Handing over the baton

At its meeting on July 21, 2016, the Institute Council of the Institute of Process Engineering, Process Automation and Measurement Technology (IPM) at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences elected Professor Alexander Kratzsch as the new Institute Director. He has been the director of the largest research institute at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences since November 1, 2016. Prof. Kratzsch has already worked as a project manager at the institute in the past and has thus been able to acquire extensive knowledge and experience in the fields of science, business administration and personnel law. In addition to his role as the new director, Prof. Kratzsch is also head of the "Measurement Technology/Process Automation" department with a scientific focus on making energy systems more flexible, developing non-invasive measurement methods and digital safety control technology.

Professor Frank Worlitz, who has headed the Institute since January 2007, did not stand for re-election after three terms of office, but will continue to work at the Institute in his specialist field of "Mechatronic Systems", in particular magnetic bearings.

The new director is particularly committed to the continuous scientific and structural development of the IPM. To this end, it is necessary to maintain the current staff of around 40 and to further develop their expertise. This is linked to safeguarding scientific expertise in all areas of research as well as the safe operation of the extensive experimental facilities covering an area of around 1,400^m2. With the successful construction of the "Zittau Power Plant Laboratory" on the premises of Zittauer Stadtwerke GmbH, an important investment was made under the leadership of the IPM to expand the material and technical basis and to secure the future viability of teaching and research in the field of energy and environment at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences in Zittau. Prof. Kratzsch's aim is to work with the professors and employees of the IPM to further develop the Zittau power plant laboratory into a digital energy laboratory 4.0 at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. The intensification of cooperation with the Fraunhofer IWU on the campus in Zittau under the title "Lightweight construction and energy technology" is also on the new director's agenda.

The IPM is mainly financed by additional funds, so-called third-party funds, which are acquired by the IPM in competition with other universities, colleges and research institutes. This is a constant challenge for the staff and the six professors working at the institute. As department heads, they manage the departments at the institute in addition to their teaching duties. For many years, the IPM has generated an average of 60% of all third-party funding at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. "It is therefore a logical and correct step," says Prof. Kratzsch, "that in future we will receive funds from the university's basic research budget (improvement of third-party funding capability) for research support at the IPM."

Prof. Kratzsch is particularly keen to anchor the outstanding research results and the numerous test facilities at the IPM, especially in the Zittau power plant laboratory, more firmly in teaching than before. "I am convinced," says Prof. Kratzsch, "that together with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, we will be able to offer young people an attractive and modern range of courses in the field of energy and the environment and consistently develop them further."

Further information can be found here.