Inaugural visit by District Administrator Miroslaw Kowalski to the Idar-Oberstein campus

from left to right: Prof. Theo Smeets, Chancellor Claudia Hornig, Head Mayor Frank Frühauf, President of the University Prof. Dr. Dorit Schumann, District Administrator Miroslaw Kowalski, Prof. Eva-Maria Kollischan, Head of the District Administration Roland Praetorius, Business Development Manager Christina Biehl (WFG BIR mbH) © Helena Renner

Together with Head Mayor Frank Frühauf, the District Administrator, accompanied by Head of District Administration Roland Praetorius and Business Development Manager Christina Biehl, visited the Idar-Oberstein campus of Trier University of Applied Sciences. The guests were welcomed by the President of the Trier University of Applied Sciences, Prof. Dr. Dorit Schumann, Chancellor Claudia Hornig and the heads of the Gemstone and Jewellery Department, Professors Theo Smeets and Eva-Maria Kollischan. Prof. Smeets began by thanking the new District Administrator and the Lord Mayor for supporting the university's students with a donation for their participation in the annual jewelry and craft fairs. The guests were then given a tour of the new campus building.

The district administrator was impressed by the former Zerfaß leather goods factory, which now houses the university. After the department was initially housed in the Nahehaus following the fire in summer 2022, the building in Saarstraße was prepared for use by the university in the first quarter of 2023. In the subsequent meeting with District Administrator Kowalski, the possible permanent use as the university's home and the necessary modernization of the building were discussed. The cooperation between the district and the university to promote culture in the region and the long-term expansion of new courses of study were also discussed. The latter was of particular interest to Economic Development Manager Biehl, as a possible technical course of study in the HartSpröde area in cooperation with local companies would contribute to economic development in the Birkenfeld district. At the end of the meeting, the participants decided to remain in regular contact regarding the topics discussed.