‘The University of Passau and the entire local region are delighted about this leap forward’, said University President, Professor Carola Jungwirth. ‘Now the University will reap the rewards of our efforts to link research and teaching as we position the entire institution as a future-proof, internationally competitive university. We would like to thank the Bavarian government and Science Minister, Bernd Sibler, for their confidence in us.’
Across Bavaria, the initiative ‘Hightech Agenda Bayern’ will create over 10,000 additional university places for students and a further 247 professorships. This will strengthen the teaching capacity for computer science and related disciplines as well as research in Bavaria, significantly.
‘Science and research are at the heart of our progress, safeguarding our future. Hightech Agenda Bayern is a massive investment in the future of research in Bavaria, resulting in more than 13,000 new university places in computer science, digitalisation and technology’, said Bernd Sibler, ‘This sends a strong signal for the future and a clear promise to our higher education institutions. We’re consciously strengthening every state-run higher education institution in Bavaria with additional staffing and additional study places. In times when other states in Germany are prioritising the retainment of existing educational capacities, this initiative is a brave step and leading the way.’
Three aspects of ‘Hightech Agenda Bayern’ will have an especially strong impact on the University of Passau:
- In the area of computer science, the University will gain twelve new professorships as well as twelve other staff positions and 1.7 million euros in equipment and resources. This will create almost 400 new places for students at the University.
- Research at the University will be boosted with another eleven professorships, 17.4 additional FTE positions for other staff and almost 3.7 million euros in equipment and resources. This additional capacity will enable the University to reduce individual teaching loads for particularly research-intensive professorships.
- The new ‘International Centre for Scholarship and Science’ will be constructed at the foot of the Spitzberg hill in the centre of Passau.