A 50-year bond: a delegation from the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar deepens its cooperation with its partner university in Moscow
The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar cooperates with nearly 200 partner universities worldwide. The cooperation agreement with the Moscow State University of Civil Engineering (MGSU) is the university's oldest. Since 1967, the universities have maintained close ties with each other. The institutions already celebrated the 50th anniversary of this partnership in July 2017 during summaery in Weimar and the festivities were held in Moscow in October.
Last summer, Dr. Winfried Speitkamp, President of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, and Dr. Andrey Volkov, Rector of the Moscow State University of Civil Engineering signed an agreement in Weimar to continue the partnership between the two universities. That was followed by the visit of an eight-member delegation to Moscow from 4 to 8 October 2017.
"I am delighted at the friendly and collegial atmosphere that characterised the visit to Moscow State University of Civil Engineering. It was a very pleasant opportunity to get to know each other - for instance, during a joint visit to the German Embassy in Moscow," says Dr. Speitkamp.
The Weimar delegation was very warmly received in Moscow:
- Dr. Winfried Speitkamp, President of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
- Dr.-Ing. Kay Smarsly, Chair of the Professorship of Computing in Civil Engineering
- Dr. Dimitrii Legatiuk, staff of the Professorship of Applied Mathematics
- Dr.-Ing. Hans-Bertram Fischer, Professorship for Construction Materials
- Dr.-Ing. Dr. h.c. Heiko Kirschke, formerly of the Professorship Computing in Civil Engineering
- Dipl.-Ing. Raimo Harder, staff member of the Professorship of Transport System Planning
- Dr.-Ing. Uwe Plank-Wiedenbeck, Chair of the Professorship of Transport System Planning
- Dr.-Ing. Hans-Joachim Bargstädt, Chair of the Professorship of Construction Engineering and Management
- Marina Glaser, Strategic Internationalisation Officer
The president also emphasised, "We created a positive climate with the MGSU administration and the many colleagues involved. Through the support of the participating professorships and staff of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, we were able to agree on very concrete goals in research, coursework, and student exchange."
Focus on joint research proposals and exchange programmes
Participants agreed on further cooperation in various strategic areas: joint research proposals, lecturer and student exchanges are the focus of the joint effort and will continue to be intensified.
The results from the Professorship of Computing in Civil Engineering are exemplary of the continuation of the bilateral partnership, according to its director Dr.-Ing. Kay Smarsly: "During the trip, we agreed on concrete activities: joint classes in Computer Science in Civil Engineering on geometric modelling with mutual student exchanges, the assignment of guest lecturers from the Professorship Computing in Civil Engineering to the MGSU to teach Building Information Modeling, and joint research proposals in the field of structural health monitoring.”
President Speitkamp also extended an invitation to the festivities celebrating Bauhaus 100: "In 2019 there will be many events such as the Bauhaus Semester, scientific colloquia and guest lectureships. We will not only celebrate with our partners, but also work together to shape our future."
The International Office is also very pleased with the trip: one of the fruits of the effort is a new proposal under Erasmus+ KA107, a European Union (EU) programme providing support to teachers, students and administrative staff for travel to non-European countries. Arrangements were also made for joint workshops in Weimar and Moscow in the field of transport system planning as well as participation in an English-language semester.
The Programme
Various faculties are involved in university collaboration: materials research, environmental and transport research, urban studies, conservation and virtual modelling. Accordingly, the agenda of the delegation trip was varied: on Thursday, students of the MGSU first presented a selection of thesis projects. Afterwards, an academic seminar addressed three research areas of the Weimar-Moscow collaboration "Sustainable development of populated area," "Concrete, gypsum building materials," and "Information technologies in construction."
Rüdiger von Fritsch, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Russian Federation, invited numerous international guests to celebrate the day of German reunification and the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. More unites Germany and Russia than separates them," said von Fritsch. He himself confessed his love for Bauhaus: "My father wrote a letter to Gropius himself. This should be in the Bauhaus Archive.” He then brainstormed with President Speitkamp regarding what joint projects could be implemented for the Bauhaus Semester 2018/2019.
Joining the university administration of the MGSU at the official ceremony for the 50 years of partnership at the Moscow State University of Civil Engineering on Friday were programme professors and students, the delegation of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, as well as the head of the DAAD Moscow field office, Dr. Peter Hiller, and Marina Piminova, representative of the scientific section of the German Embassy in Moscow, along with the director of the Russian DFG office, Dr. Wilma Rethage, and the international affairs officer for Thuringia International in Russia, Guzel Shaykhullina.
As a gift for his hosts, Prof. Dr. Speitkamp presented the facsimile of a chess game by Josef Hartwig from the Weimar Bauhaus albums, which was made by the Modernist Archive. MGSU designed a special commemorative plaster plaque for the festivities.
At the ceremony, Dr. Hiller of the DAAD, committed to continued support for the cooperation between the universities: "We see this as an outstanding relationship with scientific cooperations that functions very well. And the DAAD will continue to promote and support this cooperation, especially for the students."
Marina Pimonova of German Embassy also praised the 50-year Weimar-Moscow partnership: "This collaboration is a success story, and not only in view of the current political situation. It should be emphasized that both partners speak the same language. On behalf of the German Embassy, I would like to thank all those involved for their strong personal commitment."
The visit of the delegation from Weimar to Moscow was sponsored by the German House of Research and Innovation in Moscow and the EU's Erasmus+-KA107 programme. Additional funds came from the International Office and the participating professorships.
Cooperation since 1967
The partnership agreement with the Moscow State University of Civil Engineering is one of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar's oldest. It was first signed on 21 April 1967 and has been renewed regularly ever since. The objectives of the strategic partnership with MGSU include the development of joint research projects, the internationalisation of engineering studies and doctoral qualifications, as well preparation of graduates for the international labour market.
About the MGSU
Moscow State University of Civil Engineering ranks among the leading technical universities in Russia. It has the status of "National Research University", awarded by the Russian Excellence Initiative. The MGSU is also the leading and coordinating body for teaching and research in the field of civil engineering for all of the universities in the Russian Federation.
Contact
Marina C. Glaser, M.A., M.P.A.
Strategic Internationalization Officer
Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
International Office
Phone: +49 (0) 36 43/58 23 74
E-mail: marina.glaser@uni-weimar.de
www.uni-weimar.de/international