Building Bridges for Innovation | Offenburg University of Applied Sciences

Two men are standing to the left and right of a woman in front of a wall with the words “flow 1986” on it — Marco Butz (left), Head of the Department of Economics and Urban Development for the City of Offenburg, and Prof. Dr. Thomas Eisele (right), Prorector for Research and Transfer at Hochschule Offenburg, welcomed the new transfer manager, Dr. Pascale Müller (center).

The City of Offenburg and Hochschule Offenburg are stepping up their collaboration: As of June 1, they have jointly established the position of a transfer manager. With this key position, both partners have created a central point of contact to advance knowledge and technology transfer in the region and to integrate the local economy more closely with academia.

The new transfer manager serves as a strategic link between the University, the city administration, and regional companies. The goal of this newly created position is to facilitate innovation processes and ensure the long-term competitiveness of Offenburg as a business hub. This involves serving as the first point of contact for companies regarding technology transfer, the use of research infrastructure at the University, or joint research ideas. Other responsibilities include facilitating networking among companies and connecting those interested in starting a business.

A candidate has already been selected for the new position. “We are pleased that we were able to recruit Dr. Pascale Müller for this position—someone who knows the University of Offenburg very well, is deeply rooted in the region, and already maintains contacts within the local business community,” says Marco Butz, Head of the Department of Economic and Urban Development for the City of Offenburg. As the economic hub of the Ortenau region, Offenburg is characterized by a diverse mix of industries—ranging from media, Maschinenbau, and electrical engineering to Biotechnologie and healthcare. There are also numerous connections across the Rhine to French partners. “I’m looking forward to this multifaceted role,” explains Pascale Müller, who was born in France. “As a physicist, I can put myself in the shoes of those facing diverse challenges and organize targeted solutions,” adds the former employee of the Physics Service Center at the Center for Learning and Teaching at Hochschule Offenburg.

As a transfer manager, she will now work both at the University and at the flow1986 Innovation Park. And, naturally, she will also be on-site at local companies to facilitate their access to the University. One of her initial areas of focus is sustainable mobility: As part of the move.mORe (Innovative University) project, Pascale Müller will support innovative mobility concepts and coordinate networking among relevant stakeholders. In this area, as well as in other fields, she will organize networking events and promote joint initiatives.

“By filling this position, we are building an important bridge. We expressly invite regional companies of all sizes to reach out to us and leverage the University’s expertise for their own innovation projects,” emphasizes Prof. Dr. Thomas Eisele, Prorector for Research and Transfer at the University.