2 March 2020 | Science and technology are crucial to tackle the grand challenges the world is facing in terms of food, energy, health, climate, inclusivity and security. At the same time, current trends show a concerning rise in technophobia, the questioning of scientific insights and a loss of confidence in institutions and in the importance of international cooperation. Together with EuroTech partners and beyond, the “EuroTeQ Engineering University” will introduce a new approach to foster a strong symbiotic link between society and a future-proof engineering education, aspiring responsible value co-creation in technology.
The EuroTeQ Engineering University emerges from the EuroTech Universities Alliance taking on board two excellent partners: Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) from Estonia and the Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU) from the Czech Republic. In our joint proposal for the 2nd pilot call of the European Universities Initiative by the European Commission, we put forward an unprecedented approach to collaborative education that not only brings together various countries, but also a broad coalition of stakeholders in industry, society and both academic and non-academic education, based on existing tight bonds between the partner universities and their regional eco-systems.
“Technical Universities are key societal stakeholders and have the responsibility to lead the change for a sustainable future by steering and moderating technological advances and economic growths. We are determined to address current developments that challenge societal cohesion and democratic values, like growing inequality and the resulting increases in isolationist attitudes.”
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Gerhard Müller, Senior-Vice President for Academic Affairs at the Technical University of Munich, is convinced that “together with our European partners, we can create an Open University, that fosters the mutual understanding between all stakeholders responsible for collaborative technology driven value creation and enhances societal permeability”. With his counterparts at the six partner universities, he has developed a strong proposal for EuroTeQ Engineering University to become a European University. The meaning of “Engineering University” then is twofold: To provide excellent education to our future engineers and to engineer the University of the Future, to become a role model for the European Higher Education Area and beyond.
A decision is expected in summer 2020, in case of a positive evaluation the 3-year project will start at the end of this year. Regardless of the funding decision, the EuroTech Universities Alliance will work together with the new partners on a common strategy in education, in line with the existing activities in research and innovation, well-prepared for engineering the University of the Future.
