The ‘Distinguished Professorship (SPP)’ is designed to maximise the chances of attracting the ‘best and brightest to Bavaria’. Attracting renowned leading academics from both Germany and abroad is an essential prerequisite for the effectiveness of a higher education system.

Nominations were open to leading figures based outside Bavaria who are expected, through their work, to make an outstanding contribution to the strategic development of Universities of Applied Sciences and technical universities in a way that raises their profile, as well as to strengthen the national and international competitiveness of Bavaria as a centre of science and, consequently, the Free State’s economy. In particular, application-oriented research and the forward-looking fields of entrepreneurship and knowledge and technology transfer are regarded as key to shaping the profile of these institutions.

The Munich metropolitan region, as a leading technology hub but also as a region characterised to a large extent by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), faces the challenge of ensuring that SMEs in particular remain competitive in relation to the key issues of the future – digital Transformation and sustainability – as well as successful business succession.

As an Industry Partner, HM can provide a unique platform that gives these knowledge-transfer activities maximum reach and visibility not only in the Munich region, but also throughout Bavaria and neighbouring regions of the Alpine area.