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The Institute for Public Management and Governance is an academic institution of the Department of Economics and Social Sciences at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences. In the region, our institute supports local authorities and their public enterprises across the federal states in overcoming current challenges. We are particularly familiar with the situation of medium-sized and smaller municipalities thanks to the practical phases of our students. The design and maintenance of public tasks are the starting point of our research and work programme: Decision-making in municipalities - mastering challenges better.

It is not always easy to identify the legal room for manoeuvre for politics and administration: spatial, economic and demographic developments set limits; the budgetary and financial situation can only be influenced to a certain extent. Demographic developments and digital change, for example, have clear consequences for the fulfilment of public tasks:

  • How can we respond to declining population figures and the ageing population in all areas of municipal activity? Can the exodus of young people be stopped?
  • How can effective action be taken without jeopardising the fulfilment of public tasks?
  • How can the potential of digitalisation contribute to more efficient and effective administrative action?

We provide recommendations for meeting such challenges in a needs-based and future-orientated manner. On a project-related basis, our institute combines interdisciplinary Qualifications in the fields of law, economics and social sciencesIn a partnership-based consulting and research approach, we combine communication at eye level with the targeted development of implementation-orientated solutions and high quality standards.

Current projects

As part of our research and work programme, we work in interdisciplinary projects and analyse, among other things, the steering and problem-solving ability and effectiveness of regional networks and further develop value-added contributions to digitalisation.

Regional circular economy for the local reuse of sewage sludge and biomass with the option of CO2 balancing

07/2021 - 06/2024

Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in the Innovation & Structural Change programme family

Together with municipal partners from two regions in the federal states of Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt, the potential of municipal processes for a circular economy in the area of wastewater / sewage sludge flow is being analysed, taking into account the different structures of municipalities and their public institutions, and strategic optimisation proposals are being developed.

The optimisation objective is to improve regional water quality while further developing the established structures. Regional cooperation is to be strengthened without the establishment of new public companies and in cooperation with private players. In terms of content, this cross-cutting topic focuses on the needs-based and future-oriented fulfilment of public tasks: regional and sustainable management in cycles can bring about greater resource efficiency and stimulate economic development in the Südharz region.

Smart and agile, instead of empty and left behind: Shaping digital change in rural areas

07/2021 - 12/2024

Bundeswehr Centre for Digitalisation and Technology Research

In cooperation with practice partners, the conditions under which digitalisation in rural areas can bring about innovations in and with the fulfilment of public tasks will be investigated empirically and experimentally. Among other things, it is to be investigated:

  • What (theoretical) parallels exist in the discussion strands on regional innovation systems, start-ups in rural areas, real and innovation laboratories, social entrepreneurship and innovative public task fulfilment?
  • What contribution do municipalities in rural areas (especially in the absence of other "strong" actors) make to the regional innovation system, e.g. through other forms of task fulfilment? To what extent can an economic interpretation of municipal co-operation relationships help to shape these co-operations better (economic network theory)?
  • Can these relationships be practically shaped by approaches such as networked business models of public task fulfilment ("administrative network analysis")? How can very heterogeneous environmental factors and developments such as open data and platforms be taken into account in these instruments?

Future workshop community - Helbedündorf

10/2021 – 09/2024

Future workshop of a small municipality (2,500 inhabitants) in the programme "Zukunftswerkstatt Kommune - attraktiv im Wandel" of the Federal Ministry for Families, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth

A demographic strategy to increase the attractiveness for all generations and in all phases of life as well as a business location is being developed with the participation of citizens. The implementation of community-specific solutions such as a digital notice board, the presentation of possible uses of the natural environment for local recreation and action plans for dealing with derelict properties is supported.

GovTechDiff

since 05/2022

GovTechDiff - Effectively accelerating GovTech diffusion with funding from Stiftung öffentliche Wertschöpfung gGmbH

Prototypical development and testing of a GovTech information platform for effective solutions in the public sector in order to connect consumers and providers in a customised way. Research is being conducted into whether and how exactly start-ups with a strong connection to the public sector that are actually in demand on the market contribute to the diffusion of innovative approaches to municipal task fulfilment.

AcceptGypsum

08/2022 – 07/2024

Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

AkzeptGips - Acceptance and sustainability concept for gypsum recycling in the programme "WE! - Change through innovation in the region" of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research

Social marketing is to be used to bring about a change in attitude and behaviour towards recycled products. Using the example of gypsum, as a recyclable material in the circular economy, and building on a stakeholder analysis, it is being tested how benefit perceptions can be conveyed through multi-sensory nature and recycling experiences, including by public waste management organisations.

Climate balance

09/2022 – 01/2023

Research and service contract Climate budget of an independent city in Lower Saxony (168,000 inhabitants)

By integrating information about CO2-The aim is to enable impact-oriented decisions for a more climate-friendly society with a reporting and control infrastructure that has been further developed on the basis of the budget.

Innovative university

02/2023 – 2027

The Transfer plant Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences in the "Innovative University" programme of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research

As an operational member of the Transfer Advisory Board, the aim is to achieve more intensive networking with relevant players in the region to increase joint innovative strength through data-supported optimisation of transfer structures and testing of transfer formats (digital and in person).

Municipal personnel management on the way to human resources management

05/2023 – 08/2023

The research project - in cooperation with administrative districts from Thuringia, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia - is investigating personnel management structures in times of a shortage of skilled labour.

For this purpose Interviews with key persons from the district administrations. The research focusses on the career paths of administrative employees with a focus on general administration.

Of particular interest are, among other things, the careers of administrative assistants and who is sent as a candidate to an administrative study programme in the higher civil service. The aim is to be able to make practical recommendations for optimising personnel management and personnel marketing that can be implemented in the short term.

University Incubator for Entrepreneurship Nordhausen

June 2020 - December 2025

Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in the StartupLap@FH programme

Promotion of innovative start-ups at the university

University members (in particular students) are supported in the development of innovative ideas and start-up opportunities in the areas of ecological, social and economic sustainability and the Internet of Things (incl. GovTechs). The programme also evaluates the impact on knowledge transfer in and the innovative capacity of the region as a social innovation.

Research assistants

  • Hannes Bruchholz

    +49 3631 420-550

    Project coordinator, research assistant

  • Maximilian Druselmann

    +49 3631 420-145

    Research assistant

  • Theresa-Marie Erdmann

    +49 3631 420-556

    Research assistant

  • Pia Unglaub

    +49 3631 420-559

    Research assistant

  • Ulla Walther

    +49 3631 420-552

    Research assistant

  • Stefanie Wellmann

    +49 3631 420-557

    Research assistant

Contact

Prof Dr Elmar Hinz

Prof Dr Elmar Hinz

Professor

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