The Hochschule Niederrhein achieved a record result in third-party funding in 2023. Around 24.4 million euros were acquired last year, of which around 4.6 million euros were passed on to project partners. Of this total amount, 22.6 million euros were allocated to research and transfer and 1.6 million euros to teaching education. The previous record was set in 2021 (23.3 million euros).
"We are proud of the figures for 2023. The new record result shows that research spirit and innovative strength are very important at The Hochschule Niederrhein. Compared to previous years, we are seeing a higher proportion of interdisciplinary research. This is a very pleasing development," says Professor Dr. Dr. Alexander Prange, Vice President for Research and Transfer at The Hochschule Niederrhein.
After 2017 (20.1 million) and 2021 (23.3 million), the 20 million mark was surpassed for the third time in 2023. In 2022, the year after the coronavirus pandemic, the value of third-party funding achieved was 13.9 million euros. In 2013 - exactly ten years ago - The Hochschule Niederrhein was able to acquire around seven million euros.
The largest share of third-party funding in 2023, around 21.3 million euros, came from the 47 publicly funded projects. The European Union, the federal government and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia are the funders here. Private-sector partners provided 2.0 million euros, which was acquired for 53 projects. For the first time in the history of the university, the two million mark was reached.
The SmInt-Smart Interfaces project - a joint project between the Faculties of Chemistry, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Mechanical and Process Engineering, Textile and Clothing Engineering and Industrial Engineering - accounted for the largest share of the total sum. The Ministry of Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia is providing almost 2.5 million euros for a holistic sustainability survey (resource consumption) of research in the laboratories in a knowledge database using the example of textile recycling products. The project is also concerned with the scientific, economic, social and ecological qualification of postdocs and docs as so-called ASAs (Applied Scientific Agents). The project has been running since November 1, 2023 and will run until October 31, 2026.
The Octogarn project at the Faculty of Textile and Clothing Technology is being funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection with 1.842 million euros. Three founders want to develop a yarn that is non-wettable. This means that if a textile made from the newly developed octo yarn is completely submerged in water, it remains dry.
In the area of teaching education, the ConnActGlobal project, which is sponsored by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), accounted for the largest share. Just under half a million is available for the development and implementation of an internationalization strategy for The Hochschule Niederrhein. Professor Dr. Marion Halfmann, who is also the Presidential Board's Internationalization Officer, is in charge of this project.
In addition to the research and transfer projects, there were a total of 60 ongoing cooperative doctorates with partner universities in 2023.
