hu wissen (pdf) - Exzellenzinitiative - Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Once a year, outstanding researchers from Humboldt-Universität
meet colleagues from foreign partner universities. Together with
post-docs, PhD students and advanced undergraduates, they
work intensively for a week on selected HU research areas – such
as the history of knowledge, climate impact research or classical
and ancient studies. Many applications are made to the university
lecturers, who use strict quality criteria to put their team together.
This scenario will become a reality at Humboldt-Universität
from this summer. The International Offi ce’s aim with its idea of
the Kosmos Research Summer University is to establish a new
form of summer university. »The summer university is part of our
internationalization strategy. Its objective is to provide – in a classical
interpretation of Humboldt’s ideas – a week of simultaneous
learning, teaching and researching,« explains Dr Ursula Hans,
Head of the International Offi ce. The idea is to make the University’s
main scientifi c topics the subject of scientifi c debate in a recurring
regular event, but involving diff erent international partners – to
encourage international partnerships, joint research projects as
well as further collaborations and to expand the international network
of scientists who are researching together. In particular, the
focus is on promoting young scientists – starting with those studying
for bachelor’s degrees. »We want students to gain a deeper
insight into their subject, scientifi c cooperation and forms of international
scientifi c events,« says Ursula Hans.
The fi rst Kosmos Research Summer University is planned for
summer 2011. »We are already in the starting blocks,« says Dr Nicholas
Puhlmann, Director of the Integrative Research Institute for
the Sciences (IRIS) in Adlershof. Together with their colleagues in
Berlin, scientists from Chiba University in Japan and the National
University of Singapore want to research hybrid systems consisting
of organic and inorganic materials. »The focus of this highly innovative
line of research lies between chemistry and physics. This is
an area where new materials are being developed and studied on
the nanometre scale. They are expected to have completely new
physical properties and to therefore open up novel possibilities for
designing next-generation electronic and optoelectronic components,«
Puhlmann explains. The fi rst summer school will be fi -
nanced by funds from the Berliner Masterplan. »Kosmos is also
part of our application for Excellence status. If that is granted, we
will enlarge the summer university and stage it every year in three
of our six priority areas,« Ursula Hans underlines.
HUMBOLDT INTERNATIONAL / HUMBOLDT INTERNATIONAL
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