24 June 2025

On Monday, 23 June 2025, the Thuringian Minister of Education, Science and Culture, Christian Tischner, visited Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences for his official inaugural visit. He was received by University President Prof Dr Jörg Wagner and other members of the university management as well as the Dean of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences Prof Dr Stefan Zahradnik.

Inaugural visit by Science Minister Christian Tischner to Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences. (Photos: Tina Bergknapp)

At the beginning of the visit, Minister Tischner also presented President Wagner with a certificate on behalf of Prime Minister Mario Voigt and warmly congratulated him on his 25th anniversary in public service.

The visit centred on intensive discussions about the future development of Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences, particularly against the backdrop of falling applicant numbers and growing structural challenges. President Wagner presented the university's wide range of Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes and emphasised the special quality of teaching and the family environment on campus. The strong research area and the above-average acquisition of third-party funding in recent years despite the structurally weak region were also emphasised.

Vice President Prof. Dr.-Ing. Viktor Wesselak provided information about the university's recently founded doctoral centre. "Application-orientated universities can also provide excellent support for prospective doctoral candidates," said Wesselak.

A central topic of the discussion was the upcoming Framework Agreement VI, with President Wagner emphasising the need for reliable financial development in order to ensure the university's performance and attractiveness in the future. In particular, he emphasised how essential it is for the university that the state takes on the burden of providing care in the future.

Another forward-looking topic was the idea of a dual teaching degree programme. The aim is to attract young people from the region to study to become teachers and to retain them as specialists in northern Thuringia in the long term. According to Wagner, the university needs specific framework conditions to be able to design and develop a corresponding degree programme.

The visit concluded with a tour of the campus and a presentation of the university incubator hike. Project manager Prof. Dr Lutz Göcke presented the hike-Lab, introduced the team and emphasised the great importance of the project for the innovative strength of the university and the promotion of start-ups in the region. He emphasised that follow-up funding is urgently needed for the continuation of the project - it is crucial for the further development of Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences and its regional environment.

"We very much appreciated Minister Tischner's inaugural visit. The exchange provided a valuable opportunity to present the current developments and challenges of our university and to address key issues that affect us as a location for education, research and innovation," emphasises Prof. Dr Jörg Wagner.

"The visit to Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences gave me important insights into the wide range of activities and the great commitment on site. Direct dialogue with the university management and the staff employed at the university is essential in order to keep a better eye on current developments and needs - also against the backdrop of the new university framework agreement that is to be drawn up," said Minister of Science Christian Tischner.

In addition to the minister, Carolin Gerbothe, education policy spokesperson for the CDU state parliamentary group, and Ralf Coenen, head of the university support department at the TMWWDG, also took part in the visit.