Based on recent research projects at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, including the study "Distant Elites: Die Unterrepräsentation von Ostdeutschen und Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund", the contributions to the opening of the Science Year 2024/2025 deal with the fundamental problem of the relationship between rulers and the ruled, the powerful and the (supposedly) powerless, particularly from the perspective of representation, trust and (dis)satisfaction in the face of current socio-political challenges.

While the first block will focus on the (mine) field of politics and the role of elites, the second block will deal with the possibilities, limits and criticism of science (and universities) in regional development processes. How can research and transfer be effective in regional structural change?
How can the conversion to a sustainable energy supply be driven forward scientifically? What methodological, conceptual and organizational requirements must be met for this? And what trust do the citizens of the region actually have in scientific work at the university?

The event will be accompanied by a poster exhibition, which will provide an overview of current Saxon-funded research projects from various subject areas.

Programme:

16.30: Opening of the Year of Science and keynote speech

Them up there? Us up there? Those in the West, us in the East? On the challenges of politics today (Prof. Raj Kollmorgen, Vice-Rector Research)

17.00 hrs:

Distant elites? Where the East Germans were and where they are today (Jan Schaller, TRAWOS)

DISENTANGLE - Interdisciplinarity and how it can work (Stefanie Kast, ZIRKON)

"Heat planning in the neighborhood: Concrete knowledge transfer in the region" (Jonas Pfeiffer, F-M)

18.00 hrs: Short break

18.15 hrs: Panel discussion: On the minefield? Opportunities, barriers and scope for local players. (Moderation: Markus Will) with participation of the audience

19.15-20:30: Buffet, poster exhibition on state parliament project funding and discussions