Hof University of Applied Sciences is committed to sustainability and “greentech” and is driving innovation through research into sustainable water management.
30 years ago, for the only time, the rotational arch technology by engineer Günter Kupczik was integrated into the Dresden sewer system. Aiming to achieve better volume management during heavy rainfall and to solve the issue of sediment removal without requiring personnel, Kupczik began working on the innovative rotational arch solution as early as the 1980s. Comparative analyses conducted by TU Dresden revealed that, at the time, the rotational arch was the only technical solution in which mechanical components did not come into contact with wastewater, the full flow cross-section remained available at all times, and precise control was possible even under backed-up operational conditions.
Hof, Germany – The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) brings not only technological advancements but also complex ethical questions. Particularly in the case of generative AI, such as text and image generation models, the issue of biased outcomes has come under scrutiny. Professors Dr. René Peinl, Marc Lehmann, and Dr. Andreas Wagener from the Institute for Information Systems (iisys) at Hof University of Applied Sciences have analyzed this issue and arrived at intriguing findings.
Hof, Germany – Hof University of Applied Sciences is undertaking a new research project aimed at developing sustainable substrates for plant production. Led by Dr. Harvey Harbach, a research group in collaboration with regional and industrial partners is exploring how sheep wool, as a natural material, can replace peat and plastic in the cultivation of vegetable seedlings.
Münchberg/Kassel – Researchers at Hof University of Applied Sciences are currently focusing on an especially fascinating and versatile plant: the willow shrub. At the Institute of Materials Science (ifm) in Münchberg, attention is being directed toward this plant, whose flexible wood can be used in textile production, construction, as well as in medicine and cosmetics. Willow provides a rapidly renewable resource that, when utilized in these fields, also contributes to significant CO₂ savings.
Hof, Germany – An innovative training opportunity for aspiring doctors has become a reality thanks to a partnership between the University of Applied Sciences Hof and SANA Klinikum Hof. Through this collaboration, young doctors can now practice minimally invasive procedures for treating vascular occlusions on a life-like model—an innovation poised to revolutionize medical education. Previously, such training was only possible under the guidance of highly experienced colleagues on patients or animal models. This cost-effective solution is expected to become available to other medical universities and training institutions in the future.
Hof University of Applied Sciences wants to recruit foreign nursing staff, strengthen their skills and integrate them. The reason: Bavaria alone is currently losing more than 1,000 nursing staff each year, while at the same time studies by the Free State of Bavaria assume a tenfold increase in the need for nursing staff by 2050 – mainly due to an aging society. One key to countering this plight will be to recruit foreign nursing professionals. To drive this forward, the master’s program “Cross Cultural Nursing Practice M.A.” – the only one of its kind in Germany – will start at Hof University of Applied Sciences in 2024.
Hof, 09.07.2021 - Together with a total of eight other partners, Hof University of Applied Sciences wants to launch one of Germany's seven future centers for artificial intelligence. The research group "Innovative Healthcare" at the Institute for Information Systems (iisys), which was newly founded for this purpose, will begin its work with the project Regional Future Center AI "pulsnetz.de –healthy work" (pulsnetz AI), which aims to develop AI-based technologies for the care and social economy and establish them there. A service truck is to make the innovations tangible on site in care facilities, kindergartens as well as residential facilities for people with disabilities.
Hof/Münchberg, June 23, 2021 - Energy storage is one of the key issues for a sustainable energy supply in the future. Thousands of researchers around the world are currently working on this issue. An exciting project is also currently underway at the Münchberg campus of Hof University of Applied Sciences. Here, new types of ice batteries for cooling applications are being researched, which can help to sustainably reduce energy and CO2. They are powered by surplus solar energy.
A new research project of the Institute for Water and Energy Management at Hof University of Applied Sciences aims at promoting the potential and usage of hydropower in existing water facilities. The project "Network for the Generation of Energy with Hydropower in Existing Water Facilities (NEEWa)", funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) with 417,000 EUR, strengthens the knowledge transfer from the Green Tech University Hof to regional companies. In addition, the project contributes to the success of Hof as a center of competence for water and renewable energies in the region.
