Competence Cluster By setting up its three research and development divisions (R&D Divisions) Energy, Health and Manufactoring, OFFIS has, in past years, clearly positioned itself as an application-oriented IT institute with detailed knowledge of market structures and future challenges in these fields.

Bundling of Strategic Competences

In order to further strengthen our ability to generate long-term technology and process innovations, we will be bundling our technology and process competences in selected topics into »Competence Clusters«. These Competence Clusters were identified within the scope of an evaluation process supported by the Scientific Advisory Council – using criteria which can be expected to produce long-term competitiveness thanks to the bundling of basic research and application-oriented research.

Cooperative, Cross-Collaboration

We have created teams of colleagues; Heads of Division and Department, and OFFIS staff but also Post-Docs and academics from related subject areas at our University for the relevant Competence Cluster. The teams will be integrated into a jointly structured network with high international visibility and a high degree of industrial acceptance with a research agenda. »We think ahead« – the OFFIS guiding theme will be concretized by means of looking ahead on market developments in the three R&D Divisions; the identification of technology and process innovations required for this and the further development of our competences to take up these future challenges.

Process and Technology Innovations

Therefore we are initiating research projects concerned with basic principles early on; are identifying application-oriented research contexts in cooperation with our industry partners to realize strategic objectives; and, together with our industry partners, develop strategies for the long-term realization of process and technology innovations. Management of each Competence Cluster will be the responsibility of a Chairperson who will be assisted in his/her duties by one or two Post-Docs.