The challenges that the structural change in the Rhenish lignite mining area in the Aachen, Mönchengladbach and Cologne/Bonn region will bring with it were the central topic of the closed meeting of the Transfer Alliance Rhenish Mining Area (TARR). The Hochschule Niederrhein, FH Aachen, Katholische Hochschule Nordrhein-Westfalen, TH Köln, HS Bonn-Rhein-Sieg and associate member RH Köln are supported by the Aachen, Cologne and Mittlerer Niederrhein Chambers of Industry and Commerce.
Structural change projects in close cooperation
"The members of the alliance are pooling their skills and expertise. We have put together a powerful community that will work hard to promote technical and social innovations for the region," says Dr. Thomas Grünewald, President of The Hochschule Niederrhein and spokesperson for TARR. The core topic of the conference, which took place in the decommissioned RWE lignite-fired power plant in Grevenbroich-Frimmersdorf, was TARR's strategic partnership with IT NRW in the fields of training and continuing education as well as research and development in the field of IT security. Where lignite was once converted into thermal energy, an innovation center for companies and start-ups in the fields of digitalization and AI could soon be built on 10,000 square metres of office space. Attractive sports facilities, a guest house and an event room in the former power plant hall are also being considered. The TARR universities thanked RWE for the hospitality and exciting insights into the power plant's infrastructure, some of which is listed.
Strong partners
It is not only within the TARR universities that there is close cooperation. We work together with strong partners from politics and associations, such as the Zukunftsagentur Rheinisches Revier (ZRR), whose Managing Director Bodo Middeldorf and Elke Hohmann, Head of Project Development, were guests at the closed meeting. They presented the latest developments in structural change in the Rhenish mining district and were very pleased with the close coordination between TARR and ZRR. Other central topics of the closed meeting were the qualification of skilled workers and social innovations, which are prerequisites for successful structural change. Dr. Wiebke Lang and Stefan Kulozik from the NRW Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs (MAGS) presented the objectives and activities in terms of transformation, skills and specialist requirements in the Rhenish mining area. The MAGS also welcomed the merger and the joint activities of the TARR universities.
WE together with and for the region
Supported by the TARR office based at Aachen University of Applied Sciences, the universities are in close contact with local authorities, companies, non-governmental organizations and society. Only together can change succeed. And the universities have many years of experience in transferring knowledge to society. Carolina Getto, the newly appointed Managing Director of TARR, will ensure the continuous communication and organization of the various players in the structural change. "As part of the TARR network, I am delighted to be involved in shaping structural change in the Rhenish mining area. For current and, above all, future generations," says Getto.
