Harz University of Applied Sciences
2025 to 2028
EU - ERASMUS+
NEXR – Nursing Education with Extended Reality
The project focuses on teacher training and continuing education in Saxony-Anhalt and investigates how basic IT skills and adapted digital tools promote the use of information and communication technology and the development of related skills, and how an actively participating OER community can be built on this basis.
2024 to 2028
EU - COST
An Evolutionary View to Understanding Affective States across Species (AFFECT-EVO)
Understanding the affective states (emotions and moods) of non-human animals is crucial to understand their needs, improve their welfare, and assess the effects of treatments for affective disorders in animals, be they preclinical models of human disorders, or patients in their own right. Existing knowledge regarding affective states across species is limited and fragmented. For example, it is unclear: (1) whether and to what extent different affective states occur in different species; (2) if these states are expressed and experienced in similar ways by different species; (3) which physiological mechanisms of affective states are shared across species; and (4) which indicators of affective states are valid across more than one species., AFFECT-EVO brings together an interdisciplinary network of scholars in philosophy, psychology, humanities, social, computational, and natural sciences, with relevant stakeholders from industry, advocacy organizations, and governments. This network will apply an evolutionary framework to evaluate collaboratively and systematically what we know about affective states in non-human animals. This approach will (1) identify gaps in our knowledge, guiding future research; (2) provide a basis for developing strategies to reliably generalize knowledge about affective states across species; (3) develop better methods to assess affective states to improve animal welfare; and (4) develop better treatments for both animal and human affective disorders. We will also explore how the public and policy makers engage with the concept of affective states in animals and how this interacts with the implementation of new laws and policies that affect animals., Action keywords, Evolution of Affective States - Comparative Psychology - Affective Science - Animal Welfare - Affective Disorders
2025 to 2028
EU - INTERREG
RISEMED4EU -Regional Innovation for Smart Ecosystems in Health and Medicine in the EU
A consortium of government bodies, research institutions, and industry partners from 8 EU regions and 8 countries has embarked on an ambitious initiative to transform health diagnostics and personalised medicine., The project is led by the Ministry of Economics of Saxony-Anhalt and brings together 7 regular partners, 1 advisory partner, and 1 discovery partner – each with its own stakeholder network. The Research Campus STIMULATE of Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg contributes as advisory partner, providing expertise in image-guided medical technology and digital health solutions., The initiative aims to build an open-innovation ecosystem that accelerates the development of smart health technologies such as medical sensors, wearable devices, telemedicine applications, and AI-driven diagnostic tools. By pooling resources, sharing expertise, and conducting joint site visits, the consortium will drive forward evidence-based sensing, early disease detection, and digital healthcare workflows. The project will leverage European funding programs, such as the ERDF, to finance R&D projects, establish state-of-the-art infrastructure, and support innovation clusters., Funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the project will establish cutting-edge infrastructures, support innovation clusters, and deliver health innovations with global impact.
2025 to 2028
EU - ERASMUS+
Jean Monnet Chair in Democratic and Effective Governance
The Jean Monnet Chair in Democratic and Effective Governance (DEG) addresses how key EU policies can be delivered against the background of rising contestation, dissent and active anti-EU positioning. DEG follows the JMC on Interactive Multilevel Democracy, shifting emphasis from participatory governance to policy delivery in the digital and green transformation. Whilst paying continuous attention to university teaching and the dissemination of academic insights into public administration and civil society, early career researchers in EU studies across the EU are addressed as key target group in DEG. Three areas of activity facilitate and strengthen the key objectives: First, excellence in teaching will be enhanced in, university structures (BA, MA, post-grad.), in vocational training, and in actively integrating early career staff. At the heart lies the promotion of cross-boundary concepts (university/practice; multinational; interdisciplinary). Second, academic excellence will be promoted by projects on both basic and, applied research to enhance our understanding of and develop policy responses for effective EU governance in times of contestation. Applied research is of particular relevance regionally, given strong anti-EU sentiments. Third, dialogue and dissemination focus on the exchange between academics, policymakers, and society in interactive formats, again fostering in particular early career scholars to gain experience and promote their careers. To guarantee a sustainable impact, DEG (a) advances the JMC methodology currently in place, (b) formulates concrete targets and tasks for each team member, © links the JMC to new initiatives in at the host institution and in international networks. Methodologically, the team-based approach that invests into people will be further refined to even stronger address early career teachers and scholars as special target group with a high potential to act as multipliers with a long-term impact.
2025 to 2028
EU - INTERREG
SMARTAUTO - Smart Policy Innovation for Enhanced Automation in European Transport
SMARTAUTO, an innovative interregional project that unites a diverse group of European partners, including the University of Aveiro, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Local transport service Saxony-Anhalt GmbH (NASA GmbH), TTS Italia, Qartu, the City of Tuzla, Public company Business and Innovation Center BIT Center Ltd, Bucharest-Ilfov Intercommunity Development Association for Public Transport (TPBI), South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency, City of Águeda, and Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMCI), aims to address the uneven landscape of autonomous vehicle (AV) implementation across Europe. Recognizing the transformative potential of AVs for personal mobility and logistics, SMARTAUTO seeks to bridge the gap between regions with varying levels of AV experience. By fostering a collaborative network, the project aims to accelerate innovation, share best practices, and support all regions in maximizing the benefits and addressing the challenges of automation in the transport sector., SMARTAUTO PPs are committed to harnessing the full potential of AVs to shape the future of personal mobility and logistics across Europe. The project gathers diverse regions across Europe, aiming to understand, shape, and maximize the benefits of AVs, while thoughtfully addressing the challenges involved in this technological transformation., The core objectives of SMARTAUTO are to create a robust network connecting regions with varying levels of AV experience, accelerating innovation and spreading good practices. The project will proactively analyze and learn from past successes and challenges of AV pilot programs, building capacity on tools to evaluate AVs' social, environmental, and economic impacts to support informed, smart, and effective policymaking. SMARTAUTO partners are committed to ensuring that AV development is guided by the needs of citizens, prioritizing safety, accessibility, and sustainability in the deployment of AVs.
2025 to 2027
EU - ERASMUS+
PROSPER - Jean Monnet Network
The OVGU is one of the beneficiaries to receive funding from the European Union (EU) to establish the Jean Monnet Network called PROSPER (, Project to Research Opportunities to Strengthen Prosperity and Economic Resilience in the EU, ), coordinated by Dublin City University Brexit Institute & Dublin European Law Institute under the lead of Professor Federico Fabbrini. It involves 12 academic institutions from 12 different EU member states. Professor Heidbreder is to be the university's academic lead., The aim of this network of 12 academic institutions from 12 different EU member states is to strengthen knowledge sharing, promote best practices, and address contemporary challenges facing the EU through interdisciplinary research and educational initiatives. It focuses on exploring and enhancing economic resilience within the EU, by identifying and promoting strategies that can bolster economic stability and growth, particularly in the context of challenges such as globalisation, climate change, and economic disparities among member states., The multidisciplinary team of the OVGU, led by Professor Heidbreder, also consists the team of the Jean Monnet Chair that signs responsible for the BA and MA European Studies., PROSPER is the only project that has received funding from the EU under the Jean Monnet internal network call of 2024. The 12 academic institutions that are involved are: Dublin City University (IE), Central European University (HU), Free University of Bolzano/Bozen (IT), University of Copenhagen (DK), Erasmus University Rotterdam (NL), Pompeu Fabra University Barcelona (ES), Jagiellonian University Krakow (PL), Universitè Libre de Bruxelles (BE), University of Luxembourg (LU), Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (DE), Université Paris-Est Creteil (FR), and Aristotele University of Thessaloniki (EL). The Jean Monnet Network PROSPER is overall coordinated by Professor Federico Fabbrini, Professor of EU Law & Policy and Founding Director of the DCU Brexit Institute & Dublin European Law Institute., The Jean Monnet Network PROSPER is led by Professor Federico Fabbrini of Dublin City University Brexit Institute & Dublin European Law Institute. Professor Eva Heidbreder, Chair for Multilevel Governance in Europe and Jean Monnet Chair will lead the team at the OVGU.
2023 to 2027
EU - COST
CA22150 - Comparative Research on the Executive Triangle in Europe (CoREx)
Description, CoREx creates a unique pan-European network of researchers studying the relationships of executive politicians, top civil servants, and ministerial advisers (‘the executive triangle’) from an internationally comparative perspective. These three actors and their mutual relationships significantly shape policymaking. Their capacity to solve problems and to make legitimate decisions are at the core of democratic governance. While pressing contemporary policy problems require professional top civil service competence, executive politicians demand political advice from personally trusted individuals to navigate their increasingly polarized and mediatized environments. CoREx addresses this tension between professional competence and political craft by taking a system-perspective on the executive triangle. Through pan-European networking and knowledge sharing across all regions in Europe, it develops a common conceptual and methodological framework revolving around different dimensions of politicization to collect comparative data from across Europe. Thereby, CoREx bridges currently disconnected research on the top civil service and ministerial advisers, as well as disparities in geographical coverage and research capacities. CoREx will generate comparative datasets and analyses on the institutional set-up, career backgrounds, roles and interactions in policymaking, and accountability and transparency of the executive triangle across regions and over time. In an innovative way, CoREx will provide systematic comparative knowledge about trends, causes, and consequences of different configurations of the executive triangle. CoREx contributes to a better understanding of democratic governance in times of increasing political polarization and populist politics. The unprecedented results will be relevant for the scientific community, stakeholders, and the public at large., Action keywords, top civil servants - ministerial advisers - politicization - comparative public administration - policymaking
2023 to 2027
EU - COST
CA22150 - Comparative Research on the Executive Triangle in Europe (CoREx)
Description, CoREx creates a unique pan-European network of researchers studying the relationships of executive politicians, top civil servants, and ministerial advisers (‘the executive triangle’) from an internationally comparative perspective. These three actors and their mutual relationships significantly shape policymaking. Their capacity to solve problems and to make legitimate decisions are at the core of democratic governance. While pressing contemporary policy problems require professional top civil service competence, executive politicians demand political advice from personally trusted individuals to navigate their increasingly polarized and mediatized environments. CoREx addresses this tension between professional competence and political craft by taking a system-perspective on the executive triangle. Through pan-European networking and knowledge sharing across all regions in Europe, it develops a common conceptual and methodological framework revolving around different dimensions of politicization to collect comparative data from across Europe. Thereby, CoREx bridges currently disconnected research on the top civil service and ministerial advisers, as well as disparities in geographical coverage and research capacities. CoREx will generate comparative datasets and analyses on the institutional set-up, career backgrounds, roles and interactions in policymaking, and accountability and transparency of the executive triangle across regions and over time. In an innovative way, CoREx will provide systematic comparative knowledge about trends, causes, and consequences of different configurations of the executive triangle. CoREx contributes to a better understanding of democratic governance in times of increasing political polarization and populist politics. The unprecedented results will be relevant for the scientific community, stakeholders, and the public at large., Action keywords, top civil servants - ministerial advisers - politicization - comparative public administration - policymaking
2024 to 2027
EU - ERA Net, Joint Programm
REJUVENATE: Rerouting towards REsilience to JUVENile stress-induced psychopAThologiEs in adulthood: Spotlight on behavioural profiling and lifestyle interventions (Funded by ERA-NET NEURON – 2023 Call) - € ~274,000 (€ 1,081,000 total funding) (DFG, Projektnummer: 542950222)
Childhood adversities have long-lasting consequences in terms of mental health and well-being, and, exposure to childhood adversities (Juvenile stress [JS]) significantly increases vulnerability to mood and, anxiety disorders later in life. Yet, not all show an increased risk of adulthood psychopathology. Some individuals develop resilience, helping them to better cope with later life challenges. Our primary, objectives are (1) To elucidate mechanisms relating JS to vulnerability and resilience to stressful challenges in adulthood, and (2) To test the therapeutic/preventive potential of translational life-style interventions on the negative impact of JS later in life (i.e., boosting resilience). Our secondary objective is to systematically address sex-related differences in sensitivity, in related mechanisms underlying stress vulnerability or resilience, and in the effectiveness of life-style interventions for enhancing mental health resilience.
2022 to 2026
EU - ERASMUS+
EU GREEN - European University alliance for sustainability: responsible GRowth, inclusive Education and ENvironment
Nine European universities are involved in the EU GREEN European University Alliance. Otto von Guericke University is one of them. The overarching theme of cooperation in EU GREEN is sustainability. By participating in this alliance, OVGU is further expanding its education and research at European level. The aim of the network is to improve and promote sustainability and solve social challenges. The driving force behind this is to build a fairer world, a balanced economy and a more viable environment., The mission statement of the European University Initiative is to promote common European values and improve the quality of higher education.
2025 to 2026
EU - ERASMUS+
Community-led Low-carbon Economy Actions for Rural areas: barriers and opportunities in area-based partnerships (CLEAR)
The CLEAR project investigates how area-based, community-led rural partnerships, particularly Local Action Groups (LAGs) established under the Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) frameworks (former LAEDER approach), contribute to implementing a low-carbon economy (LCE) in rural Europe. Rooted in the EU’s participatory development model, LAGs represent bottom-up governance, enabling local communities to shape development priorities according to their territorial needs. This project recognises LAGs as pivotal intermediaries in bridging local realities with European climate and sustainability policies, while also addressing their underexplored potential to advance low-carbon transitions. LAGs have historically supported economic diversification, social inclusion, and innovation, creating resilient local economies through sustainable agriculture, renewable energy projects, and preserving cultural and natural resources. However, existing research shows that while LAGs are vital for local governance, their engagement in energy transition and carbon reduction remains limited. Furthermore, their collaboration with research institutions, a key requirement of the EU rural development policy, is weakly institutionalised. These gaps hinder the effective transfer of knowledge and innovation between universities and rural actors. CLEAR aims to address these challenges through two complementary dimensions: socio-organizational and analytical preliminary studies., In the socio-organizational scope, the project will:, Integrate and develop research collaboration among EU GREEN network partners, particularly PhD candidates and established researchers who have not previously worked together on rural sustainability issues, even though their research topics are similar., Foster direct cooperation between universities and LAGs associations in region, through structured interviews, seminars, and field meetings to enable two-way knowledge exchange and innovation transfer., Build a transnational research-practice community, enabling engagement in joint applications for European programs such as Horizon Europe or COST Actions., Promote EU GREEN partners and project outcomes through seminars to strengthen visibility and collaboration across the European Research Area (ERA)., In the analytical scope, the project will include:, The implementation of simple, cost-free comparative research will allow for the development of a methodology and the selection of a scientific theory for description, thus allowing for the submission of further, more advanced research proposals in the future., Examine the factors that limit or facilitate LAG participation in the low-carbon transition (preliminary study for future project proposals)., Theoretically ground findings in regional governance theory, behavioural economics, or sociological rational choice theory to explain decision-making mechanisms and motivational drivers influencing LAGs’ environmental engagement (preliminary study for future project proposals)., CLEAR adopts a mixed-method approach, combining (a) team building using online meetings, face-to-face seminars, internal actions at home universities, and (b) preliminary study for future full project proposals using content analysis of LAG strategies, semi-structured interviews, and theoretical interpretation. This project will map LAG engagement in low-carbon activities, identify best practices, and propose recommendations for improving cooperation between academia and LAGs. Ultimately, CLEAR seeks to enhance territorial resilience, social inclusion, and scientific collaboration by empowering rural communities and academic institutions to co-create solutions for sustainable and low-carbon development. By linking research, education, and community engagement, the project aligns with the EU GREEN mission and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDGs 7, 9, 11, 13, 16, and 17, advancing the EU Green Deal aims.
2023 to 2026
EU - ERASMUS+
Second Language Learning at School for all Teenagers (SLS4Teens)
As part of the SLS4Teens project, teachers are to learn about innovative methods for teaching and learning foreign and second languages and try them out in their own lessons. A particular focus is on the goal of empowering and encouraging language learners for oral conversation faster and better. To achieve this goal, 50 active language teachers (30 teachers of English as a foreign language and 20 second language teachers for pupils with a migration background) and 25 prospective teachers from the five partner universities (Angers and Nantes in France, Extremadura in Spain, Parma in Italy, Magdeburg in Germany) will be trained over two years as part of an online training course and on-site training sessions. The effect of these measures will be evaluated and all materials will later be made available to open access training centers., This text was translated with DeepL
2025 to 2026
EU - ERASMUS+
Edu-GreenLabs: AI for Inclusive and Sustainable Learning Ecosystems
Edu-GreenLabs unites three universities of the EU-GREEN Alliance – the University of Oradea (Romania), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg (Germany), and the University of Évora (Portugal) – to establish a durable and interdisciplinary collaboration addressing one of Europe’s most pressing educational challenges: reconciling digital inclusion with environmental sustainability. The project directly operationalises EU-GREEN’s, Strategic Roadmap 2030, , especially its pillars, Education for Sustainable Societies, and, Green Digitalisation, and serves as a concrete preparatory stage for a Horizon Europe proposal under HORIZON-CL2-2026-TRANSFORMATIONS-01-05 – The Future of Education in the Digital Era.
2025 to 2026
EU - ERASMUS+
