HfG, city, IHK and VAIR e.V. develop processes together
25.06.2024
The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has selected the project concept "Transformation by Design: Shaping the Sustainable City" for one of only 20 "innovation communities" nationwide as part of the DATIpilot funding guideline. This success was made possible because the Offenbach University of Art and Design (HfG), the City of Offenbach, the Offenbach am Main Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the VAIR e.V. association had drawn up a joint application. In it, they outlined topics and structures on how technological and social innovations can be created through systematic cooperation between the art academy, city administration and politics, companies and civil society. The BMBF was convinced of this innovation potential and will provide up to 5 million euros for innovation community projects over the next four years.
Offenbach not only stands for the challenges that all urban communities have to face. With its specific structure as a small city with high spatial density and great social and cultural diversity, there are both advantages and disadvantages that are more apparent in Offenbach than in other places. The creative potential of design and design research as well as art for sustainable change processes is to be used for the topics of "sustainable restructuring of the urban structure", "social cohesion" and "innovative capacity" through the transfer of ideas and research between the university, city administration, business and civil society.
In the past, this cooperation has already resulted in successful projects for urban development, economic development, inner city revitalization and civic activation. However, in order to make such projects sustainable, it is important not to rest on one's laurels in a constantly changing world. This sounds banal, but it requires the coordination and systematic expansion of transfer, the development of additional stakeholders - especially migrant groups and companies that have not been involved enough to date - and the development of permanent structures. Sustainable, inclusive projects are to be initiated from the innovation community in co-creative formats based on a merger of the networks of the participating institutions, bringing together the entrepreneurial, social and cultural potential of the city for a jointly developed future perspective.
Background
With the DATIpilot funding guideline, the BMBF aims to promote the transfer of knowledge from research to application, generate new solutions for social challenges and gain important insights for the promotion of innovation and transfer. DATIpilot acts as an experimental space as well as a repository of experience and ideas for the conception of the German Agency for Transfer and Innovation (DATI), which is currently being established. The 20 "innovation communities" selected from almost 500 applications will develop transfer and innovation processes over a maximum period of four years. The BMBF will provide each community with up to 5 million euros for this purpose and support them with 360-degree monitoring.
Press release of the BMBF from 29.05.2024
Further information:
Voices from the innovation community
For Prof. Dr. Kai Vöckler, Professor of Urban Design at the Offenbach University of Art and Design (HfG), Offenbach is a model for the future development of urban communities: "The community that is emerging here could develop its potential much better. Offenbach University of Art and Design, which is strong in research, can contribute its expertise in the design of mediation processes in social contexts as well as in the development of innovative technologies in cooperation with local and regional companies to this process."
Dr. Felix Schwenke, Lord Mayor of the City of Offenbach, says: "There is still a great Offenbach identity and many Offenbach patriots. But the overall fluctuation in Offenbach has been too high for too many years. As a result, the bond with the city is lost and social cohesion suffers as a result. You can see this in the voter turnout and at many events where only certain sections of the city's society attend. That's why it's a real opportunity that the Stabsstelle Digitalisierung is on board as a driver in the TraFoDes project to improve the city's participation and communication formats. For me, this means reaching more people in order to strengthen their identification with Offenbach. That is the goal. And this is where 5 million euros in funding is well invested."
Frank Achenbach, Member of the Management Board of IHK Offenbach am Main, believes that much has already been achieved with the strategic projects Urban Development Master Plan 2030 and Future Concept for the City Center. "We have already exploited some of the city's potential and involved numerous stakeholders in the process. With the TraFoDes project and the unique constellation of project partners, we can continue to pursue this process consistently. The aim is to better tap into some of the city's potential that has not yet been fully exploited, such as the young population, the migrant economy and the innovation expertise in the university, city and economy."
As a passionate Offenbach resident, Ahmed Arriouach, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of VAIR e.V., is very familiar with the challenges facing the city: "This applies in particular to the activation and greater participation of fellow citizens in urban development processes, especially those who have a family history of immigration and who, in my perception, have not (yet) been able to contribute sufficiently. This is the only way to create a dynamic, inclusive and future-oriented city. VAIR e.V. is highly motivated to strengthen this approach in building the innovation community together with its partners."