For me, FHWS is … - A major part of my life
- A workplace with a very wide range of tasks and the opportunity for self-realisation
What do you appreciate about FHWS?
A former president once said: “If the university of applied sciences didn't exist, we would've had to invent it.”
With the broadest range of subjects in Würzburg and Schweinfurt, virtually everyone who wants to pursue a degree with a practical focus can find a very good offering. Depending on inclination and ability, it is possible to do a bachelor's, a master's or even a doctorate. The range of variations in admission requirements also runs from the general higher education qualification through the advanced technical college certificate to professionals with specialist qualifications. FHWS thus offers a large number of young people the opportunity to develop a solid and practical basis for their future working life.
What was the best decision in your professional career and why? What has changed since then?
The best decision was certainly responding to the job advertisement for “Head of the computer centre at the university of applied sciences in Würzburg” and applying. After the switch to the (then) university of applied sciences, my salary was initially significantly lower than it had been as a software engineer. But that slowly got better over my years in the role. One very positive and planned effect was that I was able to cultivate my social environment, particularly in sport, again as a result of the professional move back from Nuremberg to Würzburg. There I also met my wife, who I now have three children (long since grown up) with. I am now retiring after almost 36 years at FHWS and the circle is closing.
What do you think has shaped FHWS the most over the last 50 years?
- Presidents, chancellors, deans
- The construction activities in recent decades. In 1971, there was the former engineering school building in Schweinfurt and what is now the administration offices at Sanderring 8 in Würzburg. Everything else has been added since. And the expansion is continuing!
- Barely visible from the outside: the introduction of the university-wide computer network with comprehensive WiFi. With the computer infrastructure running in the background, we were able to cope with the challenges of digitalisation. Digitalisation is a key factor for future research and teaching.
What is your vision of the future for FHWS? What might FHWS look like in 50 years’ time?
I was asked exactly this question 20 years ago in the previous prospectus and I remember having said “...if the university of applied sciences succeeds in raising its profile and differentiating itself from other universities and universities of applied sciences, then it has a good future...”. That's still true today. But it's become more difficult. Because if, as encouraged by the Bologna process, all subjects offer comparable content with comparable modules, etc., then raising your profile becomes an art. Otherwise we as taxpayers may ask ourselves why we pay for two types of higher education institutions in our country.
My suggestion for the future: it is not the number of students which should be decisive for the allocation of funds, but rather the quality of the graduates. This is the only way for a higher education institution to survive on the market in the long term.
What is your insider tip for the cities of Würzburg or Schweinfurt and why?
Once coronavirus has blown over, a visit to a fine wine tavern and some Blaue Zipfel with a Silvaner. What could be better …?