Senate Adopts Mission Statement for Cooperation and Transfer

The 17 departments of TU Dortmund University with their various academic disciplines are united by a common university spirit in which cooperation and transfer between the university, society, business and politics are lived out in practice. The Mission Statement for Cooperation and Transfer puts this ethos of TU Dortmund University as an essential pillar of its public mission in addition to its focus on research and teaching.

Progress in methods and knowledge and technological innovations resulting from the research at TU Dortmund University are the basis for supporting and shaping transformation processes. With this mission statement, TU Dortmund University is reinforcing the transfer of knowledge into society, business and politics, without neglecting the areas of research and teaching or restricting their freedom and independence.  “This mission statement is intended to provide a framework for action for the numerous cooperation and transfer activities undertaken at TU Dortmund University and to bring together the essential goals for strategic development in the areas of cooperation and transfer,” says Prof. Gerhard Schembecker, Vice President Finance and Board Member of the Center for Entrepreneurship & Transfer.

Innovation & Transfer – Building Bridges Between Research and Society

Successful and sustainable transfer requires basic research as its foundation. Effective transfer will make it possible for TU Dortmund University to expand third-party funding, particularly in the field of contract research and technology transfer projects, and to spark inspiration for research projects. By making research results usable through the interaction of various actors in business, society and politics, the research will be able to meet its full potential.

The mission statement formulates five principles for effective and sustainable transfer and derives goals intended to promote transfer in all its facets, create even more professional conditions and reduce obstacles.

Successful transfer from science into business through innovative and entrepreneurial spirit

One facet of successful transfer is spin-offs by scientists and students. These come about as the result of solution-oriented thinking and actions as well as a sound understanding of entrepreneurial principles. At the Excellence Start-up Center.NRW of the CET, over 400 people have participated in a structured idea validation program since 2019, with over 20 teams every year being guided through the process of founding a company and entering the market.

TU Dortmund University spin-offs are supported through early-stage financing and mentoring provided by TU capital GmbH & Co. KG. The university has a long history of successful spin-offs that have grown into established, globally active companies (e.g. Materna Information & Communications SE, adesso SE, RapidMiner and Comnovo GmbH). In keeping with its regional responsibility, TU Dortmund University has, since 2013, been developing and shaping the economic and socio-cultural transformation of Dortmund and, alongside the University Alliance Ruhr, the entire region as part of the Masterplan Science.

The mission statement offers a common basis for building on these successes, reinforcing transfer at TU Dortmund University and establishing it as a lived strategy for cooperation and transfer.

Mission Statement for Cooperationen and Transfer (PDF)

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