A Strong Sense of Unity for All!
The new proRWTH Chairman Professor Bernd Markert is increasingly focusing on ensuring stable cohesion between all key groups at RWTH Aachen University
Securing available funds – aside from state funding – has always been and still is important for a university, as it is not always possible to finance what is needed from the public budget alone. The RWTH Aachen proRWTH e. V. association of friends has therefore been helping out exactly where it is needed for over 100 years.
During the coronavirus pandemic, for example, the main focus was on rapid student aid, but now funding is needed across the board to improve the entire infrastructure and the surrounding area in a sustainable manner. The aim is to counteract the shortage of skilled workers in the long term, retain young talent in Aachen and the region, improve study conditions, and further expand upon the contact between companies, students, and alumni. This plan in turn opens up new funding channels that decisively strengthen RWTH Aachen University, the surrounding area, and the reputation of the area as a location for science. As many people as possible should and must participate in this so that what has been planned can be carried out. The new participation model also aims to involve even more stakeholders and people interested in RWTH than the previous methods did. The younger generation in particular, especially the (international) students, must be better encouraged in the future to ensure that more sustainable support is provided.
Working Together for a New Sense of Unity
“We need to understand what is needed both right now and in the future. That's why we want to listen more closely to the key groups. But we also need to allow everyone to participate and really encourage them to do just that. There are so many things that cannot be carried out with public funds alone and we need every commitment to make these things possible,” says Professor Ulrich Rüdiger, Rector of RWTH Aachen University and Deputy Chairman of proRWTH e.V. The broader the position of the association is, the more sustainable support, investment, and improvements we can generate. All of them together should create a new sense of unity that helps people to stand up for and with each other – this will create a genuine, large, and enduring circle of RWTH friends that will serve as a useful network for everyone.
Professor Bernd Markert, Head of the Chair and Institute of General Mechanics (IAM), is now tackling this issue together with all the proRWTH members. He is also the Rector's Delegate for Alumni and he travels internationally to work on his projects. “If we now manage to make it clear through our members as ambassadors and multipliers how essential it is for everyone’s future that people join us and that everyone really can win in the long term, we will hopefully create a draw similar to that of the elite universities in the US,” said Markert.
“There is still so much untapped potential here, and I would like as many people as possible to be able to exploit it. Participation is what it’s all about.”
New Junior Members
Professor Markert made an initial visit to the technical student initiatives at RWTH Aachen University, and this has already borne fruit: Several students immediately joined the association as new junior members – true to the motto ‘If you can take part, you should – for the good of everyone.’ “Now we have to work out how we can reach both our (international) alumni and my colleagues in a better manner,” smiles Markert. “Maybe I just need to tell them that lots of students are now becoming members and that every institute director is also part of the new sense of unity. Let's see how that works out – we're happy to take any tips you might have, because every little helps.”
Would you like to exploit the untapped potential with us? Become a member: www.proRWTH.de/en/
– Author: Christine Cox