The Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year under the motto "We shape the future - for 50 years". At a ceremony on Thursday, September 16, 2021, Minister President Malu Dreyer conveyed the greetings of the state government and highlighted the university's clear profile and its success story. Science Minister Clemens Hoch, Peter Johann, Managing Director of the Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region, and representatives of the city of Ludwigshafen also honored the university with their visit. Prof. Dr. Dorit Schumann, Vice President of the German Rectors' Conference (HRK), gave the keynote speech on the topic "A journey through the world of universities of applied sciences (HAW)".
This year, the Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences celebrates its 50th anniversary under the motto "We shape the future". The university celebrated this beautiful anniversary on Thursday, September 16, 2021, during a hybrid ceremony in the university's auditorium. Minister President Malu Dreyer delivered a greeting; MRN Managing Director Peter Johann conveyed the congratulations of the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region. Prof. Dr. Dorit Schumann, Vice President of the HRK and President of Trier University of Applied Sciences, gave the keynote address.
Like the other seven universities in the state, Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences was founded in 1971 under the label Fachhochschule Rheinland-Pfalz - Abteilung Ludwigshafen-Worms. The then novel type of university brought together schools of engineering, colleges of business administration, schools of industrial arts and other comparable higher technical colleges and has since developed into a true model of success with more than 40,000 students, approximately 5,000 employees and 35.5 million euros in third-party funding raised in 2019. The development of the university in Ludwigshafen from the "Ludwigshafen-Worms Department" or the Protestant University of Applied Sciences Ludwigshafen to the University of Applied Sciences Ludwigshafen am Rhein and the University of Applied Sciences Ludwigshafen am Rhein to the University of Applied Sciences Ludwigshafen is also impressive. Minister President Malu Dreyer emphasized: "The Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences for Business and Society has shown over the past decades that it is possible to position oneself well in the world of higher education with vision, perseverance and a good dose of pragmatism. It has a clear profile, which it also consistently pursues. In doing so, the university keeps its history in mind and also builds on very important pillars in our society, as can be seen with the introduction of the primary qualifying midwifery and nursing degree programs." He added that the basic pillar of business at the university has also developed well and is able to hold its own. The premier especially thanked the university for its commitment to health degree programs, which face enormous challenges. "What you are doing here is very important for our country and for our society," emphasized Minister President Malu Dreyer.
Science Minister Clemens Hoch, who was present at the ceremony as a guest, was also pleased with the development of HWG LU and the successful profiling of recent years: "With currently around 4,600 students, the Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences may be one of the smaller universities in the state, but it stands out with its unique profile and has made this its name. As a university with a strong focus on society and transfer, it is closely linked to the city and region and is an important player in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region," says Hoch. The university's close ties to the economic powerhouse of the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region (MRN) were also emphasized by Peter Johann, managing director of MRN GmbH and an alumnus of the university, in his speech, who praised the university as "an engine and important partner in regional development."
The importance of the university for the city of Ludwigshafen was underlined by Alderman Andreas Schwarz, who, representing Mayor Jutta Steinruck, who was ill, delivered the city's greeting: "At 50 years old, the university is a best ager that still has many ideas and impulses, and an indispensable building block of urban development.
In the subsequent ceremonial address, HRK Vice President Prof. Dr. Dorit Schumann embarked on "A Journey through the World of HAW" and provided personal insights: "My life's journey may be special, and at the same time, this life's journey is nevertheless typical of all professors at universities of applied sciences, because we are all special in our own way," said Schumann, focusing on the special features of HAW: "Quality in teaching and individual support for students are what distinguish the University of Applied Sciences. We network regionally and internationally. We conduct research and engage in intensive knowledge transfer. We face up to the major challenges facing society. We stand for interdisciplinarity and innovation. I congratulate the University for Business and Society on 50 years of such exemplary success. You are shaping the future!" said Schumann.
University President Prof. Dr. Peter Mudra was also pleased with the development of "his" university: "Since 1971, we have stood for practice-oriented teaching and research in Ludwigshafen and targeted opening of opportunities through education. With a peak of 4,800 students, we have multiplied our student numbers in recent decades. The number of our successful graduates will soon reach the 100,000 mark," he summed up, pointing to the university's "extensive and vital international network" in addition to its "extraordinarily good networking with companies, non-profit organizations and other institutions." "Accordingly, our university was also currently assigned the status of a European university," Mudra (complete speech for download).
After the ceremony, the anniversary activities will continue with the continuation of one interdisciplinary and one international anniversary lecture series. In addition, the anniversary issue of the university magazine Spektrum will be published in November.
The ceremony was streamed live and can also be viewed afterwards on the university's YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqlFlnGyOZQ
