die Grundlage und der Motor einer zukunftsgerichteten Regionalentwicklung. Wissenschaft darf Veränderung nicht nur beobachten, sondern muss sie aktiv begleiten und mitgestalten."
Besonders hebt Günther Hasinger die Abteilung für Transformationsforschung am DZA unter der Leitung von Andreas Otto hervor. Diese Abteilung analysiert den Aufbau und das Wirken des DZA im regionalen Kontext, begleitet Akteure und gestaltet mit. Ähnlich integrierte Forschung gibt es an anderen Großforschungszentren in der Form bisher nicht.
Andreas Otto together with Lisa Bail from Hi!Lusatia has been organising these exchanges for a long time. Clara Hartung coordinates the construction and expansion of the Campus Lausitz at the Technical University of Dresden. Together they organised the discussion group Science Region Lusatia: Science between regional development and international competition. This round shed light on the role of science in the change of Lusatia. The focus was on questions of how scientific institutions can shape change: with well-founded analyses or by setting up new institutions such as the DZA. She presented the multi-layered perspectives from local politics, business and the public and discussed ways to bring research results even more consistently into transformation processes.
“The DZA brings interdisciplinary expertise to Lusatia and develops solutions for change together with partners from science, administration, business and civil society. Our decentralised approach integrates the entire region and relies on a broad local network - from business transfer to promotion of young talent to the acquisition of skilled workers," says Andreas Otto. The DZA's transformation research examines how the scientific institution is connected to the living environments of the people in Lusatia and how DZA and the region can mutually benefit from current developments.
Science boosts the economy – regionally and beyond regional borders. From the point of view of the Ministry of Science, Saxony has developed into a strong scientific location with a high degree of innovative power. Decisive for this was also the openness of commercial enterprises to engage in new technologies and to seek exchange with science.
The conference was organised jointly by the Technical University of Dresden, the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, the DZA and other institutions. Lectures, discussion rounds and excursions shed light on methods of transformation knowledge, feedback between science and society, and Lusatia as a model region for change.
Special thanks go to all partners who facilitate interdisciplinary exchange and promote cooperation between science and practice. The event showed impressively that change only succeeds if knowledge, dialogue and joint action come together – a strong message for Lusatia and beyond.