A delegation from the University of Groningen visited its German partner universities in the Northwest Alliance. The program included a visit to the new Clusters of Excellence “NaviSense” and “The Martian Mindset.”
“This is a special day: you are the first official guests of our brand new NaviSense Cluster of Excellence.” With these words, Oldenburg’s University President Prof. Dr. Ralph Bruder welcomed a delegation from the University of Groningen (Netherlands) led by President Prof. Dr. Jouke de Vries. Together with various deans, de Vries visited both German universities of the Northwest Alliance. The University of Groningen is a privileged partner of the alliance.
Among the groups they met in Oldenburg was the NaviSense Cluster of Excellence team, which was established just three weeks ago. Prof. Dr. David Lentink reported on his experiences of how cutting-edge research benefits from collaboration between several universities, even across national borders. The bionics expert from the University of Groningen is one of 20 leading scientists at NaviSense and also conducts research in Oldenburg. There, he benefits from the research infrastructure surrounding the topic of magnetic sense, while in Groningen he makes particular use of the opportunities for research into robotics.
After visiting Oldenburg, the delegation travelled to the University of Bremen. Together with President Professor Jutta Günther and Vice President for International Affairs, Academic Qualification, and Diversity Dr. Mandy Boehnke, as well as deans, researchers, and staff from the International Office, they exchanged ideas about further opportunities for cooperation.
In Bremen, the delegation also visited the Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM), where they learned about the university’s new Cluster of Excellence, The Martian Mindset. NaviSense and The Martian Mindset are two of the four Clusters of Excellence of the Northwest Alliance, which is currently applying for funding as a University Excellence Consortium under the federal and state governments’ Excellence Strategy.
“The University of Groningen values its collaboration with the universities of Oldenburg and Bremen and sees in the proposal ‘Northwest Alliance: Connecting for Tomorrow’ exceptional opportunities to strengthen cross-border research and innovation, and realize shared ambitions,” emphasized de Vries. He supports the application, which connects not only two federal states, but also two countries. A decision on the application’s success will be made in October.
In the evening, the delegation attended the University of Bremen’s New Year’s Reception, where Jouke de Vries joined other university leaders on the stage to discuss the topic of “Science in Transition.”