Promoting the University

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Two people committed to the FAU

How can links be improved between academia and industry? How can the public perception of the University be improved? Sabina Jeschke and Mathias Miedreich are involved in networks pursuing these objectives.

The CxO Council at FAU that was founded in 2022 aims to encourage the link between academia and industry and drive innovation forward as a result. Its members are prominent and experienced leaders from society and industry. They contribute their experience and expertise, their networks and their knowledge of management to support the strategic development of the University.

Accelerating research and knowledge transfer

The founding member of CxO, Sabina Jeschke, excels in this area. The former member of the board at Deutsche Bahn responsible for digitalization and technology, who held a professorship for Mechanical Engineering at RWTH Aachen for many years, has founded several start-ups and is currently the CEO of a company that aims to accelerate the development of artificial intelligence in Germany, KI Park Berlin, knows both sides well. During her work for the council, Jeschke can contribute her comprehensive know-how from academia and industry for the benefit of FAU in a number of different ways.

“I am especially keen to encourage the start-up culture at the most innovative university in Germany and to improve the transfer of research findings into products of relevance for industry,” says Sabina Jeschke. “I want to accelerate the relevant processes and ensure that research results are transferred to industry and society much more rapidly and comprehensively than is currently the case.”

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Prof. Dr. Sabina Jeschke studied physics, mathematics and computer science at TU Berlin, where she completed her doctoral degree in 2004 and became an Assistant Professor of New Media in Mathematics and Natural Sciences in 2006. In 2007, she was appointed to a professorship at the Institute for IT Service Technologies at the University of Stuttgart, and in 2009 she was appointed to the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at RWTH Aachen. From 2017 to 2021, Jeschke was a member of the board at Deutsche Bahn, where she was responsible for “Digitalization and Technology”. Since 2021, she has been the CEO of KI Park e.V., and also in 2021, she founded the quantum computing start-up Quantagonia.

Other members of the CxO Council include the former member of the Peugeot board Jean-Marc Gales, ex Vivantes boss Andrea Grebe and Siegfried Russwurm, President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI). They all have one thing in common: They create innovative offers for students and researchers. They raise awareness of the challenges facing industry, and provide inspiration for new research approaches, and they contribute to new partnerships and collaborations via their networks.

Alumni share their experiences

However, this is not the only way that FAU hopes to encourage the mutual benefits of academia and industry and increase the visibility of the university. Since summer semester 2023, a small group of alumni have been acting as ambassadors for FAU. In the FAU Fellow Network, outstanding minds from industry, academia and society who all completed their studies at FAU come together to help support their alma mater: they report back in their networks on their experiences at and with their university.

One of them is FAU alumnus Mathias Miedreich, CEO of Umicore, a globally active material technology company with a strong focus on sustainable mobility. For him, there was never any question of not becoming involved in this way for “his “ FAU: “For me, it is an honor to be invited to participate in this network. I am keen to give something back to the university that made a major contribution to me being able to follow the path I took. I would like to share the good experiences I had at FAU with others and encourage young people to take the same path.” He also wants to give students an insight into the exciting and complex topics of his industry. After all, according to Miedreich, the practical aspect is also important, not just science and research.

Mathias Miedreich

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Mathias Miedreich studied international business management at FAU. He started his professional career at the auditing and consulting firm KPMG, before working in various management positions in the automotive industry, including at Siemens and Continental. In 2013, he was appointed Vice President Strategy & New Technologies at the automotive supplier Faurecia, and in 2019 Executive Vice President of the Faurecia Clean Mobility division. Since 2021, Mathias Miedreich has been CEO of the Umicore Group, a globally leading material technology company.

by Michael Kniess

The FAU Community

A university thrives on the exchange of information and networking. FAU has established a platform especially for this: In the FAU Community, students, researchers, teaching staff, employees, donors and alumni can get in touch and keep up their ties to their university. They can come together in regional or subject-related groups, search for other members, keep up to date via the FAU News, find out about events, browse the media library and a whole lot more besides. It is also available on the go, as FAU has recently set up its own app.

The FAU Community also includes the FAU alumni network that is exclusively open to former students, doctoral candidates and researchers. The members of the network benefit from many advantages such as a personal alumni e-mail address, discounts on continued training, the alumni card, the alumni newsletter, invitations to events and exclusive prize draws.

www.alumni.fau.de

www.community.fau.de


This article is part of the FAU Magazin

Titelbild FAU Magazin #FAUmenschen

A university thrives because of the people who research, study, teach and work there. A university is supported by people who are connected to it as alumni, friends and sponsors and who are committed to promoting its interests all over the world.

They all contribute their unique talents, skills and perspectives. It is this diversity that makes our FAU a place of innovation, a place where many talented individuals tackle the major challenges of our times together, and a place where they keep finding answers.

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