RWU, in cooperation with Ulm University, has received a funding commitment of two million euros from the state for the "QualiCampus BW" digitalisation project as part of the dialogue process.
Weingarten / Ulm / Stuttgart - RWU Ravensburg-Weingarten University of Applied Sciences has received funding approval for the "QualiCampus BW" project in cooperation with Ulm University. This is a digitalisation project involving a total of 49 universities and colleges in Baden-Württemberg. The aim is to drive forward the digitalisation of university administration, thereby increasing the efficiency of processes and ultimately the attractiveness of universities. The project is funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts Baden-Württemberg (MWK BW) with over two million euros and is part of the dialogue process "Future Laboratory Universities in the Digital World".
IT has long been part of the system-critical infrastructure not only of companies, but also of authorities and universities. However, the existing system landscapes have often grown over decades and are correspondingly heterogeneous. It is therefore a highly complex task to drive forward the end-to-end digitalisation of business processes, especially across universities or even countries. This is where the QualiCampus BW project comes in: Eight process managers spread across Baden-Württemberg support executives and employees from a total of 49 universities and colleges in analysing, optimising and digitalising their processes.
More efficient, more digital and more attractive
"Through the targeted qualification of executives and employees, QualiCampus BW creates the fundamental structures and skills required for the expansion of digital quality and process management in university administrations," says Science Minister Petra Olschowski. "It makes universities more efficient, more digital and therefore more attractive."
"The two-year project is being led by RWU Ravensburg-Weingarten University of Applied Sciences and its Chancellor Henning Rudewig. "What characterises the QualiCampus BW project above all is the size of the target audience of around 1,300 participants, the regional networking among the universities and the sustainable anchoring in the individual institutions," says initiator Henning Rudewig.
However, Henning Rudewig is not the only person in charge of the project. A position will be created at RWU for the duration of the project. The same applies to Ulm University, which is also taking on a management role as a cooperation partner.
Change towards a more digital working culture
There will be a kick-off event with all participating universities at the beginning of February. The project will then be organised into eight regional clusters, each of which will be supervised by experienced process managers. This structure will allow the project to be implemented efficiently and in line with local needs. Executives from central units such as HR, finance, faculties or institutes are trained and then pass on their knowledge to the universities as multipliers.
"All universities face the challenge of keeping their services up to date in terms of their technological status. Well thought-out, upstream process management can help here. We therefore expect a good response to our offer," says Dieter Kaufmann, Chancellor of Ulm University.
Ultimately, it is also about a cultural change towards a digital work culture and more agile concepts, says Henning Rudewig. "Digitalisation is not an end in itself," says the RWU Chancellor, "digital solutions can only offer real added value if processes are clearly analysed and optimised beforehand." At RWU, this process-orientation has also been practised in the university administration for several years. This is how a comparatively small university of applied sciences came to be the Head of Office for such a nationwide project. "We have already built up structures and gained experience that we can pass on," says Henning Rudewig. Ultimately, everyone benefits: the state, the students, the teaching staff and the employees. And a modern working environment also makes universities more attractive as employers.
About the dialogue process "Future lab universities in the digital world"
The dialogue process "Future lab universities in the digital world" was agreed in the state government's coalition agreement in 2021. The key question was: How can the digital transformation in teaching, research and administration as well as in cross-cutting topics at universities be anchored, implemented and driven forward even after the pandemic? A concrete package of measures was developed from numerous suggestions in collaboration with over 300 university stakeholders from all types of higher education institutions. It is intended to promote digital change in teaching, research and administration in a holistic manner and addresses the most pressing digitalisation issues at universities. Twelve measures are currently being implemented and funded with a total of around 9.3 million euros from the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts Baden-Württemberg (MWK BW).
Text: Christoph Oldenkotte/RWU
Media contact Ulm University: Daniela Stang