The goal of research at htw saar is to develop solutions to key societal challenges such as climate change, resource conservation, and social responsibility. This is achieved most effectively through a holistic, transdisciplinary approach. With its four faculties—Architecture and Civil Engineering, Engineering Sciences, Social Sciences, and Economics—htw saar offers the ideal conditions for this. Sustainability is thus examined and implemented from technological, economic, social, and design perspectives.
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We view sustainability as a cross-cutting task that is embedded in numerous research projects and fields. In close collaboration with partners from industry, government, and civil society, scientific findings are translated into practical applications. Students, doctoral candidates, staff, and partners actively contribute to the development of sustainable solutions, thereby strengthening innovation capacity and regional value creation. As a university and a social actor, we contribute to ecologically, economically, and socially sustainable transformation through interdisciplinary collaborations, application-oriented projects, and our commitment.
A significant portion of our research activities takes place within the framework of international cooperation projects, such as EU-funded INTERREG programs. Together with partners from the Greater Region, we develop sustainable solutions for cross-border challenges, for example in the areas of climate-friendly mobility, energy supply, or socio-spatial development. Our projects also provide strong impetus with regional impact within the Saarland Transformation Fund. They address future-oriented topics such as energy efficiency, digitalization, health, the mobility transition, and resilient infrastructure, and, together with partners, translate scientific findings into concrete applications.
Through the university’s internal seed funding program, professors are supported with start-up funding for innovative projects. Key selection criteria include the project’s innovative content and societal relevance, knowledge and technology transfer, as well as its scalability and contribution to addressing societal challenges (megatrends).
Key future-oriented topics are addressed in the centers of excellence that have been systematically established since 2021. The interdisciplinary research clusters Future Transportation Society (FTS), Digital Neurotechnologies (CDNS), Flow and Simulation Technology (KoS), and Climate Impact Adaptation and Disaster Management (KoK2) make direct and indirect contributions to sustainable development. This network is complemented by affiliated and associated institutes such as the Institute for Future Energy and Material Flow Systems (IZES gGmbH), which build important bridges between research, industry, and society.
Spin-offs from htw saar are a key driver of knowledge transfer and innovation. Many startups emerge directly from applied research. An outstanding example is VENSYS Energy AG, which was founded in 2000 as a spin-off of the Wind Energy Research Group at htw saar and has developed into an internationally active developer and licensor of gearless wind turbines.
Those interested in starting a business are supported at htw saar through consulting, mentoring, and targeted communication initiatives. The transfer fair “knowhow@htw saar” showcases current research projects and promotes exchange with industry and society, supported by formats such as the research magazine “sichtbar.”
This page presents examples of transdisciplinary projects with a sustainability focus from the INTERREG funding line, the Transformation Fund, and the centers of excellence.
