German International University

Export of Study Programs to Egypt

The combination of academic teaching and practical project work is considered a recipe for success for German universities of applied sciences. In the coming years, this educational concept is to be transferred to the German International University (GIU) in Cairo. The university management of the HHN spoke out in favour of this project. Under the leadership of the Berlin University of Applied Sciences (HTW) and in cooperation with several German universities, including the Berlin School of Economics and Law, Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences and Ulm University of Applied Sciences (TH Ulm), the GIU has started teaching according to the German model from 2020 and has largely adopted our curricula.

HHN supports the GIU in establishing a modern teaching programme according to German quality standards. Various study programmes, such as Automotive Engineering, Manufacturing, Robotics and Automation (each derived from the curriculum of Mechatronics and Robotics with the help of Automotive Systems Engineering) from the Faculty of Mechanics and Electronics (T1), as well as Entrepreneurship, Small and Medium Enterprise (from the Faculty of Economics and Transport) have been implemented and consolidated. Further programmes will follow. The project is supported and financed by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) within the framework of the programme group „Transnationale Bildung (TNB) und Stipendien für deutsche Hochschulprojekte im Ausland“. scientific cooperation and joint doctoral projects are also planned.

The GIU is a sister institution of the German University in Cairo (GUC). With approximately 11,000 students and 71 degree programmes, it is one of the most recognised and diverse universities on the African continent. Due to its international orientation, it has excellent contacts in industry and offers researchers optimal conditions from basic education to doctoral studies.

As Vice-Rector for International Affairs and Diversity at Heilbronn University, Prof. Dr. Ruth Fleuchaus is a member of the GIU's board of Trustees. Furthermore, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ansgar Meroth has been appointed as the overall project leader for the participation of HHN and founding dean of the Faculty of Engineering at GIU, as well as Prof. Dr. Susanne Wilpers, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Ott and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Uwe Gleiter as sub-project leaders for the respective study programs.

Within the framework of Faculty T1, the curricula were developed together with the partner HTW in Berlin, which provides two electrotechnical degree programmes. Faculty T1 provides the three mechatronic degree programmes mentioned above. All professors involved and the project staff have been working flat out for a year on curricula and module manuals, providing members of the appointment committees and working out detailed laboratory plans. As a result, more than a dozen modern labs have been and are being planned, procured and put into operation in areas such as automation technology, automotive engineering, CAD, chemistry, electrical machines, microcontrollers, physics, production engineering, control engineering, regenerative power generation, robotics, software engineering, materials science and others. A regular exchange of personnel is planned as soon as the pandemic permits.

The Faculty WV contributes the Entrepreneurship, Small and Medium Enterprises programme in the Faculty of Business Administration of GIU. The cooperation for this faculty also exists between the HTW and the HHN, in this case the HTW has the lead and provides the Founding Dean.